® A NEW 42ND STREET ® PROJECT Lois Greenfield, Francois Leloup-Collet, Paula Lobo, Matt Murphy, Daniel Roberts, Jacob Sutton, Kenn Tam Kenn Sutton, Jacob Roberts, Daniel Murphy, Matt Lobo, Duggan, Paula Christopher Conzo, Joe Leloup-Collet, Francois Cervantes, Julieta Greenfield, Brown, Lois Whitney Photos: Diamond, Katie Illustrations: Tom Slaughter, Art: Show
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INSIDE EN ROUTE DANCE © THE NEW© 42ND THE NEWSTREET, 42ND INC. STREET, INC. 1 ® welcome
INSIDE EN ROUTE DANCE
NEW VICTORY® SCHOOL TOOLTM RESOURCE GUIDES
Available to Education Partners for every show in our season, New Victory School Tool THE NEW VICTORY THEATER Resource Guides provide educators with The New Victory Theater is New York City’s first full-time performing comprehensive materials that explore the arts theater for kids, their families and classmates. Since it opened in 1995, artistry and key themes of each production. The New Victory has quickly become an integral part of the cultural Filled with practical, ready-to-implement landscape in New York City, presenting a full season of adventurous activities that allow any teacher to incorporate multidisciplinary works from around the globe and close to home. The New Victory into their classroom, the The New Vic seeks out sophisticated, thought-provoking, professional New Victory School Tool Resource Guides productions that are as artistically rich as they are entertaining. are designed to enrich the performance experience before, during and after the students’ trip to the theater. The international productions on New Victory stages inform and inspire the work of the award-winning New Victory Education Program through a dynamic combination of school and public programs. Our school programs THE NEW VICTORY THEATER serve over 34,000 Pre-K through 12th grade students and teachers each 209 W 42ND STREET season at almost no cost to the kids or their schools. Many of our partners NEW YORK, NY 10036 are NYC-area Title I schools, with a high percentage of students who would be unable to experience live theater if it weren’t for The New Victory. The CONTACT INFORMATION enthusiastic young people who greet you on your way into the theater are [email protected] part of the New Vic Usher Corps, a 3-year program that provides 27,000 646.223.3090 hours of paid employment for 75-80 high school and college-age youth each season. Families who attend the New Vic together combine their theater-going with New Victory Family Workshops, as well as free in-theater engagement activities. Together, these nationally-recognized programs MAKING CONNECTIONS exemplify the organization’s long-standing commitment to the intrinsic TO LEARNING STANDARDS value of cultural participation in the lives of young people and families. New Victory School Tool Resource Guides align with the Common Core State Standards, New York State Learning Standards and New York City NEW VICTORY EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts. We believe that these standards support both the The New Victory Education Department is committed to building high quality instruction and deep engagement impactful and long-lasting relationships with schools and after-school that The New Victory Theater strives to achieve in programs. We believe that creating strong and meaningful partnerships its arts education practice. between schools and arts organizations allows school communities to deeply enrich their arts programs and infuse creativity across the curriculum. By annually enrolling in the unique and award-winning Please be advised that the unauthorized reproduction or New Victory Education Partnership Program, schools take advantage distribution of New Victory School Tool Resource Guides for any purpose other than educational, such as for commercial of $2 tickets to New Victory school-time and after-school performances, or monetary gain, may constitute copyright infringement free classroom workshops led by highly skilled teaching artists, in-depth and may be punishable by law. For more information, resources and professional development that allow teachers to incorporate please contact the New Victory Education Department the arts into their classrooms. at [email protected].
