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Suggested Learning Sequence

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  1. What is Jazz Dancing?
    Jazz has evolved into many forms. Some styles include: Afro Jazz = Jazz based on traditional African rhythms Cool Jazz = Jazz performed in the style of the 'West Side Story' dancing Lyrical Jazz = Jazz based on ballet moves Hot Jazz = Jazz as would be seen in Las Vegas shows
  2. View some Jazz dance:
    Discovering Dance DVD 2, Track 3 (Tap Dance), Track 11 (The Jive) Excerpts from musicals: West Side Story; A Chorus Line; All that Jazz; Cats
  3. Generate some stylistic features:
    Isolation of body parts, leaps, jumps, lively, energetic, rhythmic, syncopated, grounded
  4. Explore Jazz movements:
    There are many possibilities here. Specific skills could be taught, a guest tutor could take some lessons or a student could be invited to teach a short Jazz sequence. Some skills:
    • Jazz walks/runs - long and energetic steps dragging back foot
    • Leaps
    • Turns - turns on left and right legs, turning in and out; double turns, turns in attitude (back leg bent)
    • Hitch Kick - jump off 2 feet and kick one leg up in front of body while landing on the other with a bent knee.
    • Rib isolations - moving the ribs from side to side while keeping the pelvis still
    • Layout - Lifting one leg and arching up and back with the arms
    • Shimmies - fast shoulder contractions, right, left, right, left
    Students could work in pairs or groups and combine several of these Jazz movements into a short routine. (Assessment: LO1) They could also teach another pair and perform the longer routine. Music: The Very Best of Smooth Jazz - A Love Supreme (Will Downing); Soundtrack from West Side Story - Dance at the Gym. (There are many other possibilities with lively 4/4 timing).
  5. Where did Jazz come from?
    View excerpts from 'Roots' by Alex Haley Read the notes about the early history of Jazz Dance. Presentation suggestions:
    • Picture Dictation: Students each have a pen and a piece of paper divided into 8 sections. The teacher reads a section to the class and students sketch a simple picture in the first space to represent what they heard.
    • Talk Back: The teacher reads a section and gives the students 1 minute to 'retell' the information to a partner or group.
    • Share it around: Photocopy several copies of the notes. Divide the students into groups and assign one section of the notes to each group. They then read their section together and take turns to report back to the class. This could also be summarised onto large sheets of paper.
    • Dance It. Students work in groups and, using the brief notes about the Cake Walk, The Buzzard Lope, The Eagle Rock, Funky Butt and The Itch they create their own version of one of the dances. Music = 'It's Ragtime' - 'The Entertainer', 'Maple Leaf Rag' or 'The History of Jazz' - 'Sugar Foot Stomp'
     
  6. Freedom
    Introduce the class to the topic of Freedom. In what ways are we free? In what ways are we 'bound' or restricted?
  7. Action Words
    Print off the  action words ( 32 KB) from the Dance Teacher's Tool Kit and the students sort them into categories according to whether they could be performed as a 'free' movement or a 'bound' movement. For example: Bound words = Arch; Bend; Crumple; Flop Free words = Balance; Dash; Dive; Expand
  8. Bound
    Imagine what it would be like to have your movements completely restricted.
    • Walk with your hands behind your back as if you are in chains:
    • Keep your hands behind your back but now imagine your legs are in shackles and you can only take tiny steps with a bent spine. How far can you travel? What is your pathway across the floor?
    • Keep your hands and feet 'bound' but imagine that the chains are very heavy. Arch your back and then bend down low.
    • Fall down and try to get back up without using your hands.
    • Work in pairs or groups and invent some dance movements to perform, like the slaves had to do when they were on the slave ships.
    • Still in groups: what formations would you be in? (Lines or rows) Perform the moves as if you are all chained up. What happens when one of you falls over? How do you stand up? How fast are you moving? Where are you looking - Where is your focus?
    Music suggestions: Blues; The History of Jazz - Back Water Blues (Bessie Smith), West End Blues (Louis Armstrong), Blue Devil Blues (Walter Page); The Very Best of Smooth Jazz - Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
  9. Freedom
    Now imagine the opposite of being bound. How far can you reach up/out/across/behind?
    • Walk with long strides. What directions can you travel in?
    • Jog, then dash across the room
    • Turn with your arms extended
    • Jump as high as you can
    • Leap
    • Balance on one leg - What positions can your non-support leg be in?
    Make up a short sequence of 'free' moves. How fast are you moving? How light are your feet? How much space can you cover? What directions can you travel?
    Music suggestions: Swing Jazz - Maple Leaf Rag, Scott Joplin; Singin' In The Rain (Jamie Cullum); Smooth Jazz: Angela (Bob James); Just The Two Of Us (Grover Washington Jnr and Bill Withers)
  10. Contrasting Bound and Free
    Students work in pairs and select 2 bound movements followed by 2 free movements and link them into a sequence. They should try to show a clear contrast between the bound and free moves. (Assessment: LO4)
  11. Composition Task
    Students work in pairs or groups and create a short dance in 2 parts (A and B). Part A should represent a restricted life and Part B should be a complete contrast to Part A and represent freedom. Each pair/group selects 3-4 action words for each part and, after movement exploration, combines them into sequences. Points to consider:
    • Use of Space - directions, levels, pathways, range (near/far)
    • Use of Energy - weight (weak, strong, soft, light, heavy, firm)
    • Use of Relationships - shadowing, beside, unison, scattered
    Use the questions and statements in Thinking About Choreography to further develop composition work. Music: The Very Best of Smooth Jazz - 'Feelin' Good' by Nina Simone
  12. Students rehearse and present their compositions. Use oral_responses_cards ( 80 KB) and dance_review ( 59 KB) for discussions about the dances. (Assessment: LO5 & 6)
  13. Finale!
    The paired dances could be combined with others to create a class/group dance and performed for an audience. (Nina Simone's song 'Feelin' Good' is very appropriate music for a performance piece about the early days of Jazz dancing).

Download RTF file (RTF 49 KB)

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