The Arts · Grade 6 · Movement and Choreography · Term 2

Choreographing Emotion and Abstract Concepts

Students create original movement sequences that express specific abstract concepts or feelings.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• DA:Cr2.1.6a
• DA:Pr5.1.6a

About This Topic

In this topic, students create original movement sequences that express specific abstract concepts or feelings, such as tension, growth, or loneliness. They transform literal gestures, like a clenched fist for anger, into abstract dance movements by varying energy, flow, time, and space. Students differentiate how bound, sustained movements communicate sadness through heavy, slow qualities, while free, sudden flows convey joy with light, bouncing pathways. They also design short choreographies illustrating relationships, such as pursuit or support between two dancers.

This aligns with Ontario Grade 6 Dance curriculum standards DA:Cr2.1.6a for choreographic processes and DA:Pr5.1.6a for refining and presenting work. The unit builds skills in creative problem-solving, body awareness, and emotional expression, while linking to drama through character exploration and visual arts via shape and form.

Active learning benefits this topic through kinesthetic exploration and peer collaboration. When students improvise movements, rehearse sequences in groups, and perform for feedback, they experience concepts bodily and refine ideas based on classmate responses. This approach makes abstract expression tangible, boosts confidence, and deepens understanding of choreographic choices.

Key Questions

1. Explain how a literal gesture can be transformed into an abstract dance movement.
2. Differentiate what choices in energy and flow communicate sadness versus joy.
3. Design a short choreography that illustrates a specific relationship between two dancers.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how changes in locomotor and non-locomotor movements can alter the emotional quality of a dance phrase.
• Create a short movement sequence that visually represents an abstract concept like 'growth' or 'tension'.
• Compare and contrast the use of energy and flow in two different movement studies expressing joy and sadness.
• Design a duet choreography that clearly communicates a specific relationship, such as cooperation or conflict, between two dancers.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of abstract movements in conveying intended meaning to an audience.

Before You Start

Exploring Movement Qualities

Why: Students need to have explored and identified different qualities of movement like sharp, smooth, bound, and free before they can manipulate them to express abstract concepts.

Basic Choreographic Elements: Space, Time, and Energy

Why: Understanding how to manipulate space, time, and energy individually is foundational to combining these elements for expressive purposes.

Key Vocabulary

Abstract Movement	Dance movement that does not attempt to represent reality realistically, focusing instead on shape, space, time, and energy to convey ideas or feelings.
Literal Gesture	A movement that directly imitates or represents a specific action, object, or idea, such as pointing or waving.
Energy	The quality of movement related to how the body uses force, such as sharp, percussive movements versus smooth, sustained ones.
Flow	The continuity of movement, ranging from bound, controlled motion to free, unrestrained movement.
Relationship (in dance)	How two or more dancers interact with each other through movement, showing connection, distance, support, or opposition.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Abstract movements are random and unstructured.

What to Teach Instead

Abstract dance relies on intentional choices in energy, space, and relationships to evoke concepts. Group improvisations and peer critiques help students see how structure emerges from experimentation, leading to clearer communication.

Common Misconception

Emotions like sadness require only slow, low movements.

What to Teach Instead

Emotions arise from combinations of qualities, such as sharp accents in slow flows for conflicted sadness. Hands-on trials in pairs reveal diverse options, with performances showing how audiences interpret varied expressions.

Common Misconception

Choreographing relationships means identical mirroring.

What to Teach Instead

Relationships develop through contrast and interaction, like one dancer leading while another follows. Partner activities build spatial awareness, and group shares highlight how complementary movements strengthen the narrative.

Active Learning Ideas

Pairs Improv: Gesture Abstraction

Partners select a literal gesture for an emotion, like wiping tears for sadness. One transforms it into an abstract 8-count phrase using varied energy; the other mirrors and suggests refinements. Switch roles twice, then share one sequence with the class.

25 min·Pairs

Small Groups: Relationship Choreo

Groups of three to four choose a relationship, such as conflict or unity. Assign movers and observers; create a 20-second sequence showing dynamics through levels, pathways, and timing. Rehearse twice, perform, and note peer feedback on clarity.

35 min·Small Groups

Whole Class: Emotion Gallery Walk

Each student performs a 10-second solo for an assigned feeling. Class walks the space observing, then discusses in a circle how energy and flow conveyed the emotion. Vote on most effective examples and explain choices.

30 min·Whole Class

Individual: Concept Sketch

Students alone brainstorm movements for an abstract concept like 'change' on paper, noting body parts, qualities, and transitions. Perform privately for teacher feedback, then expand into a full phrase.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Choreographers for contemporary dance companies, like the National Ballet of Canada, often use abstract concepts to explore complex themes and emotions in their performances, moving beyond literal storytelling.
• Animation artists use principles of energy and flow to bring characters to life, ensuring that a character's movement reflects their personality or emotional state, whether it's the bouncy gait of a happy cartoon or the heavy steps of a sad one.
• Physical therapists design rehabilitation exercises that utilize specific movement qualities to help patients regain function and express range of motion, often starting with literal movements and progressing to more abstract, fluid patterns.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with short video clips of dancers performing abstract movements. Ask them to write down one abstract concept or emotion they believe the movement conveys and one specific quality (e.g., sharp energy, sustained flow) that led them to that conclusion.

Peer Assessment

In small groups, have students present a 30-second movement phrase expressing an abstract concept. After each presentation, group members use a simple checklist: Did the movement clearly attempt to show an abstract idea? What was one specific quality that helped convey the idea? What was one quality that could be changed to make it clearer?

Exit Ticket

Students write a brief explanation of how they transformed a literal gesture (e.g., reaching for something) into an abstract movement quality (e.g., sustained reaching to show longing). They should name at least one change they made to energy or flow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do students transform literal gestures into abstract dance?

Start with familiar gestures tied to emotions or concepts, then exaggerate or distort using Laban elements like effort qualities. Pairs practice layering time variations and spatial pathways; class discussions compare before-and-after videos to analyze impact. This builds from concrete to symbolic expression over several lessons.

What active learning strategies best support choreographing emotions?

Use improv warm-ups in pairs for low-risk exploration, then small-group rehearsals with assigned roles for collaboration. Whole-class performances followed by structured feedback circles provide models and refinement opportunities. These kinesthetic, social methods make abstract ideas immediate and adjustable, fostering deeper embodiment and creativity.

How to differentiate energy and flow for joy versus sadness?

Teach joy through free flow, quick accelerations, and high, curved pathways; sadness via bound energy, sustained deceleration, and low, direct lines. Demonstrate contrasts, have students improvise in mirrors, then vote on group examples. Connect to personal experiences for relevance, ensuring all grasp subtle distinctions.

How to assess choreography expressing abstract concepts?

Use rubrics focusing on transformation of ideas, use of elements, and communication clarity via peer and self-assessments. Video recordings allow review of relationships and dynamics. Observe process skills like collaboration during rehearsals, and require reflective journals explaining choices for holistic evaluation.