MOVEMENT BY CHANCE: EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA PATTERNS K-1

EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA PATTERNS

MOVEMENT BY CHANCE: EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA

Learning Description

Students will explore the concept of chance dance, inspired by Merce Cunningham, while simultaneously developing data interpretation skills. Students will begin by learning about Cunningham’s innovative approach, where movements are determined randomly using dice, coins, or digital tools. Working in small groups, they will create short dance sequences by assigning movements to numbers and rolling dice to determine how many times each movement will be performed. After performing their sequences, students will record data on movement frequency, patterns, and transitions. They will then analyze this data using charts or graphs, discussing trends and drawing conclusions about how randomness influences artistic composition. This lesson merges creative expression with mathematical thinking, encouraging students to see patterns in both dance and data.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: K-1
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & MATH
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create a chance dance sequence using randomization.
  • I can analyze movement patterns by collecting and interpreting data.

Essential Questions

  • How can we use data interpretation to analyze and understand patterns created through chance dance?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 1:

1.MDR.6.4 Ask questions and answer them based on gathered information, observations, and appropriate graphical displays to compare and order whole numbers.

Arts Standards

ESD.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

ESD.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

ESD.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance

ESD.CN.1 Identify connections between dance and other areas of knowledge.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

K.MDA.3 Sort and classify data into 2 or 3 categories with data not to exceed 20 items in each category.

K.MDA.4 Represent data using object and picture graphs and draw conclusions from the graphs.

 

Grade 1:

1.MDA.4 Collect, organize, and represent data with up to 3 categories using object graphs, picture graphs, t-charts and tallies.

1.MDA.5 Draw conclusions from given object graphs, picture graphs, t-charts, tallies, and bar graphs.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.

Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.

Anchor Standard 3: I can perform movements using the dance elements.

Anchor Standard 5: I can describe, analyze, and evaluate a dance.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Data - Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis
  • Analyze - Examine methodically and in detail the constitution or structure of something, especially information, typically for purposes of explanation and interpretation
  • Interpret - Explain the meaning of information, words, or actions
  • Charts - A sheet of information in the form of a table, graph, or diagram
  • Graphs - A diagram showing the relationship between variable quantities, typically of two variables, each measured along one of a pair of axes at right angles

Arts Vocabulary

  • Merce Cunningham - American modern dancer and choreographer who developed new forms of abstract dance movement
  • Chance Dance - Chance dance is a choreography technique that uses chance to determine the order of a sequence of movements. It can also refer to a movement activity where participants create a dance using a random method like rolling dice.
  • Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece
  • Choreographer - The person who designs or creates a dance piece
  • Form - How a dance/choreography is structured (put together)
  • Level - One of the aspects of movement (there are three basic levels in dance: high, middle, and low)

 

Materials

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Create a short dance with students using a movement list to select from.
    • Example movement list:
      • Jump
      • Hop
      • Clap
      • Turn
      • Slide
      • Change levels
      • Change directions
    • Explain to the students that a piece of choreography is a collection of data.
    • Using the data/choreography, create a chart/graph to represent all the steps in the dance such as object graphs, picture graphs, t-charts, tallies, and bar graphs.

Work Session

  • Watch video/discuss who Merce Cunningham is and how he used the concept of chance to create dances.
  • Discuss how this concept applies to dancers and choreographers.
  • Break class into groups.
  • Give each group and set of movement cards (each group's cards should be the same) and one die.
  • Tell the students to randomly select a card then roll the die to indicate the number of times that movement will be done.
  • Continue until they have used all the cards.
  • Have the students create a graph/chart (ex. object graphs, picture graphs, t-charts, tallies, and bar graphs) to represent all the data in their choreography.
  • Share each group's choreography with the whole class.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Facilitate a discussion around the following questions:
    • How was each group's dance different even though each group had the same data to start with?
    • How did chance impact the outcome?

 

Assessments

Formative

  • The teacher will assess student learning throughout the lesson by observing students’ ability to use various movements in dance and their ability to use chance to create a unique piece of choreography.

Summative

  • Students’ data chart they create about their choreography
  • Create a list of questions to ask about the students about the choreography/data–Example questions:
    • How many total movements were in your dance?
    • Which movement did you do the most/least in your dance?
    • Compare all data charts
    • Which group's dance had the most jumps?
    • Which group had the most dance moves in their dance?