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 2 ®
INSIDE EN ROUTE DANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS INSIDE Information and handouts to get you ready for the show
5 HANDOUT: THIS SUMMER ON THE NEW VIC STAGE! · 6 HANDOUT: INSIDE THE ART FORM
7 WHAT DO YOUR STUDENTS KNOW NOW · 8 HANDOUT: BEING YOUR B. E.S.T. · 9 CREATIVITY PAGES: PROGRAM A • PROGRAM B • PROGRAM C
EN ROUTE What you need for your trip to The New Victory Theater WHAT IS VICTORY DANCE? The New Victory Theater is thrilled to present VICTORY 16 RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES DANCE, a new series specially curated to introduce younger audiences to the incredible artistry and diversity 17 TRIP GUIDE of dance in New York City. This three-week dance DANCE series will showcase a cross-section of New York-based choreographers and companies. A variety of activities to use individually or as a unit to explore dance with your kids NEW YORK CITY DANCE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD 19 MOVE "New York is home to so many extraordinary dancers, 22 CREATIVITY PAGE: DANCE BANK · choreographers and companies who are thrilled to perform for the young people in their city." 23 CHOREOGRAPH · - Mary Rose Lloyd, Director of Artistic Programming 26 PERFORM
27 CREATIVITY PAGE: MAKE A PROGRAM
MAKING CONNECTIONS TO LEARNING STANDARDS
New Victory School Tool Resource Guides align with the Common Core State Standards, New York State Learning Standards and New York City Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts. We believe that these standards support both the high-quality instruction and deep engagement that The New Victory Theater strives to achieve in its arts education practice.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS NEW YORK STATE STANDARDS BLUEPRINT FOR THE ARTS
Reading: 9 The Arts: 1; 2; 3; 4 Dance Making; Developing Dance Writing: 5 ELA: 1; 3; 4 Literacy; Making Connections Speaking and Listening: 1; 2; 5 Language: 1; 2; 4; 5
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 3 This section is part of a full New Victory® School ToolTM Resource Guide. For the complete guide, including information about the New Victory Education Department check out: NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS ® A NEW 42ND STREET ® PROJECT
EN ROUTE DANCE INSIDE
® INSIDE
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 4 ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. THIS SUMMER ON THE NEW VIC STAGE!
PROGRAM A
KEIGWIN + COMPANY Renowned for his "zany blend of pop and formalism" (Dance Magazine), Larry Keigwin's choreography exudes wit, playfulness and kinetic energy.
FULL CIRCLE SOULJAHS "Powerfully inspired by various forms of street performance, Full Circle Souljahs has brought a complete spectrum of approachable and straight-from-the-heart hip hop culture into theaters" (Osfashland.org).
RONALD K. BROWN/EVIDENCE Blending traditional African dance with contemporary choreography, Ronald K. Brown "captures spirituality through a rapturous dance vocabulary" (TheaterMania).
PROGRAM B
LAVA "A sweetly funky circus of the sort a child might long remember" (The New York Times), LAVA's choreography combines athletic physicality, intellectual rigor and social commentary.
MONICA BILL BARNES & COMPANY Celebrating individuality, humor and the innate theatricality of life, the choreography of Monica Bill Barnes exudes "genuine wit and humor" (The New York Times).
LIL BUCK Performing a hip hop dialect called Memphis jookin, sneaker-clad Lil Buck is a "tremendous virtuoso, with a lovely, light wit—which, as in Fred Astaire's dancing, makes the virtuosity more impressive" (The New Yorker).
BALLET HISPANICO Ballet Hispanico, the nation's leading Latino dance company, presents a "giddy and wildly happy"(DancePulp) fusion of Latin and contemporary dance powered by theatricality and raw power.
PROGRAM C
GALLIM DANCE Performing the "voluptuously polyglot choreography" (The New York Times) of Artistic Director and 2014 Guggenheim Fellow Andrea Miller, Gallim Dance's contemporary works embody fearless physicality and pure imagination.
MICHELLE DORRANCE Recipient of a 2011 Bessie Award and Founder/Artistic Director of Dorrance Dance/New York, "Michelle Dorrance is dynamite" (The Chicago Tribune).
DOUG ELKINS CHOREOGRAPHY, ETC. "Communicative, theatrical and socially subversive," Doug Elkins's choreography fuses contemporary dance, martial arts and hip hop, exemplifying "what's irresistibly attractive" about social dance (The New York Times).
