Finding ideas to move
Students start the year turning personal experiences and observations into movement. They try out different ways to begin a dance and notice where their ideas come from.
What does a student learn in
This is the year dance becomes a way to say something on purpose. Students pull from their own lives and from what they see in the world to shape short pieces with a clear idea behind them. They sharpen their technique and learn to talk about a dance using real reasons, not just whether they liked it. By spring, they can perform a short piece they helped build and explain what it means.
- Choreography
- Dance technique
- Performing
- Interpreting dance
- Cultural context
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Shaping dances with intent
Students build short dances on purpose, choosing how movements fit together and what they want an audience to feel. They revise their work based on feedback and their own eye.
- 3
Dance across cultures and time
Students look at dances from different places and eras and notice how the work reflects the people who made it. They bring those ideas into their own pieces.
- 4
Sharpening technique for performance
Students work on control, timing, and clarity so their movement reads from across the room. They pick which pieces are ready to show and rehearse with the audience in mind.
- 5
Performing and judging dance
Students perform finished work and watch each other with a careful eye. They use clear criteria to talk about what worked, what the dance meant, and what they would change next time.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 7.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect something from their own life to a dance they're making or studying. Personal experience shapes how they interpret movement and explain what the dance means to them.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at a dance piece and connect it to the time, place, or culture it came from. That context helps them understand why the movement looks and feels the way it does.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect something from their own life to a dance they're making or studying. Personal experience shapes how they interpret movement and explain what the dance means to them. | DA:Cn10.7 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at a dance piece and connect it to the time, place, or culture it came from. That context helps them understand why the movement looks and feels the way it does. | DA:Cn11.7 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students brainstorm and develop original ideas for a dance, sketching out movements and concepts before they start choreographing.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students take their movement ideas and shape them into a structured dance, choosing how to order, repeat, or vary phrases so the piece builds toward something intentional.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a dance they've been building, make specific changes to improve how it looks or feels, and bring it to a finished state ready to share.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students brainstorm and develop original ideas for a dance, sketching out movements and concepts before they start choreographing. | DA:Cr1.7 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students take their movement ideas and shape them into a structured dance, choosing how to order, repeat, or vary phrases so the piece builds toward something intentional. | DA:Cr2.7 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a dance they've been building, make specific changes to improve how it looks or feels, and bring it to a finished state ready to share. | DA:Cr3.7 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a dance piece to perform and explain why it best shows their artistic strengths. They look closely at the work and make a case for why it belongs on stage.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and improve their dance skills to get ready to perform for an audience. That means refining movement, building consistency, and preparing their bodies and choreography to hold up when it counts.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a dance and make deliberate choices, like timing, spacing, and facial expression, so the audience understands the idea or feeling behind the piece.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a dance piece to perform and explain why it best shows their artistic strengths. They look closely at the work and make a case for why it belongs on stage. | DA:Pr4.7 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and improve their dance skills to get ready to perform for an audience. That means refining movement, building consistency, and preparing their bodies and choreography to hold up when it counts. | DA:Pr5.7 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a dance and make deliberate choices, like timing, spacing, and facial expression, so the audience understands the idea or feeling behind the piece. | DA:Pr6.7 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a dance performance and break down what they see: how the movement is organized, what choices the choreographer made, and what those choices communicate.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students explain what a dance is trying to say and why the choreographer made specific choices, such as the use of stillness, repetition, or level changes to communicate an idea or feeling.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students use a set of criteria, like technique or expression, to judge a dance performance and explain what works and what falls short.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance performance and break down what they see: how the movement is organized, what choices the choreographer made, and what those choices communicate. | DA:Re7.7 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students explain what a dance is trying to say and why the choreographer made specific choices, such as the use of stillness, repetition, or level changes to communicate an idea or feeling. | DA:Re8.7 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students use a set of criteria, like technique or expression, to judge a dance performance and explain what works and what falls short. | DA:Re9.7 |
Common Questions
What does dance class look like this year?
Students move through four big areas: making up their own dances, performing them, watching and responding to dance, and connecting dance to history and their own lives. Expect more independent choreography than in earlier grades, with students shaping short pieces around an idea or theme.
How can I support a dance student at home?
Give space to move and a few minutes of attention when students want to show a piece they are working on. Ask what the dance is about and what they want the audience to feel. Watching dance together, from any style or culture, also counts as good practice.
Does a student need natural talent to do well?
No. Most of the year is about generating ideas, refining them, and explaining choices. Students who take feedback well and stick with revisions tend to grow the most, regardless of starting skill.
How should choreography units be sequenced across the year?
Start with short improvisation and idea-generating tasks before moving into structured choreography. Build in a clear revision cycle so students learn to refine a piece across several class periods. Save longer themed works for the second half of the year, once students can give and use feedback.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Refining work is the hardest part. Students often want to call a first draft finished, so it helps to model what revision looks like in dance and to use criteria sheets when peers give feedback. Connecting movement choices to a clear intent also takes repeated practice.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
By spring, students can build a short dance from an idea, explain the choices behind their movement, and revise based on feedback. They can also watch a piece of dance and talk about what it means and how well it works, using shared criteria.
How is dance graded?
Grades reflect the whole process, not just the final performance. Teachers look at how students develop ideas, respond to feedback, perform with focus, and discuss dance thoughtfully. A student who is still building technique can still earn strong marks by showing clear thinking and steady revision.
What if a student is shy about performing?
Performance grows over the year. Early tasks often happen in pairs or small groups before any full-class showings. Encouraging students to share a short piece at home, even just once, can take some of the pressure off classroom performances.