 

 

Differentiation

Accelerated: 

  • Have the students collect the data from all groups’ choreography and create various types of charts/graphs representing all the data or comparing the data of different groups.

 

Remedial:

  • Give the students a chart/graph that is already created and have them create choreography from the data.

 

Credits

Ideas contributed by: Melissa Dittmar-Joy

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  May 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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MOVING WORDS: INTEGRATING DANCE AND WRITING FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION 9-12

INTEGRATING DANCE AND WRITING FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION

MOVING WORDS: INTEGRATING DANCE AND WRITING FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Learning Description

Integrating dance and choreography into writing can enhance the narrative by adding dynamic expression, rhythm, and movement to the storytelling process. The purpose of integration is for students to watch dance and use context clues to identify the main idea and supporting details. Students will also use brainstorming, identifying a main idea and supporting details, as a device to create choreography.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 9-12
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can identify the main idea and supporting details in a text, conversation, or performance to better understand and explain its overall message.
  • I can use the main idea and supporting details to create choreography.

Essential Questions

  • How can identifying the main idea and supporting details in choreography enhance our understanding and interpretation of a dance performance?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

9th Grade Literature and Composition:

ELAGSE9-10RL2 Determine a theme and/or central idea of text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

ELAGSE9-10W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

 

10th Grade Literature and Composition:

ELAGSE9-10RL2 Determine a theme and/or central idea of text and closely analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

ELAGSE9-10W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Arts Standards

DHSD1.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of creative/choreographic principles, processes, and structures.

DHSD1.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

DHSD1.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in all aspects of dance.

DHSD1.CN.3 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as it relates to other areas of knowledge.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

ELA.E1.OE.2 Acquire, refine, and share knowledge through a variety of multimedia literacies to include written, oral, visual, digital, and interactive texts.

ELA.E1.OE.3 Make inferences to support comprehension.

ELA.E1.OE.4 Collaborate with others and use active listening skills.

ELA.E1.OE.5 Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.

ELA.E1.AOR.1.1 Analyze how perspective, context, and/or key elements deepen meaning or enhance style.

ELA.E1.AOR.2.1 Determine a universal theme(s) and explain how key details contribute to its development over the course of a literary text.

ELA.E1.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences, memories, or ideas using effective techniques and well-structured sequences for an intended purpose.

ELA.E1.C.7.1 Present claims and findings, emphasizing key ideas in a focused manner with relevant descriptions, facts, details, and examples for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.

Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.

Anchor Standard 3: I can perform movements using the dance elements.

Anchor Standard 5: I can describe, analyze, and evaluate a dance.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Author – A writer of a book, article, or report
  • Central idea – The main idea is the central point or message of a text
  • Theme – The central idea, message, or underlying meaning in a piece of writing, art, film, or other forms of creative work
  • Supporting detail – The statements that support (go along with) the main idea
  • Setting – The place or type of surroundings where something is positioned or where an event takes place
  • Character – A person in a novel, play, or movie

Arts Vocabulary

  • Choreography: The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece
  • Choreographer – The person who designs or creates a dance piece
  • Body – The dancer’s body and how it is used
  • Types of energy:
    • Percussive – Refers to the quality of movement characterized by sharp starts and stops;staccato jabs of energy
    • Suspended – Occurs in a moment of resistance to gravity, such as the instant in which a dancer hangs in space at the top of a leap
    • Sustained – Smooth and unaccented; there is not apparent start or stop, only a continuity of energy
    • Swinging – Established by a fall of gravity, a gain in momentum, a loss of momentum,and the repeated cycle of fall and recovery, like that of a pendulum
    • Vibratory – A quality of movement characterized by rapidly repeated bursts of percussive movements like “a jitter”
  • Space:
    • Level – One of the aspects of movement (there are three basic levels in dance: high,middle, and low)
    • Pathway – Designs traced on the floor as a dancer travels across space; the designs traced in the air as a dancer moves various body parts
    • Shape – Refers to an interesting and interrelated arrangement of body parts of one dancer; the visual makeup or molding of the body parts of a singular dancer; the overall visible appearance of a group of dancers
  • Time:
    • Tempo – Refers to the pace or speed of movement
  • Action:
    • Locomotor – A movement that travels through space
    • Non-locomotor – A movement that does not travel through space

 

Materials

  • A selected piece of choreography to watch
  • Brainstorm planning bubbles or concept map
  • Music
  • Paper and pencils

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Discuss the similarities between a choreographer and an author, such as how both are creators and storytellers.
  • Watch a selected piece of choreography.
  • Have students identify the story elements in the choreography–who are the characters? What is the setting? What was the beginning, middle, and end?.
  • Have students identify the main idea and supporting details in the choreography.
    • Have students infer what the choreography was about using supporting details from the choreography.

