Movement and Choreography · Term 2

Choreographing a Narrative

Creating a short dance piece that communicates a specific theme or story.

About This Topic

Choreographing a Narrative challenges Year 7 students to use movement to tell a story or explore a theme. This topic brings together the BASTE elements and cultural understandings to create original works. In the Australian Curriculum, students are encouraged to use dance to communicate ideas and emotions to an audience. They learn that a 'narrative' doesn't have to be a literal plot; it can be an abstract exploration of a concept like 'growth,' 'conflict,' or 'connection to place.'

Students focus on the structure of a dance, the beginning, middle, and end, and the importance of transitions. This unit develops critical thinking and collaborative skills as students must negotiate and refine their ideas within a group. This topic is best taught through iterative, student-centered workshops where students 'draft' movements, receive peer feedback, and refine their choreography in a supportive environment.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how specific body shapes and pathways communicate abstract concepts like 'growth' or 'conflict'.
• Design a sequence of movements that clearly transitions between distinct narrative sections.
• Evaluate the impact of musical choices on the emotional tone and pacing of a choreographed phrase.
• Create a short dance narrative using at least three BASTE elements to convey a chosen theme.
• Justify choreographic choices by explaining their connection to the narrative's central idea.

Before You Start

Exploring the BASTE Elements

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of Body, Action, Space, Time, and Energy to effectively build and manipulate movement.

Introduction to Dance Composition

Why: Students should have prior experience with basic choreographic principles like repetition, contrast, and variation to build upon.

Key Vocabulary

Narrative in Dance	A story or concept communicated through movement, which can be literal or abstract, rather than spoken words.
Choreographic Phrase	A short, distinct sequence of movements that forms a unit within a larger dance, often conveying a specific idea or action.
Transition	The movement or series of movements used to connect one section of a dance to another, ensuring flow and coherence.
Theme	The central idea, message, or subject that a dance piece explores, such as friendship, environmental change, or overcoming challenges.
BASTE Elements	The fundamental components of dance: Body, Action, Space, Time, and Energy, used to build movement vocabulary.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: The Prop Prompt

Groups are given a simple prop (e.g., a length of blue fabric or a single chair). They must choreograph a 1-minute piece where the prop represents something else (e.g., a river, a barrier, a memory) to tell a short story.

⏱ 60 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Peer Teaching: Transition Swap

Two groups each create two 'main' movements. They then swap groups, and the new group must choreograph the 'transition' that connects those two movements smoothly, focusing on flow and timing.

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Think-Pair-Share: Abstracting an Idea

Students choose a word (e.g., 'friendship'). They think of a literal action for it (a handshake), then work with a partner to 'abstract' it by changing the level, speed, or energy until it becomes a dance move.

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Generate mission

Real-World Connections

Professional dance companies like Bangarra Dance Theatre create works that explore Indigenous Australian stories and connection to Country, using movement to convey cultural narratives to audiences.

Theatrical productions often employ choreographers to create movement sequences that tell a story or reveal character, such as the fight scenes in a Shakespearean play or the ensemble numbers in a musical.

Film directors use choreography to shape the visual storytelling in scenes, guiding actors' movements to express emotions or advance the plot, seen in iconic dance sequences in movies like 'La La Land'.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

A dance story has to have characters and a clear plot like a movie.

What to Teach Instead

Dance often uses 'thematic' narrative. Active exercises in 'abstracting' everyday movements help students see that they can communicate a feeling or an idea without a literal storyline.

Common Misconception

The best dances are the ones with the most difficult tricks.

What to Teach Instead

A simple movement performed with clear intention and good transitions is often more effective. Peer feedback sessions help students focus on 'clarity of message' rather than just technical difficulty.

Assessment Ideas

Peer Assessment

Students work in small groups to choreograph a 30-second narrative phrase. After performing, groups swap. Peers use a checklist to assess: Is a clear theme identifiable? Are transitions smooth between any two distinct movements? Is the use of space varied?

Exit Ticket

Students write down one abstract movement they used and the concrete idea it represented. They then explain in one sentence why the music they chose supported the mood of their narrative.

Quick Check

Teacher observes groups during choreography creation. Teacher asks: 'How does this movement show the idea of [student's theme]? Can you show me a smoother way to get from movement A to movement B?'

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start choreographing with Year 7s?

Start with a 'stimulus', a poem, a piece of music, or an image. Have students brainstorm 'action words' related to the stimulus and then turn those words into movements. This provides a clear starting point and reduces the 'blank page' anxiety.

What makes a good transition in dance?

A good transition is a movement that connects two larger shapes or sequences without breaking the flow or the 'mood' of the piece. It should feel like a natural bridge rather than a pause.

How can active learning help students with choreography?

Choreography is a process of trial and error. Active learning strategies like 'Transition Swaps' and 'Abstracting Ideas' encourage students to experiment and iterate. By working collaboratively, they learn to articulate their creative choices and respond to the ideas of others, which mirrors the professional choreographic process.

How do I assess a student's choreography?

Focus on their use of the BASTE elements, the clarity of their narrative or theme, and their ability to work collaboratively. Use a rubric that values the 'process' of refinement and the 'intention' behind the movements.