THE BIG PICTURE...though—far from it! As you look back into history and investigate what role...

HISTORY & HUMANITIES | DANCE

THE BIG PICTURE

The Salvation Army Adventure Corps: Rangers 1 History & Humanities | Dance

Dance is all around us and reaches across the globe. It has been a part of every civilization as a way to communicate, instruct, and entertain, from celebrating harvest or a wedding, to captivating an audience. Even the earliest societies danced! A picture of fig-ures dancing was found on a wall in a cave in India dating back more than 9,000 years ago! From its use in ancient Greek theater in 600 BC to King Louis XIV forming the first royal dancing acad-emy in 1661, right up to today’s many dance companies around the world, dance continues to be an important part of nearly every culture.

Whether you love to dance or just enjoy watching while others take to the floor as the music plays, it is interesting to explore how dance has evolved and all of the ways dance was—and still is—part of our culture.



ZOOMING INWhy do people dance? Think about it: when music comes on, especially certain tunes with a great beat, sometimes it’s hard not to move your body. Dance is a natural way to express our-selves. That is one reason why people have been dancing since the dawn of time—it feels good to get up and dance around.

Dancing because it feels good isn’t the only reason people dance, though—far from it! As you look back into history and investigate what role dance played in various cultures, you find that dance was used in many ways.

For many cultures, dance was used as part of religious rituals to worship their gods. For example, in Ancient Egypt, formal dance movements to depict the story of a certain god were performed by their priests and priestesses. They also performed specific dances to honor the god of harvest, believing that would pro-duce a successful crop. Ancient Greek and Roman societies also honored their gods with dance festivals that sometimes lasted for days.

Aside from those used in religious rituals, dances in some soci-eties were used to keep the stories of their people “alive,” so to speak, and to teach the younger generations the history of their community and culture. The Mayans in South America had many dances that told stories, explaining how the Spaniards invaded their land and conquered them. In New Zealand, members of the Maori tribe—who are thought to be the “guardians of the land”—have been performing dances about the struggles of their people and their journeys for centuries.

So, maybe you are thinking about dances you’ve seen performed on those dance competitions: the waltz, the quickstep, jazz, hip-hop. Modern dance styles like these can trace their beginnings back to the Elizabethan era in Europe. As societies became more evolved, technology and inventions allowed people to travel more and trade routes were set up between countries. Not only were they sharing crops and goods with one another, different cultures also shared their dances.

#ONE MORE THING

Over the decades, dance has moved beyond the stage and the dance studio. It has cha-cha-ed or sashayed itself into various other creative outlets. On the stage in musical the-ater, the choreography and the dancers are just as vital a component as the script or the actors. In certain movies, dance is used as the back-drop or as part of the story (think about Step Up!, Billy Elliott, An American In Paris, or Singing in the Rain). Visual artists throughout history have been inspired by danc-ers, notably Edgar Degas, who created numerous paint-ings and sculptures of ballet dancers. Even the fashion world is influenced by dance costumes—from leggings to Flamenco-inspired ruffled skirts to shirts with a “ballet neck.” Dance is everywhere!



As a result, people would gather to watch a new dance per-formed. Even back in the 1800s, there were “dance crazes.” In this way, dance (and music and theater) moved from a religious focus to that of entertainment. Attending performances of ballet dances became popular, as did holding social dances, where folks would dance one-on-one rather than as a large group.

In almost every way dance is used—to honor, to teach, or to entertain—the dance is telling a story. It is allowing us to con-nect in a distinct way and communicate with one another. Dance truly is a universal language. Who knows what is next for dance in our civilization, but one can be sure, thousands of years from now, those people will be dancing in some form!

Almost every country has a dance that is specific to their culture or region. Here are just a few of them from across the world.

COUNTRY DANCEGuinea

Nigeria

Kenya

Brazil

China

Malaysia

Spain

Moribayassa

Atilogwu

Aduma

Samba

Lion Dance

Zapin

Flamenco

COUNTRY DANCEIndia

Finland

Ireland

Mexico

Peru

Argentina

Bharatanatyam

Jenkka

Step-Dancing

Jarabe Tapatío

Festejo

Tango

As you look at dance at any time in history, you can break dance into three categories:

1. ETHNOLOGICAL DANCES Dances that are specific to a

culture

2. SOCIAL DANCES Dances performed usually by

pairs or small groups for fun and enjoyment.

3. THEATRICAL DANCES Dances performed for an

audience to entertain


ACTIVITY | DANCE

GO DO SEE BE NAME:

DATE:

To earn your Dance History and Humanities emblem, you must complete Task One, along with TWO of the remaining three exercises. Have fun!

