Maryland K–6 dance standards

Demonstrate the ability to create and perform dance through exploration of a variety of stimuli.

Develop the ability to combine the elements of dance to create movement.

Solve movement problems by responding to stimuli. (e.g., nature, feelings, personal experience)

Act on creative ideas through guided work with shapes in locomotor and non- locomotor forms.

Act on creative movement ideas through play, using a variety of shapes, levels, energies, and timing.

Demonstrate creative solutions to movement problems by working independently and collaboratively with others.

Create dance by improvising alone or with others.

Apply and recognize compositional form in dance.

Improvise independently, using shapes and levels, to create dance movement.

Improvise collaboratively with a partner to create dance phrases that have a beginning, middle, and end.

Demonstrate flexibility in thinking by creating different ways to begin and end a dance.

Explore changes of movement based on suggestions from teachers and peers and choices from dance vocabulary.

Describe movement using pictures, symbols or available technology.

Work independently or collaboratively to create a symbolic representation of a dance movement done in class.

Use information from created work to vary it using the BEST principles. Clearly communicate choices.

Identify and demonstrate movement based on elements of dance: body, energy, space and time (BEST).

Explore different body uses (i.e., whole body, isolation, articulation, shapes) both independently and in small groups.

Work independently to explore movements using different energies

Work independently to explore changes of directions in movement.

Work effectively and efficiently while moving with or within a group by maintaining personal space.

Vary rhythm and speed while performing movements to show flexibility in time usage.

Demonstrate kinesthetic awareness and technical proficiency in dance movement.

Demonstrate a variety of movements safely in personal (kinesphere) and general space.

Complete simple dances from beginning to end, following teacher cues or models.

Explore knowledge and execution of performance competencies in dance.

Work independently to recall, refine, and perform simple dance movement.

Explore how and why healthy nutrition is important in order for the body too move efficiently.

Demonstrate awareness of, and move safely in, general and personal (kinesphere) space.

Dance for an audience following models and cues, demonstrating rehearsal and performance etiquette.

Determine the meaning or purpose of a dance and create production elements that help support them.

Perform a dance for an audience with attention to clear communication of a story, poem, or song.

Think creatively and assemble simple production elements such as props, scenery, posters, costumes, etc.

Interact with an audience in a formal or informal reflection activity.

Identify and apply guided criteria to evaluate choreography and performance.

Identify movement vocabulary of different genres and cultures.

Communicate clearly and describe what is seen, heard, felt, and experienced when observing a dance.

Using guided information from aesthetic principles, identify repeated movements, unity, variety, and sequences in an observed or experienced dance.

Using information from BEST principles, identify and describe shapes and levels in an observed or experienced dance. Apply technology by capturing descriptions in a given organizational tool.

Using critical thinking, observe and examine and explain differences in movements of two contrasting dances.

Identify meaning and intent in an observed dance using simple dance terminology.

Communicate clearly and describe how an observed dance makes you feel.

Reason effectively and clearly communicate how a particular movement or part of a dance makes you feel as a participant.

Make judgments and decisions as to how performance quality communicates meaning in an observed dance.

Communicate clearly, using dance terminology, to identify movements observed in a dance.

Identify and apply criteria for making aesthetic judgments in dance.

Make judgments and decisions as to how costume, hair, make-up, sets, lighting, music, etc. contribute to the meaning of a dance. Discuss decisions.

Use information from guided criteria to evaluate a dance based on communication of meaning or intent.

Recognize and describe guided aesthetic principles, such as repetition, unity, variety, and sequence in dance performances.

Think critically and describe how the elements of dance are combined in observed performances to create mood or communicate concepts.

Engage appropriately as an audience participant in formal and informal settings.

Create, describe, and perform a dance to express personal meaning.

Observe or experience a work of art to identify ideas as a basis for creating dance movement.

Demonstrate basic locomotor and non-locomotor movements and assign personal meaning to the way the movement makes you feel.

Create, describe, and perform a dance about personal experiences. i.e. going to the park, a ball game, a birthday party, a family event.

Use works of art, literature, science, or current events as inspiration to create dance movement.

Identify and communicate reasons to create dance outside of school.

Demonstrate knowledge of dances from a variety of cultures, societies, and history.

Relate dance to history, society, and personal experience.

Describe the relationships of dance to other arts subjects in school.

Act on creative ideas to describe and create movement that expresses elements of your personal heritage.

Act on creative ideas to describe and create movement that expresses elements and characteristics of your community.

Reason effectively to recognize dance as a form of expression and explain why people dance.

Compare and contrast cultural purposes for creating by examining dance from different times and places.

Demonstrate the ability to create and perform dance through guided and self- exploration of a variety of stimuli.

Develop the ability to solve movement problems.

Demonstrate flexibility by improvising phrases from a variety of criteria.

Think critically to create phrases from student- identified criteria.

Collaborate with a partner to improvise movement using shadowing and mirroring.

Demonstrate creative solutions to movement problems by working independently and collaboratively with others.

