WORKSHOP 7 - AUSTRALIAN BUSH DANCE

Lecturer: Jacqui Dreessens
September 20, 2012

Topic: Australian Bush Dance
Context: Who: Grade 5 working towards VELS level 4 When: As part of a Humanities; History looking at the 1850’s Gold Rush Where: In the school hall What: Students will learn and create Australian Bush dances suitable for this time in Australian history Why:  Working as part of Australian History unit, on the 1850’s Gold Rush in Victoria.  People working in the steel yards or sheering sheds.
Theme: Describe the micro perspective – focus on specific movement/dance content ·      Students will be focusing on social/partner dancing ·      High paced dancing using traditional western folk music ·      Exploring dance in lines as many Western Bush dances are performed in the manner
Learning outcomes – the children will be able to…. Cognitive (Intellectual/artistic): ·      Link dance styles of the 19th Century with the History topic. ·      Create an dance based on the style Australian Bush Dance Psychomotor (Thinking/Physical): ·      High paced dancing ·      Technique in dance to be observed (Heel before toe) Affective (Emotional/Social/Cultural): ·      Working well with others in their group
Assessment Students will be assessed on their performance on Australian Bush Dance, on their ability to work with others and on a reflection writing piece on how Australian Bush Dance was seen in during the 1850’s Gold Rush. Assessment will be based on Victorian Essential Learning Standards in The Humanities; History Level 4. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of significant events in Australian history including the development of the colonies, the development of the wool industry, the 1850s gold rushes. Student assessment will further be based on VELS in The Arts: Dance Level 4. ·      They learn about ways to design, improvise, represent, interpret, make and present arts works that communicate feelings and their interests and understanding of themselves, their relationships and other people
WHAT - content	HOW – strategies and approaches
Warm up – Students to watch clips on Australian Bush Dance.  While these clips are recent, explanation on where they originated from will be provided.  Which classes participated in these social dances. Physical Warm up – Students will move through the space at random at a fast walk then progressing to polka with an emphasis on heel leads to introduce technique.	Management of children in the space safely As the space is large students will have a large amount of room to move. When performing the dances, students will be spread over the length of the space to provide enough space between each other Establishing rules and expectations of behaviour Expectations and rules of the lesson will be discussed at the beginning of the lesson.  This will be in conjunction with the students. Signals will be discussed with the students when they need to stop, look and listen Safe dance practice of physical skills? Individual steps will be practiced to ensure students are completing them correctly. Ensure students are not pulling and pushing each other around the space. Tight core, bent knees Aesthetic Awareness How will you develop their movement/character response? Students will be provided feedback by both teacher and others in the class. Terminology such as polka and skipping, tempo and rhythm Each section of the lesson will take 10-15 minutes will complexity of movements as required. Choreography activity to take approx. 30 minutes References: Bush Dance, 2009, YouTube, 30 September 2012, < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnvGVommNvM> Dreessens, J, 2012, Teaching culture through dance, Deakin University, DSO, retrieved 30 September 2012, < https://d2l.deakin.edu.au/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=108145&tId=1486889> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2009, The Arts, retrieved 30 September 2012 <http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/arts.html> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2009, The Humanities; History, retrieved 30 September 2012 <http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/history.html>
Development  - Exploration Students will partner with another student of the opposite sex and begin in lines opposite partner where steps will be taught.  Sufficient practice will be given to students to understand principles of bush dancing. Students will work in groups of 6-8 to develop there own Bush Dance to a set piece of music
Culminating Dance  - Presentation Each group will present at once and then individually.  Students will be able to provide each other with feedback on their performance.
Discussion – Memory integration Where would these kinds of dances been performed? Are the dances going to be slow like a waltz? What other kinds of social dances can you think of?  Research other kinds of social dance; what other dances are similar to Australian Bush Dance?
Closure Students will be lead in a cool down as movements executed are highly physical. Discussion on how style is related to the Gold Rush and other parts of the Australian culture since the 1800’s

WORKSHOP 6 - TELLING STORIES: ABORIGINAL TO BUSH DANCE

Lecture: Jacqui Dreessens
September 13, 2012

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Ga Hu – Ghana folk dance on Youtube

o   Originated in Ketornu, later being introduced to Nigeria and Ghana.

o   Performed to celebrate life at formal occasions. 

o   Has been adapted over time as Western influence came into the country.

o   Can also be seen as mocking the traditions of Western Culture.

o   Variations include musicians and dancers wearing sunglasses, males wearing ties and female dancers wearing stiletto shoes.

o   The introduction of the identity card into the social dance with a hand gesture and the words ‘Paper says’ demonstrate the Ghanaian reference to the African people having to carry identity cards and the paper work introduced by Western society

o   A white handkerchief may also be used in the dance to symbolise the spirit world and traditions.

o   Moon energy: rump
Sun energy: chest
Star energy: pelvis

o   Ancestors being one with the earth

Activity

o   Individual movement patterns

o   Stomping with a flat foot, ankles and heels relaxed and knees bent.

o   Whole group travelling by walking around the space.

