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