TASK 1Select a certain culture or country, and research one dance that is unique to it. It could be a civilization from decades ago or a modern one. Prepare a visual presentation in the style of your choosing that exhibits what you discovered about that dance. Be sure to include:

+ Name of the dance

+ Why the dance is performed

+ What story the dance tells

+ Who performs it

+ What the dancers wear

+ Where they perform it

+ How to perform the dance

+ Pictures of the dance being performed

TASK 2Research a recently popular dance move. How long has it been around? Is it based in a traditional dance move? When is it used? Write a paragraph giving a background on the dance or take notes to orally present to your group, and have the group try the move!

TASK 3In groups of two or three, pretend you can climb into a time machine and fast-forward to hundreds of years from now. What dances would have evolved? Using your imagination and cre-ativity, create a new dance that is popular in the future. What story does it tell? Is it part of a religious ritual or for entertain-ment? Explain and perform your new dance!

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK!As you read in the Zooming In section, dance has been around since man could make fire. Create a timeline of the history of dance, highlighting at least six specific points in time to explore the evolution of dance. Share this timeline with your guide and your group. Be sure to include pictures and fun facts to illuminate your timeline.


ACTIVITY | DANCE

GO DO SEE BE NAME:

DATE:

TASK 4As a group, discuss the history of traditional dances from two different cultures. Then, watch videos of them being performed. Write down three observations, drawn from your discussion and video viewing, concerning how the dances are similar and/or how they are different. Share your thoughts with the group.

NAMES OF THE TWO CULTURAL DANCES

Dance 1:

Dance 2:

WAYS THE TWO DANCES ARE SIMILAR

WAYS THE TWO DANCES ARE DIFFERENT

The Salvation Army Adventure Corps: Rangers GR-1 History & Humanities | Dance


GUIDE’S RESOURCES


RESOURCES

Dance

» h ttp://www.dancefacts.net

MATERIALS

¨ Manual (have enough copies for everyone or a plan for sharing)

The purpose of this emblem is to provide a brief overview of the history of dance. This emblem might best be completed in tandem with the Dance Arts emblem, as the boys would have a complete picture of dance as an art form as well as the evolution of dance across cultures.

X Differentiation point. There are many ways to discuss dance history and dif-ferent dances. For any visual aides that might be necessary, there are an abun-dance of clips from performances that can be found on the Internet or can be checked out of a library.

X Differentiation point. Some boys may have the sense that dancing is not a masculine activity. This emblem will demonstrate that men and women dance, and dancing often displays strength and agility! Nevertheless, be aware of the dynamic that some boys may be hesitant to embrace all that dancing has to offer.

X Differentiation point. Be sure to preview dances before allowing a demonstra-tion. Some may contain movements that would not reflect the values of the Corps. If you do see a dance, or the boys brings up a dance, that challenges Christian beliefs, be sure to address it in line with the values of the Corps.

X Differentiation point. This emblem is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate diversity in your group of boys! Every culture dances for ritual, celebration, and or socialization. Be sure to allow boys to share dance traditions in their families and/or communities. You may even consider holding a sort of “dance assembly” where boys (along with their loved ones, perhaps) show different dance steps they know well to others in the group.

X Differentiation point. Boys who speak other languages or are from particu-lar regions may be knowledgeable in pronouncing certain dances and dance steps. Allow them to to take the lead, as appropriate, and teach others how to say terms like an expert!

X Differentiation point. Some of the tasks may include internet research, if such resources are available. Be sure to monitor and insist on the practice safe internet search procedures.

The group task will involve each boy sharing what he knows about dance moves popular in his region, culture, and/or among his loved ones and friends. The individ-ual tasks are designed for the boys to research both traditional and current dances and dance moves. The closing task will consider the first reference to dancing in the Book of Exodus.

INTRODUCTION1. Welcome students and have them sit down. For this lesson, the boys can sit in

any configuration.

2. Distribute manual and read The Big Picture together. You or a few students can read it aloud, or you can give them a moment to read to themselves.




GUIDE’S RESOURCES

GROUP TASK: ACTIVATING SCHEMA & ZOOMING IN 1. Ask boys about their previous experiences with dancing. You may consider

asking the following:

+ Which dances are they familiar with?

+ When do people dance? Why do people dance? Have them name as many places, occasions, and reasons the boys can think of?

+ Why has dance been such an integral part of human history?

+ What kind of dancing is your favorite? Why?

2. Read Zooming In together.

X Differentiation point. As you go through the list of dances, be sure to allow boys to add dances about which they may be knowledgeable. You may wish to keep a list on a board or on chart paper.

INDIVIDUAL TASKSThe boys are to complete task #1 and two other tasks.

