California K–6 dance standards

Find an experience expressed or portrayed in a dance that relates to a familiar experience. Identify the movements that communicate this experience.

Discuss observations from a story. Identify ideas for dance movement and demonstrate the big ideas of the story.

Watch and/or perform a dance from a different culture and discuss or demonstrate the types of movement danced.

Demonstrate locomotor and nonlocomotor movements that change body shapes, levels, and facings. Move in straight, curved, and zigzagged pathways individually and with others. Find and return to place in space.

Relate quick, moderate and slow movements to duration in time. Recognize steady beat and move to varying tempi of steady beat.

Demonstrate movement characteristics along with descriptive vocabulary (e.g., use adverbs and adjectives that apply to movement).

Demonstrate a range of locomotor and nonlocomotor movements, body patterning, body shapes, and directionality

Move safely in general space through a range of activities and group formations while maintaining and changing personal space.

Modify movements and spatial arrangements upon request.

Dance for others in a space where audience and performers occupy different areas.

Explore the use of props to enhance performance.

Find a movement that repeats in a dance to make a pattern.

Demonstrate and describe observed or performed dance movements from a specific genre or culture.

Select movements from a dance that suggest ideas and explain how the movement captures the idea using simple dance terminology.

Identify and demonstrate several movements in a dance that attracted attention. Describe the characteristics that make the movements interesting and talk about why they were chosen.

Explore movement inspired by a variety of stimuli (e.g., music/ sound, text, objects, images, symbols, observed dance, experiences) and identify the source.

Explore a variety of locomotor and nonlocomotor movements by experimenting with and changing the elements of dance.

Improvise a series of movements that have a beginning, middle, and end, and describe movement choices.

Choose movements that express an idea or emotion, or follow a musical phrase.

Explore suggestions to change movement from guided improvisation and/or short remembered sequences.

Describe, create, and/or perform a dance that expresses personal meaning and explain how certain movements express this personal meaning.

Respond to a dance work using an inquiry-based set of questions. Create movement using ideas from responses and explain how certain movements express a specific idea.

Observe a dance and relate the movement to the people or environment in which the dance was created and performed.

Improvise a dance phrase with a beginning, a middle that has a main idea, and a clear end.

Choose movements that express a main idea or emotion, or follow a musical phrase. Explain reasons for movement choices.

Explore suggestions and make choices to change movement from guided improvisation and/or short remembered sequences.

Demonstrate clear directionality and intent when performing locomotor and nonlocomotor movements that change body shapes, facings, and pathways in space. Identify symmetrical and asymmetrical body shapes and examine relationships between body parts.

Identify the length of time a movement or phrase takes (e.g., whether it is long or short). Identify and move on the downbeat in duple and triple meter. Correlate metric phrasing with movement phrasing.

Select and apply appropriate characteristics to movements (e.g., selecting specific adverbs and adjectives and apply them to movements). Demonstrate kinesthetic awareness while dancing the movement characteristics.

Demonstrate a range of locomotor and nonlocomotor movements, body patterning, and dance sequences that require moving through space using a variety of pathways.

Move safely in a variety of spatial relationships and formations with other dancers, sharing and maintaining personal space.

Repeat movements, with an awareness of self and others in space. Self-adjust and modify movements or placement upon request.

Dance for and with others in a space where audience and performers occupy different areas.

Use limited production elements.

Find movements in a dance that develop a pattern.

Demonstrate and describe movements in dances from a variety of genres or cultures.

Use context cues from movement to identify meaning and intent in a dance using simple dance terminology.

Observe or demonstrate dances from a genre or culture. Discuss movements and other aspects of the dances that make the dances work well and explain why they work. Use simple dance terminology.

Explore movement inspired by a variety of stimuli (e.g., music/sound, text, objects, images, symbols, observed dance, experiences) and suggest additional sources for movement ideas.

Combine a variety of movements while manipulating the elements of dance.

Compare the relationships expressed in a dance to relationships with others. Explain how they are the same or different.

Ask and research a question about a key aspect of a dance that communicates a perspective about an issue or event. Explore the key aspect through movement. Share movements and describe how the movements help to remember or discover new qualities in these key aspects.

Find a relationship between movement in a dance from a culture, society, or community and the culture from which the dance is derived. Explain what the movements communicate about key aspects of the culture, society, or community.

Judge spaces as distance traveled and use space three-dimensionally. Demonstrate shapes with positive and negative space. Perform movement sequences in and through space with intentionality and focus.

Fulfill specified duration of time with improvised locomotor and nonlocomotor movements. Differentiate between “in time” and “out of time” to music. Perform movements that are the same or of a different time orientation to accompaniment. Use metric and kinesthetic phrasing.

Change use of energy and dynamics by modifying movements and applying specific characteristics to heighten the effect of their intent.