BALLET TECH'S KIDS DANCE Under the leadership of choreographer Eliot Feld, Ballet Tech features a student ensemble of "wonderfully natural, sleekly trained performers" (The New York Times). ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC.
Here is a brief list of some of the dance styles you and your students INSIDE THE ART FORM might see on the New Vic stage!
ACRO DANCE A style of dance that combines acrobatic skill with classical dance technique. Acro Dance is particularly athletic, and integrates displays of human strength and ability within the context of dance.
BALLET A centuries-old formal style of dance that consists of a set of intricate positions and techniques and is often characterized by graceful and fluid movements.
BALLROOM Social dancing where couples dance together, moving in specific patterns that match the spirit of the song. There are lots of ballroom dance styles, such as tango, waltz, and fox trot.
BREAK DANCING A style of dance often seen in hip hop, in which a performer steps away from the group to perform his or her own unique and skillful (sometimes acrobatic) dance moves. When the performer is done, s/he usually ends in a freeze pose.
CONTEMPORARY A free and expressive style of dance that came about in response to more structured dance forms, like ballet and tap. It is not bound by rhythms.
"CU LTURA L DANCE" A dance derived from ethnic, folk or regional traditions. In VICTORY DANCE, there are demonstrations of African Dance (Ronald K. Brown/Evidence) and Latin Dance (Ballet Hispanico), to name a few.
HIP HOP A contemporary style of dance that includes a variety of urban dance techniques, like b-boying/b-girling, popping and locking.
JAZZ A style of dance that is smooth like ballet, but is not as rigid. The movement flows with the rhythm of the music (often jazz), and the performers often improvise their steps as they dance (they make up dance moves on the spot).
MEMPHIS JOOKIN A style of dance that grew out of the “Gangsta Walk” (where performers bounce, pop, lock, and more all to the beat). It holds elements of hip hop and is commonly performed to rap music, but what makes jookin unique is its unbelievable footwork that causes performers look like their gliding or even floating as they move.
TAP A style of dance in which the feet drum on the floor. Metal plates are attached to the bottom of the performers shoes, so the dance consists not only of movement but also the sounds of their feet.
VOGUING A form of modern dance that consists of a series of poses; it showcases the self, like those of a model in a fashion magazine. ®
inside | VICTORY DANCE
BEFORE Prior to attending VICTORY DANCE with your students/campers, find out how much they already know about dance.
Use the Prior Knowledge questions below as a guide for your reflection. In the process of exploring these areas, you’ll spark their curiosity about the show and enhance their anticipation for the trip.
How would you define dance?
Have you seen dancers live on stage before? What style of dance were they performing?
What style of dance do you enjoy most, either as a dancer or audience member?
What qualities make dance interesting to watch?
What do you think “dance fusion” is? Have you ever seen it?
If you had to put together a program of your favorite dancers (famous or not), who would be on your list?
Based on the descriptions of the dances you are going to see, which are you most excited about and why?
AFTER Reflect with your students after the show.
How was your experience seeing live dance on stage?
Has your definition of dance changed in any way? If so, how?
Did any of the dances surprise you? If so, how?
Did you have a favorite dance piece? Which was it and why?
Do you have a new understanding of the term “dance fusion?” What do you think it means?
B.E.S.T. Body Energy Space Time (B.E.S.T.) Throughout this resource guide, you and your students will be introduced to activities around dance. As your students create, refer them to the B.E.S.T. chart (Body, Energy, Space, and Time) to help them make interesting choices about their dance pieces. (See the next page for the B.E.S.T. handout.)
