University of Northern Colorado Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC Master's Theses Student Research 12-8-2020 FROM CONCRETE TO THE CLASSROOM: A STREET DANCE TOOLKIT Tarayjah Hoey-Gordon [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses Recommended Citation Hoey-Gordon, Tarayjah, "FROM CONCRETE TO THE CLASSROOM: A STREET DANCE TOOLKIT" (2020). Master's Theses. 182. https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses/182 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. © 2020 TARAYJAH HOEY-GORDON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO Greeley, Colorado The Graduate School FROM CONCRETE TO THE CLASSROOM: A STREET DANCE TOOLKIT A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Of Masters of Arts Tarayjah Hoey-Gordon College of Performing and Visual Arts School of Theatre Arts and Dance Dance Education December 2020 This Thesis by: Tarayjah Hoey-Gordon Entitled: From Concrete to the Classroom: A Street Dance Toolkit ​ has been approved as meeting the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in College of Performing and Visual Arts in School of Theatre Arts and Dance, Program of Dance Education Accepted by the Thesis Committee: _______________________________________________________ Christy O’Connell-Black, M.A., Chair, Advisor ___________________________________________ Sandra L. Minton, Ph.D., Committee Member Accepted by the Graduate School: __________________________________________________________ Jeri-Anne Lyons, Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate School Associate Vice President for Research ABSTRACT Hoey-Gordon, Tarayjah. From the Concrete to the Classroom: A Street Dance Toolkit. ​ ​ Unpublished Master of Arts thesis, University of Northern Colorado, 2020. Minimal research exists in the way of successfully and appropriately incorporating the study of Hip-Hop culture into public education dance curriculum. Many of the available resources about this topic are not academic, standards based, or developed through research studies. The purpose of creating a Street Dance Toolkit was to analyze the ways in which access to an extended curriculum based on Hip-Hop culture can be used to expand a dance educator’s knowledge of Street Dance as a formal technique in a public school setting. The process of designing and analyzing the toolkit to establish a formalized street dance curriculum was the foundation of the study. Hip-Hop is one of a select group of dance genres that becomes categorized as a world/urban/social dance and is often not given the same respect as Ballet or Modern dance. There is a misconception amongst some dance educators that Street Dance is vulgar and inappropriate to teach in public schools. This researcher utilized qualitative and quantitative data to formulate a curriculum guide to help expose the world of Hip-Hop to dance educators. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis would not have not have come to fruition without the following individuals: First and foremost, God. The year of 2020 has been a year that required faith and patience. I would not have made it this far without prayer. My Husband for reminding me of my strength and reminding me to get things done. My Family for the brain breaks that were much needed during my writing process. This year has been a tough year for us all with death and sickness, but we continued to push through. We are as strong as our ancestors. Christy O’Connell-Black (Advisor) for her encouragement throughout this entire experience. I am beyond grateful for your grace and support through the pandemic and societal issues. Dr. Sandra Minton for her fountain of knowledge and expertise. Your work ethic has inspired me beyond measure. My Hip-Hop family who answered when I called, Josh Carr, Dom-Sebastian, AJ Glasco, David Curameng, and Amanda Diorio. We are Hip-Hop. My Dance Education community that participated in the research process while jungling the unknown of remote learning. My lovely cohort for every text, email, coffee date, video chat, and celebration that helped us make it to this point. One summer created bonds that will last forever. Whether it is IRL or virtual, we can do ANYTHING we put our minds to. #STRONGMAYBE iv TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………... 1 Goal of Thesis Purpose of Study Significance of Study II. LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………….……... 8 Hip-Hop Culture 101 Why is Street Dance Important? Teaching Street Dance Building Curriculum III. METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………….…. 21 The General Perspective The Research Context The Research Participants Instruments used in Data Collection Designing the Toolkit Data Analysis Summary of the Methodology IV. DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………………….