Replicate body shapes, movement characteristics, and movement patterns in a dance sequence with awareness of body alignment and core support.

Adjust body-use to coordinate with a partner or other dancers to safely change levels, directions, and pathway designs.

Recall movement sequences with a partner or in group dance activities. Apply constructive feedback from teacher and selfcheck to improve dance skills.

Identify the main areas of a performance space using production terminology (e.g., stage right, stage left, center stage, upstage, and downstage).

Explore production elements for a dance performed for an audience in a designated specific performance space.

Find a movement pattern that creates a movement phrase in a dance work.

Demonstrate and explain how one dance genre is similar to and different from another, or how one cultural movement practice is similar to and different from another.

Select specific context cues from movement. Explain how they relate to the main idea of the dance using basic dance terminology

Select dance movements from specific genres, styles, or cultures. Identify characteristic movements from these dances and describe in basic dance terminology ways in which they are similar and different.

Experiment with a variety of selfidentified stimuli (e.g., music/sound, text, objects, images, notation, observed dance, experiences) for movement.

Explore a given movement problem. Select and demonstrate a solution.

Identify and experiment with choreographic devices to create simple movement patterns and dance structures.

Develop a dance phrase that expresses and communicates an idea or feeling. Discuss the effect of the movement choices.

Revise movement choices in response to feedback to improve a short dance study. Describe and document the differences the changes made in the movements.

Relate the main idea or content in a dance to other experiences. Explain how the main idea of a dance is similar to or different from one’s own experiences, relationships, ideas, or perspectives.

Develop and research a question relating to a topic of study in school using multiple sources of references. Select key aspects about the topic and choreograph movements that communicate the information. Discuss what was learned from creating the dance and describe how the topic might be communicated using another form of expression.

Select and describe movements in a specific genre or style and explain how the movements relate to the culture, society, historical period, or community from which the dance originated.

Make static and dynamic shapes with positive and negative space. Perform three-dimensional movement sequences alone and with others, establishing relationships with intentionality and focus.

Respond in movement to even and uneven rhythm in both metric and kinesthetic phrasings. Recognize and respond to tempo changes as they occur in dance and music.

Analyze and refine phrases by incorporating a greater range of energy and dynamic changes to heighten the effect of their intent.

Demonstrate technical dance skills (e.g., alignment, coordination, balance, core support) and movement characteristics when replicating and recalling patterns and sequences of locomotor and nonlocomotor movements.

Execute techniques that extend movement range, build strength, and develop endurance. Explain the relationship between execution of technique, safe body-use, and healthful nutrition.

Coordinate phrases and timing with other dancers by cueing off each other and responding to stimuli cues (e.g., music, text, or lighting). Reflect on feedback from others to inform personal dance performance goals.

Consider how to establish a formal performance space from an informal setting (e.g., gymnasium or grassy area).

Identify, explore, and experiment with a variety of production elements to heighten the artistic intent and audience experience.

Find patterns of movement in dance works that create a style or theme.

Demonstrate and explain how dance styles differ within a genre or within a cultural movement practice.

Relate movements, ideas, and context to decipher meaning in a dance using basic dance terminology.

Define and discuss the characteristics that make a dance artistic and apply those characteristics to dances observed or performed in a specific genre, style, or cultural movement practice. Use basic dance terminology

Identify ideas for choreography generated from a variety of stimuli (e.g., music/sound, text, objects, images, notation, observed dance, experiences).

Develop a movement problem and manipulate the elements of dance as tools to find a solution.

Manipulate or modify choreographic devices to expand movement possibilities and create a variety of movement patterns and structures. Discuss movement choices.

Develop a dance study that expresses and communicates a main idea. Discuss the reasons and effectiveness of the movement choices.

Revise movement based on peer feedback and selfreflection to improve communication of artistic intent in a short dance study. Explain and document choices made in the process.

Compare two dances with contrasting themes. Discuss feelings and ideas evoked by each. Describe how the themes and movements relate to points of view and experiences.

Choose a topic, concept, or content from another discipline of study and research how other art forms have expressed the topic. Create a dance study that expresses the idea. Explain how the dance study expressed the idea and discuss how this learning process is similar to, or different from, other learning situations.

Describe how the movement characteristics and qualities of a dance in a specific genre or style communicate the ideas and perspectives of the culture, historical period, or community from which the genre or style originated.

Integrate static and dynamic shapes as well as floor and air pathways into dance sequences. Establish relationships with other dancers with intentionality and focus. Convert inward focus to outward focus.

Dance to a variety of rhythms generated from internal and external sources. Perform movement phrases that show the ability to respond to changes in time.

Contrast bound and free flowing movements. Initiate movements from a variety of points of the body. Analyze the relationship between initiation and energy.

