Nov. 28, 2007: Let's Dance!

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Draw three large circles on a large piece of paper. In each circle, draw a dancer showing a specific type of dance, such as ballet, folk dance, modern rock dance, or popular recreational dance. Label your pictures.

2. Look in your newspaper to find two places where you could take dance lessons. Find two places where you could attend a dance performance. Write several sentences about the type of dance you would like to learn or the type of dance performance you would like to see.

3. Locate a news story that you find compelling. Enlist several friends to create a dance that tells the events of the story using dance movement.

4. How can dance (a) improve your health, (b) make you feel happier, and (c) allow you to explore your artistic side?

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about a favorite dancer. You may select a classical ballet dancer like Mikhail Baryshnikov, a Flamenco dancer like Jose Greco, a musical comedy dancer like Fred Astaire, or a modern rock singer-dancer like Madonna. Use these questions to guide your research:

• When did the individual begin dancing?
  
• What type of formal or informal training did he/she receive?
• How did he/she coordinate dance lessons with regular schooling?
• What did critics say about his/her dancing?
  

Write a paragraph discussing your findings.

This week's standards:

• Students will execute original or existing artistic dance movement or works of art using elements and skills of dance. (Dance: Performing)
• Students relate and transfer meanings, ideas and experiences from other disciplines and areas of knowledge to dance and movement experiences. (Dance: Inter-Connecting)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)