Shapiro/DAN 464/S12 Page 1

Alignment and Proper Execution Date:____4/8/13______ Dance Style: Modern Level: One Prepared By: Marianna Blizzard

Prior Knowledge __ Some of the students have had prior dance experience and some have not. In this class, students have had the same warm ups for a few weeks. They have also been working on foot articulation, leg swings, battements, leaps, and handstands. _______________________

Overview & Purpose - (What will be learned and why it is useful.) Class today will focus on alignment. The students have had the same warm ups, across the floor combinations, and final combination for the past few weeks so they know them very well. Now that they know the movement sequences they can focus on improving their alignment and execution of the movements. Alignment and proper technique are very important for dancers to learn to prevent injury and to achieve certain aesthetic qualities.

Teacher Guide Student Guide TIME

Objectives (Specify skills/information

that will be learned.)

Information (Give and/or demonstrate necessary information)

-Students should be standing with their shoulders relaxed. -Students should keep their ribs aligned with their pelvis so not slouching or poking their ribs out. -Students should keep their pelvis aligned while doing pliés so not tucking under or poking it out. -Students should be sending their knees directly over their toes in plié.

(What Students will be doing) Remind students to do this

-Students should feel their shoulders relax and drop away from their ears. -For ribs, explain how the abdominal muscles connect the ribs and pelvis so students should think about keeping them stacked in line with each other as one solid unit. -Students should keep their pelvis aligned as if it were a fish bowl not spilling forward or back. -In plié students should send their knees directly over their toes around the second or third toe.

Time to take on exercise

Materials Needed

iPod

stereo (provided by studio)

socks to help with tendus and turns

Activities (Describe the independent

activity to reinforce this lesson)

More detailed Specifics

1. Introduce concept: Explain to students that we will be focusing on alignment today. Ask to see if they know what that means. Explain and give brief cues such as shoulders relaxed, ribs over pelvis, pelvis square, and knees directly over toes.

-For the introduction and warm up, students will be spread out in the space facing the mirror. The teacher will be at the front to lead them.

Intro: 8 minutes

Shapiro/DAN 464/S12 Page 2

2. Warm up with July, July!:

-pliés in parallel and stretch sides right and left -pliés in first position and stretch sides -pliés in second position and stretch sides -drop swing and pliés left center and right -drop swing and add a jump -flat back down and up 2x -flat back add arms -flat back add pliés -flat back add relevés -repeat drop swing and add jump -pliés in second and stretch sides -relevé and hold

3. Tendus and Pliés with Cold Shoulder: -tendu, lower heel, plié, relevé, plié, point foot, tendu close, plié -perform this sequence front right and left -side right and left -chorus: open and arch in second, contract in parallel, and arch, contract, repeat to other side -repeat sequence to back right and left -side right and left -repeat chorus -right lunge, arm up -straighten leg and lift toes -hang center -repeat stretching to left -hang over and plié in second

4. Stretch with Wandering: -start laying down, sit up, stretch over legs, and roll down -repeat, then stretch over legs -pick up right leg and twist to right -repeat left -go to second position stretch -scoop right and left stretch both sides -repeat starting left -right split and left split -stretch second position

-For tendus, students will stay in the same spots spread out in the space. -For the stretch, students will be seated on the floor in their same spots.

Warm up: 3 minutes Tendus: 4 minutes Stretch: 5 minutes

Shapiro/DAN 464/S12 Page 3

5. Across the floor:

-foot articulation: prance 4 times, jump together face front, sissone, turning pas de bourré, repeat -leg swing combination: 2 swings pas de bourré right and left, battement 3 times front front side, turning pas de bourré, cut, plié second, handstand, up to start again -jetés across

6. Combination with Colors -Review what we have already learned. -Throughout the review mention specific places where alignment should be considered. -Example: in the plié in second, the shoulders should be relaxed, the ribs and pelvis should be aligned, and the knees should be going directly over the toes.

-For across the floor, students will form 3 lines on the side with the bench and travel to the side with the windows. -For the combination students will spread out in the space to review. Then they will break up into small groups to perform the combination.

Across: 15 minutes Combo: 20 minutes

Outcomes (What do you want students to demonstrate?)

Short 2 or 3 things from objectives

-Students will be able to relax their shoulders throughout the class. -Students will be able to keep their ribs directly over their pelvis, especially during the leg swing combination. -Students will be able to keep their pelvis aligned during pliés throughout the class. -Students will be able to send their knees directly over their toes in their pliés.

Verification (Steps to check for student understanding)

-The teacher will observe the students during their warm ups. -The teacher will observe the students as they go across the floor. -The teacher will observe the students as they perform the combination.

Summary: write after class. Notes to self how it worked or did not work, changes to make. -Today went very well. The students were really focused and they did great continuing the warm ups on their own even when I stopped to watch and give feedback. They did well at listening to the corrections and feedback and applying them. I could really see it as they moved across the floor. I was also very proud of their leaps. We have been working very hard on straight leg jetés and I could see an improvement today. They also did well remembering the combination from before Spring Break so I was proud. -I felt good about how I taught today. It’s challenging in this class to walk around and give feedback while they are dancing because we are in a small room and there are a lot of students, but I think I did my best. I was able to watch and call out corrections and I think it helped. Dr. Shapiro noted that I also did well giving positive feedback so I’m happy about that. One other thing she suggested was that I could have had a picture of a body correctly aligned to show the students and I think that is a good idea and I should do that if I teach another alignment focused lesson.