Danceable Thoughts

Coordinates with Viewing and Analyzing a Ballet Worksheets for Students or can be used independently.

An activity for fun that encourages students to analyze dance imagery and think creatively. Great as a social media thread activity or easily assigned as learning activity. Great variations to fit your needs. These imagery collections could even evolve into an outstanding choreography project

FOR TEACHERS -- In response to the need for Distance Learning/Online class assignments, this is a set of 10 different topics for students use to review their learning from the school year. ** A note to my teacher friends, I left this in a word document form so that you may copy and paste as needed to meet your needs. These ideas could easily be used for Discussion Starters if you use some sort of video conferencing set up. Each section has multiple parts. All Sections begin with a W

Follow the Evolution of Modern Dance from the Inspired Thinkers of the late 1800's to the Contemporary Dance Makers of Present Day. A Simplified History of Modern Dance for Dance Students in grades 7-12! Structured Reading with Worksheet for Student Notes Referenced in the Danceable Thoughts Modern/Contemporary Suggested Calendar

Specially Priced! Modified from my detailed lesson series, Planning for Improvement, this is a series of lessons that allow students to evaluate, discover, and reflect on their own movement tendencies. Simplified activities help students uncover facts about their development as a dancer. Activities include learning some basic anatomy, discovering areas of strength and areas of concern, interacting with imagery, and even devising simple choreography.

A Simple Reflection and Writing Activity geared towards members of performing groups. Great Conversation Starters, Great for Goal Setting.

A Quick and Easy way for students to reflect on their first semester of the school year. Requires no grading! Great Conversation Starters and Excellent Ways to assist students with Personal Goal Setting.

A fantastic choreography project for emphasizing creativity and musical interpretation. The requirements of the assignment include basic ballet movements but mostly encourages character development through use of the upper body and facial expressions. The project uses a variety of activities to make each of the 10 days go by quickly. Includes a clever project called "Insta-Ballet" which promotes learning of ballet positions with a "social media" flare. TEACHER notes available in a separate

A choreography project for dance students of all levels to interpret the musical selections from Act II of The Nutctracker . The project is in 2 different postings: one set is for students... this set is for teachers. It has a 10 Day guide of activities to inspire and assist students to work together to create a project that requires basic ballet movements but mostly emphasizes expressive movement and creative interpretation of the ballet's iconic musical selections.

From the silly to the creative and informative, a variety of activities to do with dancer for Halloween!

A great activity geared towards dance team programs. Could easily be adapted to any performing arts group or student-led group. Assessments for the students to complete about their current job, with prompts for discussions: recommended for small group with fellow student leaders and then 1 on 1 with the teacher/leader/sponsor. Also includes a thought-provoking list of questions for the adult leader, based on assessing whether you and your group are Thriving or just Surviving at the mid-poi

Activities for students with some previous ballet knowledge, a challenge to work in small groups to create short videos for World Ballet Day which is Oct 23, 2019. The students will view the promotional trailer for the international event and then they will choose from a selection of 6 short assignments to prepare and video. The assignments have 3 levels of difficulty. The packet includes two different rubrics to use either to grade the participants as a group or on an individual basis. Th

World Ballet Day is Oct 23,2019 but your students don't have to view the live international event to get inspired by the talented dancers who will be taking part. Dance companies will show footage live all day long and then post their videos to YouTube later on. This viewing guide is for dancers with any level of experience. The activities include noting and observing class interactions and ballet movements. The students are encouraged to choose "3 that Inspire Me" from the dancers they are

In honor of my mother who was a breast cancer survivor, I wanted to share some new ideas for Pink Ribbon week events! These are just to give you some idea starts. Includes a pledge drive idea like a "kick a thon" but for pirouettes. There's a fun concept to use a Pink Cadillac idea too with a nod towards Aretha Franklin! Enjoy! And if you do use any of these ideas, please post on social media and include the tag #DanceableThoughts -- My mother passed in 2016 and I like to do something

A packet to stir thoughts about some basic ways to teach beginners. The notes include ideas about traditional methods of teaching that have often been overlooked by teachers who are pressured to give students quick introductions to technique and jump quickly to the more eye catching "tricks" that are often seen today. With a way to blend a quick cardio warm up and isolations this is great for instructing novice dancers and it has many suggestions for training dancers with some of the time-hon

Finding examples of dance and dancers gives students a fun way to discover for themselves that dance isn't just something that happens on a stage. This scavenger hunt encourages students to find dance in media, print advertising, decorative items, and its use in non-dance-centric entertainment areas. The packet includes ways to make the project digital or the students' findings can be used to enhance the classroom setting. The project can be as big or as small as the teacher wishes. The pack

Activities that encourage self analysis of the dancing body focusing on arm work that affects shoulders, neck and posture. Arm work out moves, arm stretches, basic anatomy and imagery activities. Great for dancers or theater students. Short and simple choreography project and and observation activity conclude the lesson. Great for students who might not be able to actively participate in class because they are not dressed out or have injury restrictions.

Next in the Series, This packet guides a student through exercises to explore their own strengths and weaknesses of the muscle groups that move the spine and torso in a variety of ways that are important for dancing. The goal is to help students recognize areas that might need improvement. This packet has a warm up activity as well as the evaluation activity. It has a component that can be added for a web quest for images of dancers. The lesson is suitable for beginner students and is ideal

Designed with dance classes in mind, this packet contains teacher notes and handouts for viewing and analyzing a musical. The teacher notes include projects and ideas that can make a great end of unit summary project or it could be given to a student who is unable to physically participate in class. The handouts include a Fact Sheet, a Watch List Viewing Guide of open-ended questions and a worksheet designed to really get the students thinking about the role dance plays in a production. Rein

Worksheets for students to go along with the Powerpoint presentation.