 In the School Setting

Production question – ‘what on earth?’, how do you see ‘spirit in the land?’ ‘what does it look like, feel like, sound like (question for children)

-       Research in what in the topic, background, influence,

-       If students are informed about the theme and background, they are able to develop movement ideas

-       How to enter the space, travel and exit (good to have same exit & entry point)

-       Having someone that can bring the focus onto the stage from the audience, someone with presence (Principal)

-       Acknowledgement of all people involved

-       What are they doing, why, who, when, how is it connecting to the theme?

-       Combination of back music and live performance

-       Incorporating repetition, allows for confidence to build, changes in spatial arrangement, groups, individuals

-       Segway between items, keeping interest on stage (keep music playing between items)

-       Don’t allow time to fidget – choreographed movements to keep student engagement

-       Preps – don’t put masks on their faces, where possible have it on top of their heads

-       Music for lower grades to have same quality as the movement, music to direct action, easy to recognise, consistent rhythm

-       Juxtapose direction

The use of a cultural dance such as Gahu in the classroom is a great connection to teaching about western influence in other countries as well as in Australia.  As VELS Level 4 in Humanities - History has a focus on European Settlement, this style of dance could be used to show how it has affected natives from other countries especially when the reasons for modification are explained to the students.

References:

Gahu- The traditional African Dance, 2012, YouTube, 10 March, retrieved 16 September 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5SbyBAPlPk>

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2009, The Humanities; history, retrieved 16 September, 2012, <http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/history.html>

WORKSHOP 5 - BODY PERCUSSION AND SOUNDSCAPES

Lecturer: Jacqui Dreessens
September 6, 2012

Topic: Body Percussion & Soundscapes
Context: Who: Grade Prep working towards VELS level 1 When:  Introduction to patterns as part of a maths unit   Where:  In classroom What:  Students to find patterns in sounds that can be transferred into their mathematical thinking Why:   Introduction into patterns as outlined in VELS, students will progress to recognising patterns in shapes, colours, etc
Theme: Describe the micro perspective – focus on specific movement/dance content ·      Students will be working to recognise patterns in sound, movement, and levels. ·      Body parts that will be used are hands (clapping, tapping on knees, head), feet, and whole body. ·      Differentiated patterns (fast, slow, loud soft)
Learning outcomes – the children will be able to…. Cognitive: Create sound patterns on their own. Psychomotor:  Coordinating hands, eyes and listening to pick up changes in sound and positioning Affective: Listening to others and the sounds being made.  Working together to create the patterns with whole body
Assessment As the patterns change during the sequence, students will be assessed on their ability to follow the patterns in movement and sound. They will further be assessed on creating their own patterns using body percussion and movement. Students will be assessed according to VELS Level 1 in Mathematics: They explore patterns in number and space by manipulating objects according to simple rules Students will be assessed according to VELS Level 1 in Dance: Express and communicate experiences, observations, ideas and feelings about themselves and their world.
WHAT - content	HOW – strategies and approaches
Warm up – clapping hands together as a group, listening to the beat, tempo and for any changes in the pattern.  Moving to tapping hands on knees/floor.	Management of children in the space safely Students in a circle Teacher as part of circle Establishing rules and expectations of behaviour Introduction of folding hands in lap when time to stop.  Explained at the beginning of the lesson and when speaking is appropriate Students to follow pattern introduced by teacher and then control passed to students Safe dance practice of physical skills Students will begin lesson sitting on the floor with their legs crossed and progress to moving around in a circle/around the room.  Ensuring movements made cannot harm others. Eg, flailing arms/feet. Aesthetic Awareness As this lesson is to recognise sounds and patterns in movement, speaking will be used at appropriate times to allow being heard without shouting or raising voice. Terms such as slow and fast, loud and soft will be used with students of this age group. Patterns of other objects will be used to link in lesson with patterns in other items Pace and length of each activity? To ensure students do not on get uncomfortable on the floor, activities in movement will be taken in 10-15 minute intervals
Development  - Exploration This activity will challenge students with their hand eye coordination as well as listening to each other.  May be able to move to use whole body’s (stamping feet) Individual movement on their own but still within the group Whole activity will be performed as a whole class.
Culminating Dance  - Presentation As part of this lesson, there will be no presentation as students are exploring pattern in movement and sound as a whole class
Discussion – Memory integration What do use notice about the sounds I am making. What can we add in to make the pattern bigger? How can we use our bodies to create a pattern? Possible artistic changes or developments? Can we see patterns in other places?  In the classroom
Closure Another whole body movement pattern with control given to the students. Consolidating ideas about patterns
References: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2009, The Arts, retrieved 15 September 2012 <http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/arts.html> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2009, Mathematics, retrieved 15 September 2012, < http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/maths.html>