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Analyzing Dance

Ninth graders learn to analyze and critique dance — using describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate — to discuss a performance thoughtfully, with real insight and respect for the artists’ choices.

Grade 9Response50 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Analyze a dance.
  • ✓Use the four steps.
  • ✓Give respectful critique.
  • ✓Discuss with insight.
Essential Question

“That was cool” isn’t a critique. Real dance analysis follows a thoughtful process. What are the steps to analyze a dance well?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Analyzing Dance Explorer

Project this and tap each step. Have students learn the four steps of dance analysis.

⚖️ Explore the dance analysis steps — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Create · Perform · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — More Than “Cool”

5 min

“That was cool” isn’t a critique — real analysis follows a process. What is it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a dance clip.
  • Ask for a real critique.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Consider.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Analyzing Dance

12 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Analyzing Dance Explorer.
  • Note describe before evaluate.
  • Note staying respectful.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

14 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Describe a dance.
  • Analyze its elements.
  • Interpret its meaning.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Describe.
  • Analyze.
  • Interpret.
4

Perform — Perform

12 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Give a full critique.
  • Back up your judgment.
  • Be respectful.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Critique it.
  • Back it up.
  • Respect.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an analysis step.
  • Explain describe vs. evaluate.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Dance, HS Proficient).

NCAS
DA:Re7.2.HSI

Analyze a dance work.

NCAS
DA:Re8.1.HSI

Interpret meaning in dance.

NCAS
DA:Re9.1.HSI

Evaluate a dance.

NCAS
DA:Re7.1.HSI

Perceive and respond to dance.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Analysis-step cards.
  • Sentence frame: “I see ___; it means ___.”
  • Use a dance clip.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with describe and evaluate.
  • Use one clip.
  • Do one step.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Critique a full work.
  • Write a dance review.
  • Lead a critique circle.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🎵Dance clips
  • 💻The Analyzing Dance Explorer
  • 📝Critique frames
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

analyzeto study the partsdescribesay what you seeinterpretfind the meaningevaluatejudge with reasonscritiquea thoughtful reviewaestheticsideas about beauty in artelementsbody, space, time, energyrespectfulkind and thoughtful
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the FIRST step of analyzing a dance?
Describe — note what you see, with no opinions yet.
QUESTION 2
What do you do in the “interpret” step?
Ask what the dance means or makes you feel.
QUESTION 3
What makes a critique respectful?
It’s thoughtful and respectful of the artists’ choices.

Reflect: analyze with care.

Have students watch a short dance and describe, then interpret it. A printable analysis sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Analyzing DanceFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Analyzing DanceQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Analyzing DancePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: aesthetics, analyze, critique, describe, elements, evaluate, interpret, respectful
  1. kind and thoughtful
  2. say what you see
  3. to study the parts
  4. a thoughtful review
  5. body, space, time, energy
  6. find the meaning
  7. judge with reasons
  8. ideas about beauty in art

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the FIRST step of analyzing a dance?
  2. What do you do in the “interpret” step?
  3. What makes a critique respectful?
Answer key — Part A: 1) respectful · 2) describe · 3) analyze · 4) critique · 5) elements · 6) interpret · 7) evaluate · 8) aesthetics
Part B: 1) Describe — note what you see, with no opinions yet. 2) Ask what the dance means or makes you feel. 3) It’s thoughtful and respectful of the artists’ choices.