Work Session

  • As a whole group, discuss how choreographers plan choreography just how writers brainstorm for their writing/essay.
  • Practice a brainstorm for choreography together exploring different types of movements, levels, and energy qualities (see Arts Vocabulary).
  • Break students into small groups.
  • Assign or have groups select a main idea/topic for their choreography.
  • Have students brainstorm for their choreography using a concept map, web, brainstorming bubbles, or other type of strategy.
  • Remind students to keep in mind the elements of dance: body, action, space, time, and energy, and how they can be used to help express their thoughts/ideas (see Arts Vocabulary).
    • For younger students, focus on a limited number of elements.
  • Have students create and share their choreography.
  • Have students write the story of their choreography including the theme/central idea and supporting details/evidence displayed in the dance.
  • Their stories should have narrative techniques like setting and characters, a problem, established point of view, clear progression of experiences or events, and figurative language.

 

Closing Reflection

  • After watching each group's choreography, the audience (class) will identify the movements they saw in the choreography that were the supporting details of the main idea of the choreography.
  • Students will answer: How did these movements help you understand the main idea/story?

 

Assessments

Formative

  • While groups are working on choreography, ask the students questions about their choreography and choreographic choices.
    • What is the main idea?
    • What supporting details are in your choreography?
    • Have them demonstrate them to you.

Summative

  • Ask the choreographers to tell you or write about their choreographic process and how they selected the movements and their sequence to support the theme/central idea.
  • Have the students write the story of their choreography including the theme and evidence/supporting details displayed in the dance.

 

 

Differentiation

Accelerated: 

  • Have students write a choreographer’s artistic statement about their work. This would include a personal explanation of their artistic vision, process and goals.  It’s a way for them to communicate their inner voice to the audience.

 

Remedial:

  • Create a dance collaboratively as a class.
    • Teacher assign the theme/central idea
    • Have each group create choreography for one element that supports the theme/main idea.
    • As a whole class put the elements together in a sequence that best supports the theme/central idea.

 

Credits

Ideas contributed by: Melissa Dittmar-Joy

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  May 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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MOVING WORDS: INTEGRATING DANCE AND WRITING FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION 6-8

INTEGRATING DANCE AND WRITING FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION

MOVING WORDS: INTEGRATING DANCE AND WRITING FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Learning Description

Integrating dance and choreography into writing can enhance the narrative by adding dynamic expression, rhythm, and movement to the storytelling process. The purpose of integration is for students to watch dance and use context clues to identify the main idea and supporting details. Students will also use brainstorming, identifying a main idea and supporting details, as a device to create choreography.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 6-8
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can identify the main idea and supporting details in a text, conversation, or performance to better understand and explain its overall message.
  • I can use the main idea and supporting details to create choreography.

Essential Questions

  • How can identifying the main idea and supporting details in choreography enhance our understanding and interpretation of a dance performance?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6:

ELAGSE6RL2 Determine a theme and/or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

ELAGSE6W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

 

Grade 7:

ELAGSE7RL2 Determine a theme and/or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

ELAGSE7W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

 

Grade 8:

ELAGSE8RL2 Determine a theme and/or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

ELAGSE8W3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

Arts Standards

MSD.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

MSD.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

MSD.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

MSD.CN.3 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as it relates to other areas of knowledge.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6:

ELA.6.OE.2 Acquire, refine, and share knowledge through a variety of multimedia literacies to include written, oral, visual, digital, and interactive texts.

ELA.6.OE.3 Make inferences to support comprehension.

ELA.6.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences, memories, or ideas, using effective techniques, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

 

Grade 7:

ELA.7.OE.2 Acquire, refine, and share knowledge through a variety of multimedia literacies to include written, oral, visual, digital, and interactive texts.

ELA.7.OE.3 Make inferences to support comprehension.

ELA.7.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences, memories, or ideas, using effective techniques, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

 

Grade 8:

ELA.8.OE.2 Acquire, refine, and share knowledge through a variety of multimedia literacies to include written, oral, visual, digital, and interactive texts.

ELA.8.OE.3 Make inferences to support comprehension.