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 7 ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. BEING YOUR B.E.S.T. THE ELEMENTS OF DANCE BODY ENERGY SPACE TIME
PARTS FLOW SIZE SPEED HEAD FREE BIG SLOW ARMS BOUND SMALL FAST HANDS NEAR REACH ACCELERATION PELVIS FAR REACH DECELERATION LEGS WEIGHT ELBOWS STRONG ETC. LEVEL LIGHT RHYTHM HIGH BREATH MEDIUM PULSE SHAPES LOW CURVED FORCE STRAIGHT SMOOTH DIRECTION ANGULAR SUSTAINED FORWARD TWISTED SHARP BACKWARD SYMMETRIC SUDDEN ASYMMETRIC SIDEWAYS DIAGONAL UP DOWN RELATIONSHIPS STILLNESS NEAR ACTIVE PATHWAY APART PASSIVE ALONE STRAIGHT AROUND CURVED BELOW CIRCULAR BESIDE ZIGZAG ETC.
FOCUS SINGLE MULTIPLE BALANCE ON OFF
The Elements of Dance Sets have been created through a partnership of Walker Art Center and Perpich Center for Arts Education using frameworks and tools developed by Diane Aldis for Perpich professional development and outreach programs. ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. CREATIVITY PAGE
Prior to seeing the show, answer the questions below about each image. After the show, flip the page over and see if your answers have PREPARE AND REFLECT changed.
PROGRAM A: BEFORE
What are the styles of dance for this piece?
What music do you think these dancers are moving to?
What is a question you have for these dancers?
What are the styles of dance for this piece?
What music do you think these dancers are moving to?
What is a question you have for these dancers?
What are the styles of dance for this piece?
What music do you think this dancer is moving to?
What is a question you have for this dancer? ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. CREATIVITY PAGE
Now that you've seen the show, answer the questions below to see PREPARE AND REFLECT how your answers might have changed!
PROGRAM A: AFTER
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for for these dancers?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for for these dancers?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for for these dancers? ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. CREATIVITY PAGE Prior to seeing the show, answer the questions on below about each image. PREPARE AND REFLECT After the show, flip the page over and see how your answers have changed. PROGRAM B: BEFORE
What are the styles of dance for this piece?
What music do you think this dancer is moving to?
What is a question you have for this dancer?
What are the styles of dance for this piece?
What music do you think these dancers are moving to?
What is a question you have for these dancers?
What are the styles of dance for this piece?
What music do you think this dancer is moving to?
What is a question you have for this dancer?
What are the styles of dance for this piece?
What music do you think these dancers are moving to?
What is a question you have for these dancers? ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. CREATIVITY PAGE Now that you've seen the show, answer the questions below to see PREPARE AND REFLECT how your answers might have changed! PROGRAM B: AFTER
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for this dancer?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for these dancers?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for this dancer?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for these dancers? ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. CREATIVITY PAGE Prior to seeing the show, answer the questions on below about each image. PREPARE AND REFLECT After the show, flip the page over and see how your answers have changed. PROGRAM C: BEFORE
What is the style of dance for this piece?
What music do you think these dancers are moving to?
What is a question you have for these dancers?
What is the style of dance for this piece?
What music do you think this dancer is moving to?
What is a question you have for this dancer?
What is the style of dance for this piece?
What music do you think these dancers are moving to?
What is a question you have for these dancers?
What is the style of dance for this piece?
What music do you think these dancers are moving to?
What is a question you have for these dancers? ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. CREATIVITY PAGE Now that you've seen the show, answer the questions below to see PREPARE AND REFLECT how your answers might have changed! PROGRAM C: AFTER
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for these dancers?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for this dancer?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for these dancers?
What words would you use to describe this performance?
How did the music contribute to the performance?
What is a new question you have for these dancers? This section is part of a full New Victory® School ToolTM Resource Guide. For the complete guide, including information about the New Victory Education Department check out: NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS ® A NEW 42ND STREET ® PROJECT
INSIDE DANCE EN ROUTE
® EN ROUTE ®
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 15 PHOTOCOPY THIS PAGE AND SEND IT HOME TO YOUR STUDENTS' FAMILIES WITH THE PERMISSION FORM BEFORE THE TRIP!
On , your child will see VICTORY DANCE at The New Victory Theater on 42nd
® Street. The New Victory Theater is dedicated to bringing extraordinary performing artists from around the globe to kids and families in New York City.
