4/13/2026 / Week 14 / Meeting 23: Teaching Practice: Community Dance

 

 

I 

Unit: Teaching

Theme: Community Dance

 

Introduction

Today's class introduces community dance to K - 12 students, as a possible source of knowledge.  Based on multiple spiritual practices from various cultures, community dances serve as a community enhancer where chants and steps combine to group people from all walks of life. The documentary shown in the case-study, Dances of Universal Peace, illustrates the possibilities of using dance to teach children how to build a learning community using dance.

 

II 

Learning Objectives 

 

• Understand the different possibilities of international community dance 
• Explain the importance of community dance as a meaningful spiritual experience
• Gain an awareness of the variety of community dances with a spiritual origin
• Discuss these ideas with other members of the class 

 

III

Main Lesson

 

1

Mini-lessons

 

 

2

Read 

Community Performance

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Community_Performance/pwWQDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Dance+performance&pg=PT18&printsec=frontcover

Read the Introduction 

Question 1

What is community performance? 

 Question 2

How does community performance compares to community dance?

 

3

 

Read

 

https://dupna.org/

 

 

 Question 3

 

According to Jennifer Friedman, what is the purpose of the  Dances of Universal Peace?

 

 

 

 

 

IV

 

 A Note to Remember

 

 

"I praise the dance, for it frees people from the heaviness of matter and binds the isolated to community"

  St. Augustine 

 

 

 

 Question 4

What does St. Augustine mean in the quote above?  

 

V

Case Study

  

Questions 5 & 6

5) Please, write your reaction to this video in whichever way it affects your ideas, feelings, hopes, prejudices about dance and religious practices.

6) In which way can these dances be taught to kids of all ages? Illustrate your answer with examples. 

 

VI

Journaling

 

VII

Glossary

 

VIII

Sources

 

IX 

Students' Work

 

 

 

Taylor Shirk

Lesson Plan

Understanding Rhythms

Grade level: 4th-5th

I. Warm-Up (3 Minutes)

Goal: Elevate heart rate and ready the class.

• Movement: Neck rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist rolls, ankle rolls, reach up, touch toes

II. The Work: Rhythm from Hands to Feet (17 Minutes)

Goal: Informational learning and skill application.

Block A: Time Signatures (4 mins)

https://www.youtu be.com/watch?v=TuRRBxrEKVE 

“We are going to use the steady beat of 4/4 and 3/4, and use a salsa dance count, which uses 3 beats and a rest in each measure of 4, to compare and contrast these rhythms.”

Block B: Clapping & Logic (3 mins)

“An eight count in dance is really 2 measures of 4/4, which is why we often feel emphasis on the 1 and the 5.”

• Clap a straight 4/4 (Even beats). 

  • With song, half-time, regular

• Clap the Salsa rhythm (1, 2, 3, hold-4). 

  • With song, half-time, regular

• Clap the Waltz rhythm 3/4 (1-2-3, 1-2-3). 

  • With song, explain half time doesnt work!

Block C: Moving the Rhythm (10 mins)

• March (Even 4/4)

• Salsa Side Rock (Syncopated 4/4):

  • Technique: Step side (1), replace weight (2), step together (3), hold (4).

• Waltz (3/4): 

  • Technique: Step-ball-change or "Down-Up-Down" balance.

• Check-in: "How does the rhythm change how the movement feels?"

III. "Guess the Rhythm" (3 Minutes)

• Active Assessment: Play a song clip. Students clap the rhythm first, then perform the corresponding dance move (March, Salsa, or Waltz).

IV. Final Stretch & Relaxation (3 Minutes)

• Static Stretching (2 mins): 

  • Arm and shoulder stretches, calf stretch, quad stretch

• Relaxation (1 min): 

  • Lay on the floor, and take 3 deep breaths.

     

     

    
    
    Jackson Bass

    1.
    

    Community performance is when a group of people come together to create and perform something that represents their shared experiences, culture, or identity. It focuses more on participation and connection than just putting on a show, and it often includes people who aren’t professional dancers.

    
    

    2.

    Community performance and community dance are similar because they both bring people together and focus on inclusion and shared experiences. The difference is that community dance is more centered on movement and expression through dance, while community performance can include other elements like theater, music, or storytelling.

    
    

    3.

    The purpose of the Dances of Universal Peace is to bring people together through simple movements, music, and chants to create a sense of unity and connection. It’s meant to promote peace, understanding, and spiritual awareness among different cultures and communities.

    4.

    St. Augustine is saying that dance helps people feel free and connected. It allows individuals to let go of stress or heaviness and brings people together so they don’t feel alone. Dance becomes a way to build a sense of community and shared experience.

    5.

    The video made me think about how dance can go beyond just performing and actually bring people together in a deeper way. It showed how movement, music, and chanting can create a strong sense of unity, even between people from different backgrounds. It also made me realize how dance can be connected to spirituality and not just entertainment, which changed how I see its purpose.

    6.

    These dances can be taught to kids by keeping the movements simple and focusing on participation rather than perfection. For younger kids, you could use basic steps, repetition, and fun music or chants to keep them engaged. For older students, you can explain the meaning behind the dances and encourage them to connect emotionally and work together as a group. Activities like circle dances, call-and-response chants, and group movement exercises would work well because they build teamwork and make everyone feel included.