… 36 Pre-Survey Data Hip-Hop Artist Interviews Toolkit Feedback V. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………... 45 Implications of the Study Limitations of the Study Recommendations for Further Research Conclusion WORKS CITED……………………………………………………………………………. 48 v APPENDIX A. INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD DOCUMENTS…….....………………….... 51 B. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS……………………………………………………... 55 C. VOCABULARY GLOSSARY…………………………………………………….... 64 D. LESSON PLAN OUTLINES……………………………………………………….. 66 E. WORKSHEETS…………………………………………………………………….. 71 vi LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: Performing artist Interview Questions…………………………………………. 23 TABLE 2: National Core Arts Standards……………………………………………........... 27 TABLE 3: Lesson 1 Bloom's Taxonomy Chart………………………………………......... 28 TABLE 4: Lesson 2 Bloom's Taxonomy Chart……………………………………………. 30 TABLE 5: Lesson 3 Bloom's Taxonomy Chart……………………………………………. 31 TABLE 6: Lesson 4 Bloom's Taxonomy Chart……………………………………………. 32 vii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 2.1…………………………………………………………………………………. 11 The Source Magazine October 1999, Hot Boys ​ FIGURE 2.2………………………………………………………………………………..... 11 The Source Magazine November 1992, Dr. Dre ​ FIGURE 2.3………………………………………………………………………………..... 12 Discount Dance Model wearing Women's Pants with Attached Faux Shirt FIGURE 2.4……………………………………………………………………………...…. 13 Omaha School of Music and Dance Blog Header FIGURE 3.1……………………………………………………………………………….... 25 Researcher designed the cover of the Street Dance Toolkit. FIGURE 4.1……………………………………………………………………………....... 36 Grade Levels taught by Participants FIGURE 4.2……………………………………………………………………………….... 37 Percentages of Participants who teach Street Dance FIGURE 4.3……………………………………………………………………………….... 39 Skill and knowledge of the Instructors FIGURE 4.4……………………………………………………………………………….... 40 Why did the Participants agree to Participate? FIGURE 4.5……………………………………………………………………………….... 42 Contribution to Learning FIGURE 4.6……………………………………………………………………………….... 43 Would the Educator continue to use this toolkit in the future? viii 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Goal of Thesis In the public education sector of dance, street dance is rarely included in formalized instruction. In many university dance programs, students of any level are required to learn the foundations of Ballet and Modern dance. Most often, students of academic dance are required to take classes in dance history, choreography, and anatomy or injury prevention, and some may be encouraged or required to select one or two courses that are considered cultural, embodied, or elective dance. This structure can limit the exposure to other dance forms and create a sense of hierarchy within dance education. Street Dance contains a specialized kinesthetic structure that is beneficial to all artists as “Hip-Hop dance is nuanced, codified, and difficult, and deserves the kind of study, assessment, and critique that the European dance forms typically get” (Daniel 1). The culture of Hip-Hop innately offers inclusive and historical attributes that are beneficial for all dance students. Curricula that is comprehensive and sensitive to a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints should be considered imperative to dance education models considering that “The Hip-Hop nation is an international, multiracial, multiethnic, multilingual community made up of individuals with diverse class, gender, and sexual identities” (Morgan and Bennett 177). A toolkit that accurately and appropriately engages in Hip-Hop language and movement could help aid dance educators increase their knowledge of street dance and provide the resources necessary for successful and equitable implementation of the content. The goal of this research study was to generate a toolkit that includes research based, best practices of street 2 dance, including: terminology, historical context, and lesson plan samples that expands the educator’s embodied knowledge of street dance. This study aimed to provide a formalized resource that could benefit any teacher and in turn benefit students. In today's society, the exposure to Hip-Hop and street dance is often taking place through social media viral dances and commercial ads. Educators can utilize the Hip-Hop toolkit simultaneously with 21st Century skills to create an inclusive dance environment. Curriculum directors and specialists should consider that: For many youth, Hip-Hop reflects the social, economic, political, and cultural realities and conditions of their lives, speaking to them in a language and manner they understand. As a result of both its longevity and its cogent message for many youth worldwide,