Shape Dancing ?

                            


Ever tried shape dancing? Me either, until this class. Let's make mathematics fun by incorporating dance into it!

This activity can be incorporated into the geometry unit for the following grades and there overall expectations:

Grade	Overall Expectations
	The Arts	Math
Grade 4	Combine the elements of dance in different ways to communicate a variety of ideas.	Identify quadrilaterals and three dimensional figures and classify them by their geometric properties and compare various angles to benchmarks.
Grade 5	Translate into movement sequences a variety of images and ideas from other classroom subject, including the arts.	Identify and classify two-dimensional shapes by side and angle properties, and compare and sort three-dimensional figures.
Grade 6	A1.3 Use guided improvisation in a variety of ways as a starting point for choreography. A1.4 Combine the elements of dance in different ways to communicate a variety of ideas.	Classify and construct polygons and angles.
Grade 7	A1.4 Use the elements of dance and choreographic forms (e.g. pattern forms, narrative forms) to communicate a variety of themes or moods.	Construct related lines and classify triangles, quadrilaterals, and prisms.
Grade 8		Demonstrate and understanding of the geometric properties of quadrilaterals and circles and the applications of geometric properties in the real world.

Dance Strategies used: 

Choreographic Forms: using the structures that organize movements such as call and response and isolated and collaborative movements. 

Dance literacy: using dance to communicate ideas/ themes from math. 

The Use of Elements of Dance:

Body: body awareness, use of body parts, body shapes, locomotor and non-locomotor movements, body bases, symmetry, geometric versus organic shape, curved versus angular shape. 

Space: pathways, directions, positive versus negative space, proximity of dancers to one another, various group formations. 

Activities: 

1. Simon Says: 

Strategy use: call and response, isolated movements. 

Explanation: A good warm up for students to explore different ways they can move their own body. The teacher will call out Simon says along with an action or movement that class will have to model. However, the class should only model the movement or action if the teacher says the phrase "Simon Says" prior instruction. 

This was a fun activity and I could see grade 4-6 engaged. However, the grade 7-8 students may not find it as fun or challenging. Make sure to add in specific instruction for these grades if you see lack of interest, this could be a specific angle or lines of symmetry required. 

2. Show Me the Shapes

Strategies: Call and Response with Collaborative Movements and Shapes. 

Explanation: Students will be divided into groups of three and asked to think of three different ways they can create a certain shape using different body parts. (legs, arms, placement in relation to others etc.) They will then incorporate one shape into a short dance in three different ways. 

This activity was fun, we worked in groups of 3-4 to explore the triangular shape. Below are some pictures of some great examples of how to move your body. 

           

With this activity, teachers can place tape on the floor to help students use it as a base line if they have 4 members in their group.  It can also help students work off of it and develop richer thinking skills. 

3. Shimmy and Shape 

Strategies: Collaborative and Creative Movements with Shapes. 

Explanation: An extension of Show Me the Shapes activity, this time students are given three different shapes or can chose three different shapes to translate not movement. 

Below is a video outlining the movement of our dance we created with the flow of different shapes. I liked this activity because it allows students to be creative, think about the properties of each shape and work together as a group. What I like most about it is that students need to think of ways they can demonstrate a movement or action to represent a shape that will be clear to the audience to guess what shapes have been used. Can you guess the ones below?