The New Victory Theater is thrilled to present VICTORY DANCE, a new series specially curated to introduce younger audiences to the incredible artistry and diversity of dance in New York City. This three-week dance series will showcase a cross-section of New York-based choreographers and companies.
Enhance your kid’s experience of going to the theater:
EXPLORE the show and the theater together. Learn more about the artists in VICTORY DANCE at www.newvictory.org. Ask your kid before the show: • What are you most excited about for your trip to 42nd Street? • What types of dance do you hope to see on stage at The New Victory Theater?
ASK about the trip to The New Victory Theater when your kid comes home: • What was your favorite dance piece in VICTORY DANCE? ? • Did the dancers impress you? How? • What did you learn about the artists in the show from the talk-back? • How was VICTORY DANCE different from other shows you’ve seen? ®
en route | VICTORY DANCE
INSIDE DANCE EN ROUTE
TRIP GUIDE 46th St. BEFORE YOU LEAVE SCHOOL: We advise you to LEAVE ALL BAGS Broadway Square Times AND LUNCHES at school or camp, if possible. If not, bags will be 45th St.
collected by New Victory staff and stored during the performance. th 6 44 St. th Avenue
rd ARRIVAL: ew ictory® 43 St. Plan to arrive at the N V venue at least 30 - 45 The New Victory minutes before curtain time. The building opens one hour prior to 42nd St. curtain (i.e. 10:00am for an 11:00am performance). If you realize that The Duke on 42nd Street Port nd ew treet your group is running late, please contact the theater DIRECTLY at 9 and the N 42 S Studios Bryant 7 th Authority 8 th Avenue th Park Avenue 646.223.3020. If you will be arriving by bus, please ensure that your Avenue driver drops your group off on the north side of 42nd Street between th 7th and 8th Avenues. 39 St.
A member of our House Staff and our Education Staff will check in with the group leader and record your group size. If you arrive by The New Victory Theater bus, staff will meet with your bus driver to record your bus number, is located at 209 West 42nd Street. direct him/her to parking and confirm your pick-up time. This enables the House Staff to notify you when your bus returns. Due The Duke on 42nd Street and the New 42nd ® nd to the volume of traffic on 42nd Street, no group should unload its bus Street Studios are both at 229 West 42 Street. before checking in with a New Vic staff member. Buses must leave BY MTA, SUBWAY OR BUS immediately after dropping off students in front of the theater and 1/2/3, N/R/Q/7 cannot return until the pick-up time specified by Front of House staff. Exit the station at 42nd Street/7th Avenue. When you come out nd If buses stay parked on 42 street, they WILL be ticketed by police. of the turnstile, take the stairs to your right. All New Victory venues are directly to the west of the subway station. THE QUESTION OF LUNCH: New Victory venues are not equipped to host lunch/snacks. In the summer months, nearby Bryant Park A/C/E to Port Authority nd th nd (42nd Street at 6th Avenue) offers a pleasant place for lunching, and Exit at 42 Street/8 Avenue. Walk to 42 Street, turn east, and continue walking until you arrive at New Victory venues. there are also public restroom facilities.
B/D/F/M SEATING: In order to make your experience at the theater as efficient Exit at 42nd Street/6th Avenue. Walk west on 42nd Street until and safe as possible, you will not be issued tickets. Your group will be you come to 7th Avenue. The venues are on the north side of the assigned seats in advance by the Education Department. Your seating street at 7th Avenue, next to the subway station. assignment will not be available prior to the performance. If you have any questions, please contact the Education Department at: The M10, M16, M27, M42, M104 buses all stop within one block [email protected]. of the venues. BY SCHOOL BUS ACCESSIBILITY: The venues are on the north side of the street. It is best to turn onto 42nd Street from 7th Avenue so students can unload in front of the theater. Buses are not allowed to idle/park on 42nd Street. Buses that stay parked on 42nd Street, WILL be ticketed by police. However, bus parking is available at: • West 44th Street (north side), • 11th Avenue (both sides), Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair seating must be requested between 10th and 12th Aves. between 39th and 40th Sts. in advance at the time of the ticket request, and is subject to • West 45th Street (south side), availability. Assisted listening devices are available for patrons between 11th and 12th Aves. who have hearing impairments. Upon return, a New Vic staff member will help coordinate bus parking on 42nd Street.