TASK 1This mandatory task requires boys to research a dance indigenous to a country or culture of their choice. They will then prepare a visual presentation.

Differentiation point. Depending on the boys’ resources and preferences, they may prepare a poster, software presentation, slide show, collage, or any other appropriate mode that they choose.

1. Have each boy choose a dance to research. They should be encouraged to choose whichever dance interests them. They can use the list generated during the group task and/or in the manual.

X Differentiation point. We recommend each boy choose a different dance to research in order to give the group a breadth of knowledge about dance his-tory. However, it is also acceptable to have more than one boy research the same dance and work together if the group is large.

2. Facilitate as the boys research their chosen dance. They may research using devices for internet research. Alternatively, or in addition, they may consult books, encyclopedias, or printouts. This may take up to a session to complete.

3. Help the boys as they plan their visual projects. They may use drawings, photo-graphs, internet images, magazine cutouts, or anything else that captures their newly acquired knowledge in a visually appealing way. This may take several sessions to complete. Be sure to set aside time for cleanup, if necessary.

4. Once the presentations are complete, have the boys show what they have learned with the group.

X Differentiation point. You may wish to either have the boys present in front of the group, or set up a gallery, in which the boys display their presenta-tions, and walk around to admire the work of the others!

MATERIALS

¨ Vary, depending on mode chosen for presentation

MATERIALS

¨ Copies of manual

¨ Chart paper OR white/black board and

¨ Writing tools, if desired




GUIDE’S RESOURCES

MATERIALS

¨ Devices for internet research and/or texts for research

MATERIALS

¨ Devices for internet research and/or texts for research

¨ Clips for viewing videos

TASK 2This task asks boys to research a current popular dance move.

1. Have each boy choose a recently popular dance to research. They should be encouraged to choose whichever dance interests them. Some possibilities include: The Macarena, The Electric Slide, Whip/Nae Nae, The Dab, The Harlem Shake (either the traditional shake or the more recent appropriation of it), Loco-Motion, the Twist, and the list goes on!

X Differentiation point. We recommend each boy choose a different dance to research in order to give the group a breadth of knowledge about dance his-tory. However, it is also acceptable to have more than one boy research the same dance and work together if the group is large.

2. Facilitate as the boys research their chosen dance. They may research using devices for internet research. Alternatively, or in addition, they may consult books, encyclopedias, or printouts. This may take 20-30 minutes to complete.

3. Have the boys answer the questions as prompted in the manual. They need not write down their responses, but they should be prepared to informally present what they have learned to the group.

4. As the boys share what they have learned, have them also demonstrate the dance move to the group. Be encouraging if boys seem shy, perhaps demonstrat-ing the dance alongside them. Then, have the whole group attempt the move!

TASK 3This task asks boys to create a new dance in groups.

1. Split the boy groups of two or three. You may wish to assign groups if the boys have difficulty forming groups, or if they tend to form groups that do not change.

2. Facilitate as they choreograph a dance of their own. They should be given approximately 20 minutes to create a dance.

3. Have them present and explain their dance to the group, as prompted in the manual. Praise them for their hard work as they share!

TASK 4This task aims to show boys the similarities and differences of dances across cul-ture by having boys compare and contrast two dances.

X Differentiation point. You may wish to have the boys pick two dances that were presented in task #1. We strongly recommend that you require each boy to choose dances that he himself did not already research for task #1.

X Differentiation point. The boys can either view clips of the dances during session or on their own, depending on where they have access to video viewing.




GUIDE’S RESOURCES1. Have each boy choose two dances to compare. They should be encouraged to

choose whichever dance interests them. Again, they can use the list generated during the group task and/or in the manual. Alternatively, they can choose dances that may have piqued their interest during the visual presentations in task #1.

2. Facilitate as the boys watch their chosen dances being performed, if this is being completed during meeting time.

X Differentiation point. There are lots of sites to find videos. Good ones are via the National Geographic or PBS websites. Remember to preview them ahead of time to be sure the content is suitable for kids.

Here are also a few to start with:

+ http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/exploreorg/ghana-drum-dance.org

+ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgiLOzFQh14

+ http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/mali_dama

+ http://www.pbs.org/arts/genre/dance/

CLOSING TASKThe very first dance in the Bible appears as Jews escape slavery, Exodus 15:19-21 NIV. Read the verses together: 19When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemene went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21Miriam sang to them:

“ Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”

As a group, discuss the following questions:

+ Who is dancing here?

+ Why are they dancing?

+ What is the purpose of dancing?

As a group, decide what the dance might have looked like, and thank God for the gift of dance!

THE BIG PICTURE...though—far from it! As you look back into history and investigate what role...

Documents

Transcript of THE BIG PICTURE...though—far from it! As you look back into history and investigate what role...