This document outlines a 12-lesson unit plan for a Year 9 composition class focusing on dance. The aim is for students to develop their understanding and skills in dance composition by creating movements to express ideas in response to different stimuli. Each lesson builds on the last with activities exploring technical elements, improvisation, and manipulating motifs. The final two lessons require students to develop a movement motif based on a selected stimulus and attempt abstraction.

1. Year 9 Composition
“Making Dance”
12 x 40 min lessons

2. Unit Aims and Objectives
Aim
To develop knowledge, understanding and skills about dance as an
artform through dance composition as a means of creating and
structuring movement to express and communicate ideas.
Objectives;
4.2.1
 identifies and explores aspects of the elements of dance in
response to a range of stimuli
4.2.2
 composes dance movement, using the elements of dance, that
communicates ideas

3. Lesson One- Technique Class
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will participate in a
performance class to revise the elements of dance.
 Layer A - Analyse, using examples, the interrelationship of the
elements of dance used in your phrase and how you
manipulated them to contribute to the concept/intent.
 Layer B - Describe how you have used at least two of the
elements of dance in two of your exercises.
 Layer C - What is meant by the term “elements of dance”?
Describe how you used one of these in one of the exercises
you have learnt.

4. Lesson Two
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will explore Visual Stimulus through a
variety of class work exercises.
 Layer A - Using either the image of a tree or a bird, in groups of 4 or 5
work together to create a picture with your bodies. Find a way into the
shape and then make the shape move.
 Layer B - In pairs, use the image of a scarf as an incentive for creating
10 shapes using all three levels. Link these shapes together to create a
short sequence with a focus on the way the scarf can move. For
example, flowing in the wind, falling to the ground, etc.
 Layer C - Individually, use the picture of an abstract artwork to create a
phrase of movement. Look specifically at the lines, shapes, and colours
in the artwork and how this might affect the use of the elements of
dance.

5. Lesson Three
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will explore Auditory Stimulus
through a variety of class work exercises.
 Layer A - Working individually, create an abstract phrase with
consideration to the elements of dance. Consider the approach
you are taking. For instance, where you are and how the busy
city affects you as this will change the way you will be
manipulating space, time and dynamics.
 Layer B - In pairs, make 3 shapes each on each level using
different directions. Link these together with consideration to
the pathway you are using.
 Layer C - In groups of 3 or 4, create a short sequence made up of
gestures that you associate with the noises of busy city life.

6. Lesson Four
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will explore Ideational
Stimulus through a variety of class work exercises.
 Layer A - The effect of rain on people, land, crops etc
 Layer B - The action of a singular rain drop
 Layer C - The movement/visual of rain

7. Lesson Five
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will explore Tactile
Stimulus through a variety of class work exercises.
 Layer A - In partners students use the notion of cause
and reaction to create specific movements
 Layer B – Individually students use their surroundings
(eg. wall, floor) to create a shape or movement based
on the feeling of your surrounding.
 Layer C - Students Use the feeling of an object to
create a shape or movement.

8. Lesson Six
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will participate in an
improvisation workshop to develop movement
generation skills.
 Layer A - Students work individually to create an 8 count
phrase based on their daily morning activity
 Layer B - Students work in pairs to create movement
and shapes based on an activity.
 Layer C - As a group students work to create movement
and shapes based on a game

9. Lesson Seven
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will continue their
exploration of improvisation, with this class focus on
improvising using given stimulus.
 Layer A - Students create a phrase of movement with
shapes and transitions using a tactile stimulus.
 Layer B - Students create a phrase of movement with
shapes and transitions using an ideational stimulus.
 Layer C - Students create a phrase of movement with
shapes and transitions using a visual stimulus.

10. Lesson Eight
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students learn about Motifs, what
they are and how they are created.
 Layer A - Students interpret the stimulus as a tactile
stimulus to create a motif.
 Layer B - Students interpret the stimulus as an
ideational stimulus to create a motif
 Layer C - Students interpret the visual aspects of the
stimulus to create a motif.

11. Lesson Nine
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students explore how to
manipulate a motif.
 Layer A - Students use 4 particular ways to manipulate
motif (Quality, Background, Additive/Incorporative,
Fragmentation).
 Layer B - Students use 4 particular ways to manipulate
motif (Retrograde, Inversion, Planes/Levels, Rhythm).
 Layer C -- Students use 4 particular ways to manipulate
motif (Repetition, Size, Tempo, Force)

12. Lesson Ten
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will select a partner and
begin experimenting with various stimulus items.
From a selected item they are to begin to explore
movement.
 Layer A- Will select a tactile or kinesthetic stimulus.
 Layer B- Will select a ideational or auditory stimulus.
 Layer C- Will select a visual stimulus.

13. Lessons Eleven and Twelve
 CLASS OUTCOME- Students will develop a movement
motif from the stimulus item chosen in lesson ten.
 Layer A- Develop and abstract the motif in 5 ways.
 Layer B- Attempt abstraction of motif.
 Layer C- Movement that is representational of the
chosen stimulus.