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 17 This section is part of a full New Victory® School ToolTM Resource Guide. For the complete guide, including information about the New Victory Education Department check out: NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS ® A NEW 42ND STREET ® PROJECT ®
INSIDE EN ROUTE DANCE
DANCE! ®
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THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 18 ®
dance | VICTORY DANCE
MOVE These activities will get your kids moving and inspire them to create their own dances.
GET PHYSICAL Materials: Music
Get your kids moving by leading them in a warm-up. It will get the blood flowing and the brain churning! Use the warm-up below as a guide, or invent your own.
1. Have your kids stand either in a circle or next to their desks in your space.
2. Play music to accompany your warm-up. Encourage your kids to find the beat of the music.
3. Instruct them to do each of the following moves with you for 8 slow counts that are consistent with the beat of the music: a. Roll your head from your right to left shoulder b. Roll your head from your left to right shoulder c. Roll your shoulders backward d. Roll your shoulders forward e. Rotate your arms in a circle forward f. Rotate your arms in a circle backward g. Roll your hips from right to left h. Roll your hips from left to right i. Roll your right foot from right to left and left to right j. Roll your left foot from right to left and left to right k. Roll your whole body down until you touch your toes, start by rolling the head down, and then slowly rolling down the spine l. Roll your whole body up until you are back to standing, start by rolling up your spine and then rolling up your head
4. Change the music and have your kids find the new beat. Repeat the warm-up on a count of 8 to the new music.
5. Change the music again and repeat.
6. Briefly reflect with your kids. Ask, How could warming up have an influence on how you feel for the rest of the day? Why do you think dancers take warming-up so seriously? Do you have a warm-up that you do on a regular basis? When and why?
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 19 ®
dance | VICTORY DANCE
MOVE These activities will get your kids moving and inspire them to create their own dances.
DANCE OBSTACLE COURSE Materials: Found objects in your space, masking tape, music
Set up an obstacle course to get your kids thinking about the way they move in their everyday lives and how these movements are related to dance.
1. Set up cones, desks, chairs, etc. in an interesting way within an open space. There should be at least 8 to 10 feet between each object.
2. Tape arrows to the floor that clearly show the direction of the obstacle course.
3. Walk your kids through the course. Encourage them to safely explore the following with the objects: going around, leaping over, ducking under objects, etc. As you explore these possibilities, be clear with your kids about making safe choices.
4. Play music.
5. One by one, a few steps behind the person in front of them, challenge your kids to walk through the course to the music, making choices of how to get past each object.
6. Explain that movement we do in our daily life, like walking, is referred to as “pedestrian movement.”
7. Change the music, and have your students explore the course again, but this time encourage everyone to change the way they travel. They can: a. Skip b. Jump c. Gallop d. A combination of the above
8. Generate ideas as a group about about other ways of moving/dancing through the obstacle course.
9. Reflect on this activity. Ask, Do you think what we did today was dancing? Why or why not? What would be the title of this dance? What kinds of dances could be inspired by this activity?
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 20 ®
dance | VICTORY DANCE
MOVE These activities will get your kids moving and inspire them to create their own dances.
IMAGERY INSPIRATION Materials: 5 - 10 images of people, places, and animals
Use this activity to encourage your kids to translate images into movement.
1. Gather your kids into a circle. Place images in the center of the circle.
2. Ask your kids to look closely at the photos. Ask: What do you see? What do these images remind you of?
3. Break into groups of 3 or 4. Give each group one image to focus on. (You can also do this activity as one large group, exploring a selection of images together.)
4. Ask the groups to create four gestures inspired by their image. To guide their creation process, ask each kid to individually answer the following questions: How does this image make you feel? What is the movement of this image, i.e., how are the people or animals moving in this image?
