Moving and exploring
Students start the year discovering how their bodies move. They try big and small movements, fast and slow, and learn to use space safely while dancing near classmates.
What does a student learn in
This is the year movement becomes a way to tell a story. Students explore how their bodies can travel, freeze, stretch, and shape ideas they pick from their own lives. They watch classmates dance and start putting words to what they see and feel. By spring, they can perform a short dance with a clear beginning and ending and say what it was about.
- Body movement
- Making dances
- Performing
- Watching dance
- Dance and feelings
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Making up dances
Students begin inventing their own movements based on ideas, stories, or feelings. A parent might see a child at home turning a song or a picture into a short made-up dance.
- 3
Sharing dances with others
Students practice a dance and show it to classmates. They learn to start, perform, and finish, and to put feeling into their movements so an audience can tell what the dance is about.
- 4
Watching and talking about dance
Students watch dances and describe what they noticed. They share what a dance reminded them of and connect it to stories, music, or celebrations from their own lives and other cultures.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect what they know and what they've lived through to the dances they make. A memory, a feeling, or something from everyday life can become the starting point for movement.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Dance connects to the world outside the studio. Students begin to notice how dances they see or make can reflect where people live, what they celebrate, and how communities have moved together over time.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect what they know and what they've lived through to the dances they make. A memory, a feeling, or something from everyday life can become the starting point for movement. | DA:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Dance connects to the world outside the studio. Students begin to notice how dances they see or make can reflect where people live, what they celebrate, and how communities have moved together over time. | DA:Cn11.k |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with ideas for movement and start turning those ideas into a short dance or sequence of moves.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students arrange simple movements into a short sequence, then practice it until the dance holds together from start to finish.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a short dance they made, change what isn't working, and practice until the movement feels finished.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with ideas for movement and start turning those ideas into a short dance or sequence of moves. | DA:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students arrange simple movements into a short sequence, then practice it until the dance holds together from start to finish. | DA:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a short dance they made, change what isn't working, and practice until the movement feels finished. | DA:Cr3.k |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose which movements or short dances to share with others, and explain why those feel right to perform.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice the same movements again and again until they feel ready to perform. Getting a dance ready to share with others takes effort and repetition.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a short dance to share a feeling or idea with an audience. The movement itself is the message.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose which movements or short dances to share with others, and explain why those feel right to perform. | DA:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice the same movements again and again until they feel ready to perform. Getting a dance ready to share with others takes effort and repetition. | DA:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a short dance to share a feeling or idea with an audience. The movement itself is the message. | DA:Pr6.k |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a dance and talk about what they notice, like how the dancer moves fast or slow, or uses big and small shapes with their body.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students watch a dance and say what they think the dancer is trying to show, like being happy, scared, or telling a story.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a dance and say what they notice, like whether the movements match the music or feel big or small. They start learning that there are reasons to prefer one choice over another.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance and talk about what they notice, like how the dancer moves fast or slow, or uses big and small shapes with their body. | DA:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students watch a dance and say what they think the dancer is trying to show, like being happy, scared, or telling a story. | DA:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a dance and say what they notice, like whether the movements match the music or feel big or small. They start learning that there are reasons to prefer one choice over another. | DA:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What does dance class look like in kindergarten?
Students explore how their bodies can move through space using simple actions like skipping, swaying, freezing, and stretching. They make up short movement ideas, watch classmates dance, and talk about what they noticed. The focus is on moving with purpose, not learning set routines.
How can I help my child practice dance at home?
Put on a song and ask students to show how the music feels with their hands, feet, or whole body. Try simple games like moving fast then slow, high then low, or copying each other's shapes. Five minutes of this builds the same skills used in class.
My child is shy about dancing. Is that a problem?
No. Many students start the year shy and warm up over time. At home, dance alongside them instead of watching, and keep it playful. Confidence usually grows once moving feels normal and not like a performance.
Does my child need to learn specific dance steps this year?
No specific steps are required. Kindergarten dance is about exploring movement, copying simple shapes and rhythms, and starting to express ideas with the body. Formal steps and styles come in later grades.
How should dance be sequenced across the year?
Start with body awareness and basic movement words like high, low, fast, and slow. Move into making short movement phrases, then into sharing those phrases with a partner or small group. End the year with simple performances tied to a story, feeling, or theme.
What usually needs the most reteaching in kindergarten dance?
Stopping on cue, using personal space without bumping, and watching a classmate dance without talking over it. These habits take steady practice. Short freeze games and clear audience routines help more than long explanations.
How do I know students are ready for first grade dance?
By spring, students should move with control, copy a short movement pattern, and make up a few movements of their own to match a feeling or idea. They should also describe what they saw a classmate do using simple words like jump, turn, slow, or strong.
How does dance connect to what students learn in other subjects?
Movement helps students show stories, feelings, weather, animals, and patterns from books and science lessons. A dance about a caterpillar or a thunderstorm uses the same ideas as reading and observing. Connecting dance to a current classroom topic makes both stick better.