Finding ideas to move
Students start the year by turning their own experiences, stories, and observations into starting points for dance. They explore how a memory or an image can become a movement.
What does a student learn in
This is the year dance becomes a way to say something on purpose. Students pull from their own lives and from what they see in the world to shape short pieces with a clear idea behind them. They practice the steps, sharpen the moves, and think about why an audience would care. By spring, they can perform a short dance they helped create and explain what it means and why they chose those movements.
- Choreography basics
- Dance technique
- Performing for an audience
- Meaning in movement
- Watching and responding
- Cultural context
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
Shaping a dance
Students take rough movement ideas and build them into short pieces. They make choices about order, timing, and space, then revise their work based on what is and is not working.
- 3
Dance across cultures and time
Students look at dances from different cultures and time periods and talk about what those dances meant to the people who made them. They use those ideas to inform their own choices.
- 4
Preparing to perform
Students sharpen their technique and rehearse for an audience. They pick which pieces to show, work on how to make the meaning clear, and practice presenting with focus.
- 5
Watching and judging dance
Students watch dances closely and describe what they see, what it might mean, and what works. They use clear criteria to give feedback on their own pieces and on the work of others.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 6.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect what they already know and have lived through to the dances they create. Personal experiences shape the choices they make in movement and performance.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students connect a dance or choreographer to the time and place that shaped it, explaining how history or culture influenced the work.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect what they already know and have lived through to the dances they create. Personal experiences shape the choices they make in movement and performance. | DA:Cn10.6 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students connect a dance or choreographer to the time and place that shaped it, explaining how history or culture influenced the work. | DA:Cn11.6 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students brainstorm movement ideas and start shaping them into a dance. This standard covers the early creative work of coming up with concepts and deciding which ones are worth developing.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students take their movement ideas and shape them into a structured piece, making choices about sequence, timing, and how the whole dance fits together.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a dance they've been building, make specific changes to improve how it looks and feels, and bring it to a finished state ready to share.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students brainstorm movement ideas and start shaping them into a dance. This standard covers the early creative work of coming up with concepts and deciding which ones are worth developing. | DA:Cr1.6 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students take their movement ideas and shape them into a structured piece, making choices about sequence, timing, and how the whole dance fits together. | DA:Cr2.6 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a dance they've been building, make specific changes to improve how it looks and feels, and bring it to a finished state ready to share. | DA:Cr3.6 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a dance piece to perform and explain why it suits their skills and the audience. They think carefully about what the work communicates before stepping on stage.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and polish a dance piece until it's ready to share with an audience. That means refining technique, fixing what isn't working, and preparing the performance to a finished standard.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a dance with a clear intention, making choices about movement, energy, and timing so the audience understands what the piece is about.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a dance piece to perform and explain why it suits their skills and the audience. They think carefully about what the work communicates before stepping on stage. | DA:Pr4.6 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and polish a dance piece until it's ready to share with an audience. That means refining technique, fixing what isn't working, and preparing the performance to a finished standard. | DA:Pr5.6 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a dance with a clear intention, making choices about movement, energy, and timing so the audience understands what the piece is about. | DA:Pr6.6 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a dance and describe what they notice: how the dancer moves, where they travel, and how those choices shape what the performance feels like.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students explain what a dance is trying to say and why the choreographer made specific choices, such as a repeated movement or an unexpected pause.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students use a checklist or set of criteria to judge a dance, explaining what works, what doesn't, and why.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance and describe what they notice: how the dancer moves, where they travel, and how those choices shape what the performance feels like. | DA:Re7.6 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students explain what a dance is trying to say and why the choreographer made specific choices, such as a repeated movement or an unexpected pause. | DA:Re8.6 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students use a checklist or set of criteria to judge a dance, explaining what works, what doesn't, and why. | DA:Re9.6 |
Common Questions
What does dance class look like this year?
Students move from copying steps to making their own short dances. They learn to plan a piece, polish it, and perform it for others. They also watch dances and talk about what the choreographer was trying to say.
How can I help at home if my child is not a dancer?
Put on music and ask what feelings or pictures it brings up, then let them show it with movement for a minute or two. Ask about a dance scene in a movie or show: what did the dancer want the audience to feel? That kind of talk builds the same skills they use in class.
How should I sequence the year?
A common arc is to start with movement exploration and idea-building, move into shaping those ideas into short studies, then spend the back half on refining and performing. Responding and connecting work can ride alongside each unit rather than sit in its own block.
Does my child need prior dance experience?
No. The focus is on making movement choices, working with others, and talking about dance with care. Students who have never taken a class can grow just as much as students who dance outside of school.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Refining work tends to be the sticking point. Students will generate plenty of ideas but want to call the first draft finished. Building in short revision cycles with a clear focus, like spacing or dynamics, pays off more than adding new content.
How do students get graded in dance?
Grades usually reflect the process more than natural ability. Showing up ready to move, taking risks with ideas, revising a piece based on feedback, and giving thoughtful responses to others' work all count. A shy student who engages can do very well.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
By the end of the year, students should be able to take an idea, shape it into a short dance with a clear beginning and end, perform it with intent, and explain the choices behind it. They should also be able to give specific feedback on a peer's work using shared criteria.
What is the connecting strand really asking for?
It asks students to tie dance to their own lives and to the wider world, including different cultures and time periods. A short journal prompt or a quick discussion after watching a dance from another tradition usually does the job without a separate unit.
My child says dance class is embarrassing. What can I do?
Sixth graders are very aware of being watched. Remind them that everyone in the room is in the same boat, and that the grade rewards effort and ideas, not looking cool. Practicing a short movement phrase at home, even once, often lowers the nerves at school.