5. Once they have their gestures, direct the kids to do their gestures in their group, one after the other, until they have sequenced a four movement dance.
6. Playing music and allow each group to showcase their work.
7. Reflect on this activity by asking your students the following questions: How did you decide what the four gestures would be? Did any group surprise you with their dance? How? Did any of these dances tell a story? What do you think is necessary in order for a dance to become a story?
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 21 ® NEW VICTORY THEATER © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. CREATIVITY PAGE DANCE BANK What are some interesting movements you saw recently? Moves can be something you saw on the street, that your friend did during an activity, that you created yourself, or anything else you can imagine!
Dancers are inspired by the movement they see and explore every day. Start your own dance bank below to record ideas that will inspire the way you move!
ARM STRETCH LEG KICK SPIN IN PLACE FAST FOOTWORK ...
Be sure to add to this dance bank after your trip to The New Victory!
Now, choose four of the moves from your bank. Write them in the spaces below:
If you were to sequence (re-order) these movements, so that they all became part of one dance, what would the order be? Write the order below.
What music do you want to use for this dance?
Try it out! Keep finding moves, sequence them, and test them out to see what dances you can make! ®
dance | VICTORY DANCE
CHOREOGRAPH These activities help give your students’ first hand experience as choreographers. For all of these activities, we refer to the B.E.S.T. chart in the INSIDE section of this School Tool. BODY Materials: B.E.S.T. handout found in the INSIDE section of this School Tool
In the activity below, your kids will begin to choreograph by translating a variety of shapes into different parts of their body. This activity is to be done INDIVIDUALLY, so that each kid is creating their own set of movements.
1. Using the individual gestures created in the Imagery Inspiration activity or movements from their Dance Bank (both in the DANCE section of this School Tool), ask students to pick one of these gestures or movements and put it into a different part of their body (arm, wrist, hand, head, leg, hips, foot, nose, etc.). Note: If you did not do the activities in the previous section, you can also use simple shapes as inspiration. You can ask them to create a circle using their heads, make a triangle with their arms, create a spiral with their knees, etc.
2. Once kids have had time to explore this movement with their chosen body part, tell them to pick a different body part and try the same movement with it. During this exploration, have them continue to pick new body parts for that movement until they find the one they like the most. This becomes BODY MOVE #1.
3. Continue this activity by instructing kids to pick another gesture, movement or shape and put it into a different body part until they once again find what they like the most. Do this until kids have BODY MOVE # 1, #2, #3, and #4.
4. Then, tell kids to combine these 4 moves into a sequence. Ask: Which move comes first? Which is last? How do you transition between the moves?
5. Give students time to rehearse their 4-move sequence individually.
6. Move on to the next activity!
THE NEW VICTORY® THEATER / NEWVICTORY.ORG/SCHOOLTOOLS © THE NEW 42ND STREET, INC. 23 ®
dance | VICTORY DANCE
CHOREOGRAPH These activities help give your students’ first hand experience as choreographers. For all of these activities, we refer to the B.E.S.T. chart in the INSIDE section of this School Tool. ENERGY
Materials: B.E.S.T. handout found in the INSIDE section of this School Tool
1. Your kids can play with the choreography process by adding a variety of ENERGY variations to their moves. This activity is to be done INDIVIDUALLY, so that each kid is creating his or her own set of movements.
2. Inform the group that they are now going to explore the energy of their 4 move sequence.
3. Using the following ENERGY terms (taken from the B.E.S.T. glossary in the INSIDE section of this resource guide), encourage kids to rehearse their 4-move sequence incorporating a different energy each time they rehearse.
Energy Terms: Free Bound Strong Light Smooth Sharp Active Passive
4. After kids have explored a few different energies, ask them to pick their favorite and rehearse their sequence 2 or 3 times, incorporating their chosen energy.
BECOME AN ENSEMBLE!
Materials: B.E.S.T. handout found in the INSIDE section of this School Tool
Use this activity to transition your students from individual choreography to creating group dance.
