Synthesize (DA:Cn10.1)
a. Analyze a dance to determine the ideas expressed by the choreographer. Explain how the perspectives expressed by the choreographer may impact one’s own interpretation. Provide evidence to support one’s analysis.
b. Collaboratively identify a dance related question or problem. Conduct research through interview, research database, text, media, or movement. Analyze and apply information gathered by creating a group dance that answers the question posed. Discuss how the dance communicates new perspectives or realizations. Compare orally and in writing the process used in choreography to that of other creative, academic, or scientific procedures.
Relate (DA:Cn11.1)
a. Analyze and discuss dances from selected genres or styles and/or historical time periods, and formulate reasons for the similarities and differences between them in relation to the ideas and perspectives of the peoples from which the dances originate.
Synthesize:
If you read my last post about Interpreting and Critiquing, this is simply a continuation of those steps in the creative process. Students observe a piece of choreography, and determine the artistic intention of the choreographer. Now they must decide how it affects their own process. I ask students to reflect in their journals about how the message of a piece can affect an audience. What did they see and observe that stood out to them? Why? How does this knowledge impact the way you approach your own choreography?
Journals are a handy tool for assessing their understanding of this part of the creative process, because they can take time to describe their observations and why and how they were affected by a piece (DA:Cn10.1a). They can also continue reflecting upon their own work as a way of building their skill sets and improving their own work.
With the Frog & Snake project, something that helped students apply their observations to tangible outcomes was the use of dance problems. I posed some initial dance problems that students worked collaboratively to solve (DA:Cn10.1b). Here are a couple of examples:
Dance Problem 1: How would a frog dance? How would a snake dance? Develop movements for your family group that portray frog-like and snake-like movements.
Dancers used the internet and other resources to research their animal, and find interesting details that would help them develop choreography, and later choose their costumes.
Dance Problem 2: Using movements from your family group, design a movement phrase that conveys your small group’s section of the story.
Dancers took movements from their original family groups and integrated them with the member(s) of the opposite family in their small group. They portrayed the meeting of Frog and Snake, the Frog teaching Snake to hop, and Snake teaching Frog to slither.
Dance Problem 3: Develop a transition between Part 1 and Part 2 for the family dances.
Dancers had 16 counts to move from their small groups to their larger family groups. They had to develop pathways that avoided collisions with other dancers, while they developed locomotive movement that remained in keeping with their animal type movements.
Full group discussions about the piece’s progress and changes made to increase the effectiveness of the piece resulted in more dance problems to solve, but also gave students clarity about their next steps in the process. They used their critiquing skills to offer feedback to each other, and they used those suggestions to continue refining their work. Again, they used their journals often to reflect on their process.
Relate:
An important part of my program’s philosophy is the inclusion of all cultures and races. If you read my last post on Responding, you know that I work with students from all over the world. Learning about the context of dance in their cultures brings so much richness to our dance community. For the Frog & Snake project, we discussed the use of AfroBeat because of its origins in African culture, as well as its powerful rhythmic feel. The Frog Family used it as part of their choreography because of the way it made the dancers’ bodies move, and because of its grounded look.
Throughout the process of the Frog & Snake project, students learned that AfroBeat comes from a fusion of many different musical styles and cultures, which was a perfect fit with our piece’s message. The story itself was chosen because of the theme’s connection to real life, and the reality of how our cultures and beliefs often cause us to isolate ourselves from other important and valuable people groups. We hoped to challenge our audience to be more open to and mindful of people in the world who live and look differently. Finding value in cultures outside of our own gives us a deeper understanding and appreciation for the world, and helps us grow stronger as a global community.
The metaphors found both in the story and in the process of creating this dance were not lost on my students. The dancers often observed how funny it was that they were working collectively to create a dance that conveyed isolation and segregation. The experience reminded all of us how important collaborative art-making is, and what power our work can have on our audiences.