Use the elements of dance and choreographic forms to create dance and explain its meaning or main idea.

Modify dance phrases and discuss the reasons and effectiveness of choices.

Using information from the elements of dance (BEST), innovate through improvisation, a phrase that has meaning.

Modify dance phrases, and discuss the reasons for the modifications as well as the effectiveness of artistic choices.

Innovate and act on a dance idea by creating a phrase inspired by the idea. Explain and support choices with clear communication.

Revise created movement based on feedback from self and others, and justify revision choices.

Describe various aspects of dance (e.g. patterns, levels, relationships of dancers, spacing).

Make judgments and decisions in order to select creative material for dance work. Explain the decisions with clear communication.

Revise created work and support decisions with clear communication.

Notate dance phrases using given information.

Revise independent or collaborative work using feedback, adapting to change.

Use combinations of body, energy, space and time (BEST) to perform a variety of movements.

Use information from the BEST principles to explore and expand upon technique and vocabulary.

Work independently to incorporate a variety of energies in performed movement.

Work independently to perform movements in a variety of different directions.

Work in small groups cooperatively to perform movements using a variety of spatial relationships.

Work independently and in small groups to vary the rhythm and speed of the same dance phrase.

Demonstrate kinesthetic awareness and technical proficiency in dance performance.

Demonstrate and evaluate personal healthful practices in dance activities and everyday life including nutrition and injury prevention.

Collaborate and work creatively with others to analyze and refine artistic work.

Expand knowledge and execution of performance competencies in dance.

Memorize and perform dance phrases or dance works with technical accuracy.

Recognize movement performed correctly and incorrectly (considering anatomy, alignment, safety).

Develop fundamental knowledge about the value of warm up, nutrition, and preparing the body for dance.

Safely adapt to change in a defined space and perceive spatial relationships to other dancers.

Dance for an audience in a variety of spaces, demonstrating rehearsal and performance etiquette.

Determine the meaning, purpose or artistic intent of a dance and create production elements that support them.

Perform dances for an audience with attention to clear communication of stories, poems, songs, and personal ideas.

Think creatively and analyze artistic work to produce elements that support the work such as props, scenery, programs, posters, costumes, technology, media, etc.

Interact with an audience in a formal and informal reflection activity.

Identify, create, and apply criteria to evaluate choreography and performance.

Describe movement characteristics of multiple genres, cultures, and styles.

Work independently to observe a performance of dance work; analyze and describe how the elements of dance are used.

Use information from dance terminology to describe patterns in a dance.

Apply technology effectively by developing an organizer for recording observed or experienced patterns in a dance.

Using information from BEST principles, identify and describe qualities of movement of various dances.

Identify and define the main/central idea of an observed dance using dance terminology.

Interact effectively with others and discuss possible meanings and choreographic intent of an observed dance.

Analyze a recorded or performed dance in order to discuss movement qualities and structure.

Identify and explain why a moment in a dance had personal meaning or response.

Clearly communicate how a dancer’s technique conveys artistic expression and clarity in an observed dance.

Identify, analyze, and apply criteria for making aesthetic judgments in dance.

Make judgments and decisions as to how costume, make-up, sets, lighting, music, etc. make a dance successful. Discuss decisions.

Use information from given criteria to evaluate a dance based on communication or theme, ideas, structure, and intent.

Recognize and describe selected aesthetic principles such as repetition, unity, variety, sequence, proportion, transition, balance, harmony, climax, and contrast, in dance performances.

Think critically and describe how selection of the elements of dance and choreographic forms affects personal performances, improvisations, and choreography.

Engage appropriately as an audience participant in formal and informal settings.

Observe or experience a variety of dance performances and describe the feelings and ideas that are evoked by the experience.

Access and use research information as impetus for creating meaningful dance.

Observe a dance and discuss how feelings and ideas relate to your personal experience.

Think creatively to develop individual dance studies that integrate the elements of dance, choreographic forms, and aesthetic principles to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Use information from research in other disciplines as inspiration to create dance that has meaning.

Identify and communicate reasons to create dance outside of school.

Demonstrate knowledge of the contexts of dances from a variety of cultures, societies, and history.

Relate dance to society and history.

Describe the relationships of dance to music, theatre, the visual arts, media arts and other disciplines.

Work independently and collaboratively to experience different social, historical, and cultural forms of dance, making a personal connection.

Apply dance literacy through performing a variety of forms and styles of dance.

Work collaboratively with others to perform and explain the meaning of dances from cultures related to general classroom studies.

Analyze and infer how dance is used to inform or change beliefs, values, and/or behaviors of an individual or society.

Demonstrate the ability to use improvisation, perceptual skills, and a variety of stimuli to create and perform dance.

Use movement vocabulary and dance terminology to create and articulate work with artistic intent.

Demonstrate flexibility by improvising phrases of varying length from given criteria.

Think critically to create phrases from student-identified criteria.

Improvise using the information from a given phrase to create contrasting sections.

Demonstrate flexibility in solving movement problems by working independently and collaboratively to find different solutions.