ELA.8.C.3.1 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences, memories, or ideas, using effective techniques, relevant descriptive details, and logically structured event sequences.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.

Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.

Anchor Standard 3: I can perform movements using the dance elements.

Anchor Standard 5: I can describe, analyze, and evaluate a dance.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Author – A writer of a book, article, or report
  • Main idea – The main idea is the central point or message of a text
  • Theme – The central idea, message, or underlying meaning in a piece of writing, art, film, or other forms of creative work
  • Supporting detail – The statements that support (go along with) the main idea
  • Setting – The place or type of surroundings where something is positioned or where an event takes place
  • Character – A person in a novel, play, or movie

Arts Vocabulary

  • Choreography: The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece
  • Choreographer – The person who designs or creates a dance piece
  • Body – The dancer’s body and how it is used
  • Types of energy:
    • Percussive – Refers to the quality of movement characterized by sharp starts and stops;staccato jabs of energy
    • Suspended – Occurs in a moment of resistance to gravity, such as the instant in which a dancer hangs in space at the top of a leap
    • Sustained – Smooth and unaccented; there is not apparent start or stop, only a continuity of energy
    • Swinging – Established by a fall of gravity, a gain in momentum, a loss of momentum,and the repeated cycle of fall and recovery, like that of a pendulum
    • Vibratory – A quality of movement characterized by rapidly repeated bursts of percussive movements like “a jitter”
  • Space:
    • Level – One of the aspects of movement (there are three basic levels in dance: high,middle, and low)
    • Pathway – Designs traced on the floor as a dancer travels across space; the designs traced in the air as a dancer moves various body parts
    • Shape – Refers to an interesting and interrelated arrangement of body parts of one dancer; the visual makeup or molding of the body parts of a singular dancer; the overall visible appearance of a group of dancers
  • Time:
    • Tempo – Refers to the pace or speed of movement
  • Action:
    • Locomotor – A movement that travels through space
    • Non-locomotor – A movement that does not travel through space

 

Materials

  • A selected piece of choreography to watch
  • Brainstorm planning bubbles or concept map
  • Music
  • Paper and pencils

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Discuss the similarities between a choreographer and an author, such as how both are creators and storytellers.
  • Watch a selected piece of choreography.
  • Have students identify the story elements in the choreography–who are the characters? What is the setting? What was the beginning, middle, and end?.
  • Have students identify the main idea and supporting details in the choreography.
  • Have students infer what the choreography was about using supporting details from the choreography.

Work Session

  • As a whole group, discuss how choreographers plan choreography just how writers brainstorm for their writing/essay.
  • Practice a brainstorm for choreography together exploring different types of movements, levels, and energy qualities (see Arts Vocabulary).
  • Break students into small groups.
  • Assign or have groups select a main idea/topic for their choreography.
  • Have students brainstorm for their choreography using a concept map, web, brainstorming bubbles, or other type of strategy.
  • Remind students to keep in mind the elements of dance: body, action, space, time, and energy, and how they can be used to help express their thoughts/ideas (see Arts Vocabulary).
    • For younger students, focus on a limited number of elements.
  • Have students create and share their choreography.
  • Have students write the story of their choreography including the main idea and supporting details displayed in the dance.
  • Their stories should have characters; setting; a beginning, middle, and end; temporal words, and transitions.

 

Closing Reflection

  • After watching each group's choreography, the audience (class) will identify the movements they saw in the choreography that were the supporting details of the main idea of the choreography.
  • Students will answer: How did these movements help you understand the main idea/story?

 

Assessments

Formative

  • While groups are working on choreography, ask the students questions about their choreography and choreographic choices.
    • What is the main idea?
    • What supporting details are in your choreography?
    • Have them demonstrate them to you.

Summative

  • Have choreographers write or talk about their choreographic process and how they selected the movements.
  • Have students write the story of their choreography including the main idea and evidence/supporting details displayed in the dance.
  • Their stories should have characters; setting; a beginning, middle, and end; temporal words, and transitions.

 

 

Differentiation

Accelerated: 

  • Have students add transitions to their choreography (beginning, middle, end). A transition in choreography serves the same purpose as a transition in writing. It helps to connect all the parts smoothly.

 

Remedial:

  • Create a dance collaboratively as a class.
    • Teacher will assign the main idea or it can be determined from a text.
    • Have each group create choreography for one of the supporting details.
    • As a whole class, arrange the supporting details in a sequence to best support the main idea.
    • Provide a graphic organizer, sentence stems, etc. to support students as they write their stories.