Recall and execute a series of dance phrases using technical dance skills (e.g., alignment, coordination, balance, core support, clarity of movement).

Demonstrate safe body-use practices during technical exercises and movement combinations. Discuss how these practices, along with healthful eating habits, promote strength, flexibility, endurance, and injury prevention.

Collaborate with peer ensemble members to repeat sequences, synchronize actions, and refine spatial relationships to improve performance quality. Apply feedback from others to establish personal performance goals.

Demonstrate the ability to adapt dance to alternative performance venues by modifying spacing and movements to the performance space.

Identify, explore, and select production elements that heighten and intensify the artistic intent of a dance and are adaptable for various performance spaces.

Find meaning or artistic intent from the patterns of movement in a dance work.

Describe, using basic dance terminology, the qualities and characteristics of style used in a dance from one’s own cultural movement practice. Compare them to the qualities and characteristics of style found in a different dance genre, style, or cultural movement practice.

Interpret meaning in a dance based on its movements. Explain how the movements communicate the main idea of the dance using basic dance terminology.

Demonstrate and discuss the characteristics of dance that make a dance artistic and meaningful. Relate them to the elements of dance in genres, styles, or cultural movement practices. Use basic dance terminology to describe characteristics of the dance.

Build content for choreography using several stimuli (e.g., music/sound, text, objects, images, notation, observed dance, experiences, literary forms, natural phenomena, current news, social events).

Construct and solve multiple movement problems to develop choreographic content.

Manipulate or modify a variety of choreographic devices to expand choreographic possibilities and develop a main idea. Explain reasons for movement choices.

Develop a dance study by selecting a specific movement vocabulary to communicate a main idea. Discuss how the dance communicates nonverbally.

Revise movement based on peer feedback and selfreflection to improve communication of artistic intent in a short dance study. Explain and document choices made in the process.

Observe the movement characteristics or qualities observed in a specific dance genre. Describe differences and similarities about what was observed to one’s attitudes and movement preferences.

Conduct research using a variety of resources to find information about a social issue of great interest. Use the information to create a dance study that expresses a specific point of view on the topic. Discuss whether the experience of creating and sharing the dance reinforces personal views or offers new knowledge and perspectives.

Interpret and show how the movement and qualities of a dance communicate its cultural, historical, and/ or community purpose or meaning.

Refine partner and ensemble skills in the ability to determine distance and spatial design. Establish diverse pathways, levels, and patterns in space. Maintain focus with partner or group in near and far space.

Use combinations of sudden and sustained timing as it relates to both the time and the dynamics of a phrase or dance work. Accurately use accented and unaccented beats in a variety of meters.

Use the internal body force created by varying tension within one’s musculature for movement initiation and dynamic expression. Distinguish between bound and free flowing movements and appropriately apply them to dance phrases.

Embody technical dance skills (e.g., alignment, coordination, balance, core support, clarity of movement) to accurately execute changes of direction, levels, facings, pathways, elevations and landings, extensions of limbs, and movement transitions.

Apply basic anatomical knowledge, proprioceptive feedback, spatial awareness, and nutrition to promote safe and healthful strategies when warming up and dancing.

Collaborate as an ensemble to refine dances by identifying what works and does not work in executing complex patterns, sequences, and formations. Solve movement problems to dances by testing options and finding good results. Document self-improvements over time.

Recognize needs and adapt movements to performance area. Use performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal, and performance. After the performance, accept notes from choreographer and make corrections as needed and apply to future performances.

Compare and contrast a variety of possible production elements that would intensify and heighten the artistic intent of the work. Select choices and explain reasons for the decisions made using production terminology.

Describe or demonstrate recurring patterns of movement and their relationships in a dance.

Explain how the elements of dance are used in a variety of dance genres, styles, or cultural movement practices. Use genre-specific dance terminology

Explain how the artistic expression of a dance is achieved through the elements of dance, use of body, dance technique, dance structure, and context. Explain how these communicate the intent of the dance using genre-specific dance terminology.

Discuss the characteristics and artistic intent of a dance from a genre, style, or cultural movement practice and develop artistic criteria to critique the dance using genre-specific dance terminology.

Relate similar or contrasting ideas to develop choreography using a variety of stimuli (e.g., music, observed dance, literary forms, notation, natural phenomena, personal experience/recall, current news or social events).

Explore various movement vocabularies to transfer ideas into choreography.

Explore choreographic devices and dance structures to develop a dance study that supports an artistic intent. Explain the goal or purpose of the dance.

Determine artistic criteria to choreograph a dance study that communicates personal or cultural meaning. Based on the criteria, evaluate why some movements are more or less effective than others.

Revise dance compositions using collaboratively developed artistic criteria. Document the revisions. Explain reasons for revisions and how choices made relate to artistic criteria.