What Is a Choreographer?

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

4, 5

Overview

Students will read about choreographers and what they do.  The famous choreographers mentioned are Bob Fosse, George Balanchine, Alvin Ailey, and Martha Graham.  Students will research dances by choreographers and choreograph their own routines.  

Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 4 - Dance

AE17.D.4.1

Identify ideas for choreography generated from a variety of prompts and source materials.

UP:AE17.D.4.1

Vocabulary

  • choreography
  • prompts
  • movement problem
  • elements of dance
  • choreographic devices
  • dance study
  • artistic intent
  • dance phrase

Essential Questions

EU: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and ideas into movement for artistic expression.
EQ: Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

Skills Examples

  • Use music, sound, text, objects, images, notation, observed dance, or experiences to create a dance phrase.
  • Perform a dance phrase using three different levels.
  • Perform a dance phrase that alters the timing of the movement.
  • Create a trio from a solo by performing movements in a three-part canon.
  • Create a dance based on the maid idea of "water" or "fire" and explain how the movement choices that were made express your topic.
  • After performing short dance study, reflect on possible changes that could have been made and use peer feedback to revise movement.
  • Draw a formation or pathway of dancers using symbols.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 5 - Dance

AE17.D.5.1

Develop content for choreography using ideas generated from a variety of prompts.

UP:AE17.D.5.1

Vocabulary

  • choreography
  • prompts
  • movement problems
  • choreography
  • elements of dance
  • choreographic devices
  • structure
  • codified movement
  • style
  • dance study
  • concept and inspiration for choreography
  • dance study
  • feedback and revise
  • notate

Essential Questions

EU: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and ideas into movement for artistic expression.
EQ: Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

Skills Examples

  • Create movement from spoken word, text, poetry, images, or nature.
  • Create a dance with a beginning, middle, and end that includes zigzag pathways and changes in energy.
  • Manipulate movement by utilizing choreographic devices such as retrograde, mirroring, or transposition.
  • Utilize ballet movement to create a story.
  • At the end of a dance study, reflect in a journal what changes were made during the process, why were they made, and what was the end result.
  • Record changes in choreography in a dance journal.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

Wonderopolis

License Type

CUSTOM
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