Lesson Overview:
This lesson provides an introduction to an American dance popular in the 1920s, the Charleston, which emphasized coordination of both fine and gross motor skills within the melodic structure of American ragtime jazz. Students will develop an understanding of aesthetic valuing in a musical context and will recognize popular dance trends as they evolve within a historical context.
Length of Lesson:
Two 45-minute periods
Notes:
This lesson is particularly suitable to students in grade 4.
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- compare and contrast past methods of dance with today's dance styles and musical practices.
- learn the four steps to the Charleston.
- dance the basic four-step Charleston, adding one or more complementary moves of their choice.
- compare and contrast at least two elements of music and dance from the 1920s with today's popular music styles.
Instructional Plan:
Warm Up
Discuss the following vocabulary words with your students:
Roaring 20s: An era in American history during the 1920s of great economic growthand cultural and social changes.
Charleston: Popular dance in the 1920s utilizing partner and individualized moves.
Eight Count: Each melody segment in popular music is often found in counts of eight. (Learning to recognize the beginning and ending of an eight count in the melody is an important skill for learning dance routines.)
Procedures
Introduce the lesson.
Begin by asking students to raise their hand if they listen to music. Ask them if they dance to music. Have students share what types of music they listen to, their favorite groups, why they listen to music, when they listen to music, and how it makes them feel. Write responses on the board. Have students write for five minutes in their journals, reflecting on why they listen and dance to music, when they like to do this, and how it makes them feel.
When students are finished writing, pose the question: "Did people in the U.S. dance the same way we do today, say, 100 years ago? Was the music the same?" Provide time for groups to discuss these questions. After five minutes, elicit responses from each group.
Play a sample of waltz music by Johann Strauss (i.e., "The Blue Danube Waltz"). Ask students to listen again and consider the style, tempo, and rhythm of the piece, as well as the instruments used.
Play the music again. Ask for observations from class. How might someone dance to this music? Have a brave volunteer demonstrate. Prepare students for a video clip, having them pay attention to style of the clothing, dance, and music composition. Show a video clip of waltz dancing. (Videos such as Music Man or The Age of Innocence offer good clips.) Tell students that this form of music was popular in the U.S. about 100 years ago, when people danced the waltz. Use a second video clip to illustrate the fact that just twenty years later people were dancing in a different way. Play "Charleston" from The Great Gatsby soundtrack. Ask students how the style of the music changed, and whether they think the style of dance changed as well. Allow time for students to brainstorm and record observations.
Show a video clip of dancing from the movie The Great Gatsby. Discuss changes in fashion, dance, and music. Record students' observations. Explain how the Charleston was a break from the traditional, memorized dances of the past, and allowed for personal expression and style. Give historical background for the era of the Roaring 20s, a time of great economic growth and social decadence. Tell students that the Charleston is the first dance they will learn for a class performance, "Dancing through the Decades." As they learn the steps, students should think about how this dance is similar to and/or different from dance movements today.
Demonstrate the Charleston dance sequence to recorded music.
Provide, or have students clear, a space for dancing. Teach students the four steps to the Charleston, focusing first on the placement of the feet.
- Step forward with the right foot.
- Touch forward with left toe. (*Note: this is a touch and not a complete step. This is important so that the foot is ready to move back or forward easily for the next dance move.)
- Step back with the left foot.
- Touch back with right toe.
Repeat the sequence above, this time starting with the opposite foot. Step forward with your left foot, touch forward with your right toe, step back with your right foot and touch back with your left toe. Start the next sequence with the right foot, the next with the left, and so on. While the student's attention should be focused on the feet, always do the moves with the arms as well.
Have students stand up as a class and find their personal space. Guide them slowly, talking them through the steps, "Step forward, touch forward, step back, touch back." Proceed methodically, repeating the steps out loud. Have students repeat the steps out loud as well. For written instruction on how to perform the dance, refer to the Homestead Museum lesson plan "How to Dance the Charleston."
As students continue going through the steps slowly, sing the song "Charle-ston, Charle-ston, made in Caro-Lina" to their tempo. Use your voice to emphasize the points at which students should step down with their steps. Walk around checking and helping anyone having trouble. Work with individuals as needed. Caution them not to take large steps, just normal walking steps.
Teach arm and hand placement.
As the foot touches forward, say the right toe, the left arm, slightly bent, should swing up to chest, with the palm flexed upward. The right arm swings out to the side in the same position. When the right toe touches back, the left arm drops down and the hand points down to the ground. The right arm swings to the back and points upward to the sky. When you point down, your body should go downward as well, so you are bending at the torso. Guide students slowly through the moves, combining feet and hand movements. Keep practicing, helping students as you circulate. Practice dancing to Charleston music. Once students are comfortable, you can teach additional moves.
Introduce the complementary moves.
After students have learned the basic four-step Charleston down, introduce the Wing Dance and the Shake the Hand move.
Wing Dance: Stand with feet 1 1/2 feet apart, with the knees and torso bent slightly. Bring knees together every two counts. When the knees come together or go apart, the arms swing downward crossing over each other or opening out again; each time, place the hands on the knees; left on left and right on right. When the knees come together, the hands switch knees; left on right and right on left. You should get a criss-cross effect when knees and arms go back and forth.
"Shake the Hand" move: Raise the right hand to about head level and shake the pointer finger. The left hand rests on the hip. While shaking the pointer finger, turn right in one place and kick each leg back, bending at the knee while kicking up the heels.
Demonstrate the three eight count dance routine to music.
For the first eight counts, do the four-step Charleston; on the second eight counts, do the Wing Dance; on the third eight counts, do the four step Charleston, again. Repeat this three eight count series, alternating the Wing Dance or the Shake the Hand move, but always return to the Charleston. Allow time for students to practice dancing. Use this time to evaluate whether students are able to perform the three eight count series. Other partner moves can be introduced at another dance session. Offer help as needed.
Closure
Have students share their feelings about the dance. In groups, have students reflect on what they learned about the Charleston, as well as what they liked or didn't like. Pass out butcher paper and markers and have each group create a large Venn diagram modeled after the Dance and Music Venn Diagram handout. The title should say "Dance and Music" and the two circles should be labeled "The Roaring 20s" and "Now". Have students compare and contrast the two, also listing the similarities in the middle section of the Venn diagram. Students may list observations of style, movement, and sound, as well as their own opinions. Groups then share their observations. Put the song "Charleston" on and listen to it while the students work.
Assessment:
Using the Assessment Rubric handout, evaluate performance during the students' practice in class (exposure, not mastery, is the goal of the lesson) and in presentation of the Venn diagrams. Look for student participation in following the basic structure of the dance and also participation in discussion groups.
Extensions:
If time allows, put lyrics to the song "Charleston" on the overhead and sing it together. Students can find dance partners and elaborate on routines. Partners can then perform together in the musical at the end of the year.
Authors:
-
Brigit Hull, Teacher
CSU Chico
Chico, CA