Use fundamentals of composition to create dance in a variety of forms, and explain reasons for movement choices and organization.

Determine and apply artistic criteria to create dance and evaluate its artistic effectiveness.

Create, manipulate, and perform movement phrases using information from the elements of dance. (BEST)

Produce a floor plan for an original independent or collaborative composition and perform the composition following the floor plan.

Work independently to decide on a personal set of artistic criteria. Create a phrase utilizing the criteria, and communicate choices clearly.

Revise created work based on artistic intent, feedback from self and others, and articulate reasons for revisions.

Use a recognized system to document dance (e.g. writing, notation, oral, media).

Revise created work and support decisions with clear communication.

Create dance work and journal or notate the process, managing goals and time.

Create a system for documentation of independent dance work.

Revise independent or collaborative work using feedback, thereby showing flexibility.

Increase movement vocabulary and using BEST and compare and contrast with a variety of genres and styles.

Be a self- directed learner and work independently to improve dance technique and expand movement vocabulary using the BEST principles.

Work independently to increase range of performance energies using different styles and genres.

Demonstrate flexibility in ability to change directions and levels within a phrase or dance.

Work collaboratively with others to perform a dance that includes a variety of spatial patterns and relationships.

Work collaboratively with others to perform a variety of rhythms, speeds, and phrasing.

Embody technical dance skills to replicate, recall, and execute dance choreography.

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

Collaborate with peers to determine and document strategies for enhancing performance accuracy.

Display knowledge and execution of performance competencies in dance.

Memorize and perform technically and artistically accurate dance phrases or dance works.

Recognize the relationship of healthful practices, alignment and technical accuracy to injury prevention.

Analyze how personal dance practices contribute to safe movement and injury prevention.

Be a self- directed learner and develop strategies for attaining greater clarity of performance.

Dance for a variety of audiences in a variety of venues demonstrating performance etiquette, techniques, and practices during class, rehearsal, and performance.

Work collaboratively on the design of production elements that support the artistic intent and meaning of a dance.

Perform dances for audiences with the intent of communicating meaning clearly through articulate technique and projection.

Be a self- directed learner by assuming personal responsibility for rehearsal and performance (costumes, make-up, hair, personal warm-up).

Manage goals and time as an effective participant and/or leader for class, rehearsal, and performance.

Demonstrate consistent application of performance competencies, such as awareness of space, physical discipline, and concentration in rehearsals and dance performances.

Interact with an audience in a formal and informal reflection activity.

Describe and demonstrate patterns of movement and their connection to context and choreographic intent.

Describe movement characteristics of multiple genres, cultures, and styles as they relate to choreographic intent.

Make judgments about how patterns in a dance help to communicate artistic intent.

Use information from dance terminology and movement descriptors to discuss possible meanings of a dance.

Apply technology effectively by creating a compare and contrast instrument for describing characteristics of various styles of dance.

Using information from BEST principles, compare and contrast how elements of dance are used within a dance.

Work collaboratively with others to re-create patterns and movements observed in a dance.

Using dance terminology, explain how artistic intent is achieved through the use of the elements of dance, technique, and intent.

Using information from dance and non-dance vocabulary, describe how the elements of dance are used in an observed dance

Make judgments and decisions regarding the possible meanings of an observed dance, justify by relating these meanings to specific moments in the dance.

Analyze choreographic intent in a variety of contrasting dances.

Using information from BEST principles, explain how they influence artistic expression in and interpretation of a dance.

Create, analyze, and apply criteria for making aesthetic judgments in dance.

Evaluate the relationship of costume, make-up, sets, lighting, music, etc. to the meaning of a dance.

Collaborate to create criteria for evaluating a dance, and apply those criteria to an observed dance.

Select and use aesthetic criteria to evaluate personal performances, improvised and choreographed, and the performance of others.

Articulate rationales to explain conceptualizations, aesthetic decisions, and effectiveness of personal performances, improvisations, and choreography.

Engage appropriately as an audience participant in formal and informal settings.

Connect the concepts of a variety of dances with personal perspectives.

Create and document a dance study exploring contrasting ideas based on research.

Analyze how personal perspectives and experiences influence how one interprets the choreographer’s theme, central idea, or meaning.

Work independently to identify different aspects of personal interests and identity and use the information to create a dance that expresses the self.

Examine literature, scientific texts, artistic works, current events, etc., and communicate that information through a dance created collaboratively with others.

Identify and communicate reasons to create dance outside of school.

Compare and contrast the contexts of dances from a variety of cultures, societies, and histories.

Explain how dance reflects and influences history and society.

Describe the relationships of dance to music, theatre, visual arts, media arts, and other disciplines.

Think critically to compare and contrast specific ideas and perspectives in a variety of styles of dance.

Apply technology effectively to create a time line that connects social, cultural, and historical context to the artistic development of dance.

Analyze how various media have affected the development of dance.

Analyze how response to dance is influenced by understanding the time and place in which it was created, the available resources, and cultural uses.