1. Ask kids to pair up and perform their 4-move sequences for each other. (If they have not done the previous activities to generate these movements, have them create 4 simple shapes with their bodies to bring to the group.) Have each student give feedback on the other’s sequence by sharing one thing they really liked about their sequence and one thing they could do to make the sequence even more interesting. Have kids individually return to rehearsing a few times, incorporating the feedback from their peers.
2. Combine two pairs of kids (making a group of 4). This group is now their dance ensemble!
3. Invite each kid to pick one part of their 4-part sequence to teach to the other members of their group.
4. Give each group time to learn each other's choreography and to rehearse each part a few times.
5. Once all the group members are confident with each other’s moves, it’s time to sequence the moves in an interesting way.
6. Give each group time to rehearse their moves in the new sequence.
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dance | VICTORY DANCE
CHOREOGRAPH These activities help give your students’ first hand experience as choreographers. For all of these activities, we refer to the B.E.S.T. chart in the INSIDE section of this School Tool. SPACE Materials: B.E.S.T. handout found in the INSIDE section of this School Tool
Have your students build on the group choreography process by thinking about the SPACING of their dance.
1. Using the previously created group sequences, or a newly created dance sequence, ask the dance groups to think about the different ways they can use SPACE to enhance their dance pieces.
2. Introduce them to the following SPACE terms and explore what you think they mean as a group.
Space Terms: Size: Big, Small Level: High, Medium, Low Direction: Forward, Backward, Sideways, Diagonal, Up, Down Pathway: Straight, Curved, Circular, Zigzag
3. Give kids time to explore and rehearse how they can incorporate these terms into their dances to create interesting formations.
TIME Materials: B.E.S.T. handout found in the INSIDE section of this School Tool
Your kids will finalize their choreography by thinking about the speed and rhythm of their dances to create a shared TIME.
1. Encourage the dance groups to think about the tempo (fast or slow) they would like their dance to be. Ask, Does your dance accelerate or decelerate? Are certain moments faster or slower than other moments?
2. Based on the group's decision about TIME, encourage them to think about what music would complement their dance. Ask, Is there a specific genre or artist to which you would like to dance? Also ask the students to try out a few different types of music to see which fits best or to see how their dances change with different types of music.
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dance | VICTORY DANCE
PERFORM Now it’s time to share! Set up a performance space for your students and reflect on all their great work.
SHARING AND REFLECTING Materials: Music and a music playing device
1. Congratulations! You have successfully led your students in creating their own, unique dances!
2. Have your students share their dances with one another. You can decide to show the pieces one group at a time, or have groups perform side by side. Don’t forget to invite an audience!
3. After the performance, ask your students the following questions: a. What surprised you about your peers' dances? Did you learn anything new about anyone? b. What was the most rewarding part of creating a dance as an ensemble? What was the most challenging part? c. Has your perception of dance changed through this process? Why or why not? d. How did creating and watching these dances better inform what you saw/will see on stage at The New Victory Theater?
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® THE NEW VICTORY THEATER MAKE A PROGRAM FOR YOUR DANCE! USE THIS TEMPLATE TO DESIGN YOUR OWN DANCE PROGRAM.
TITLE OF YOUR SHOW:
YOUR DANCE COMPANY LOGO
WHAT TYPES OF DANCE WILL BE FEATURED IN YOUR SHOW?
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR DANCE?
HOW DO YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO FEEL AFTER THEY WATCH YOUR SHOW? ®
sources | VICTORY DANCE
INSIDE EN ROUTE DANCE
SOURCES:
HTTP://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2012/11/03/ARTS/DANCE/LIL-BUCK-A-JOOK-STAR-FROM-MEM- PHIS.HTML
HTTP://WWW.MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM/DICTIONARY/JAZZ
HTTP://KANDYPAINTRECORDS.WORDPRESS.COM/2013/05/23/GANGSTA-WALKING-BUCKIN- AND-JOOKIN-THE-TRIPLE-SIX-DANCE-BEEN-AROUND-IN-THE-SOUTH-FOR-YEARS-2/
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