 

Credits

Ideas contributed by: Melissa Dittmar-Joy

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  May 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Lessons

MOVEMENT BY CHANCE: EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA PATTERNS 9-12

EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA PATTERNS

MOVEMENT BY CHANCE: EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA

Learning Description

Students will explore the concept of chance dance, inspired by Merce Cunningham, while simultaneously developing data interpretation skills. Students will begin by learning about Cunningham’s innovative approach, where movements are determined randomly using dice, coins, or digital tools. Working in small groups, they will create short dance sequences by assigning movements to numbers and rolling dice to determine the movements in their choreography. After performing their sequences, students will record data on movement frequency, patterns, and transitions. They will then analyze this data discussing trends and drawing conclusions about how probability influences artistic composition. This lesson merges creative expression with mathematical thinking, encouraging students to see patterns in both dance and data.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 9-12
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & MATH
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create a chance dance sequence using randomization.
  • I can analyze movement patterns by collecting and interpreting data.
  • I can use probability to determine the likelihood of using different movements in choreography.

Essential Questions

  • How can we use data interpretation to analyze and understand patterns created through chance dance?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Statistical Reasoning:

SR.DSR.2 Formulate statistical investigative questions of interest to students that can be answered with data

SR.DSR.3 Collect data by designing and implementing a plan to address the formulated statistical investigative question.

SR.DSR.4 Analyze data by selecting and using appropriate graphical and numerical methods

SR.DSR.5 Interpret the results of the analysis, making connections to the formulated statistical investigative question.

Arts Standards

DHSD1.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of creative/choreographic principles, processes, and structures.

DHSD1.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

DHSD1.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in all aspects of dance.

DHSD1.CN.3 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as it relates to other areas of knowledge.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Statistics and Probability:

SPMJ.2* Distinguish between experimental and theoretical probabilities. Collect data on a chance event and use the relative frequency to estimate the theoretical probability of that event. Determine whether a given probability model is consistent with experimental results.

SPID.1* Select and create an appropriate display, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots, for data that includes only real numbers.

SPMD.1 Develop the probability distribution for a random variable defined for a sample space in which a theoretical probability can be calculated and graph the distribution.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.

Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.

Anchor Standard 3: I can perform movements using the dance elements.

Anchor Standard 5: I can describe, analyze, and evaluate a dance.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Data - Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis
  • Analyze - Examine methodically and in detail the constitution or structure of something, especially information, typically for purposes of explanation and interpretation
  • Interpret - Explain the meaning of information, words, or actions
  • Charts - A sheet of information in the form of a table, graph, or diagram
  • Graphs - A diagram showing the relation between variable quantities, typically of two variables, each measured along one of a pair of axes at right angles
  • Fraction - A numerical quantity that is not a whole number
  • Probability - The extent to which an event is likely to occur, measured by the ratio of the favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible.

Arts Vocabulary

  • Merce Cunningham - American modern dancer and choreographer who developed new forms of abstract dance movement
  • Chance Dance - Chance dance is a choreography technique that uses chance to determine the order of a sequence of movements. It can also refer to a movement activity where participants create a dance using a random method like rolling dice.
  • Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece
  • Choreographer - The person who designs or creates a dance piece
  • Form - How a dance/choreography is structured (put together)

 

Materials

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Create a short dance with students using a movement list to select from. Example movement list:
    • Jump
    • Hop
    • Clap
    • Turn
    • Slide
    • Change levels
    • Change directions
  • Explain to the students that a piece of choreography is a collection of data.
  • Using the data/choreography, create a chart/graph to represent all the steps in the dance.
  • Explore various types of charts/graphs that can be used to display the data/choreography.
  • Ask students how they think probability could be used to choreograph a dance.

Work Session

  • Watch the video The Six Sides of Merce Cunningham. Discuss who Merce Cunningham is and how he used the concept of chance to create dances.
  • Discuss how this concept applies to dancers and choreographers.
  • Break class into groups.
  • Give each group a set of movement cards (each group's cards should be the same) and one die.
  • After assigning a set number of movements that must be included in the dance, have students assign a numerical value (one to six) to each movement.
    • Have students determine the probability that they will use each of the movements in their choreography.
    • Have students roll their dice to determine what each movement in their choreography will be.
  • Students will then create choreography for the data they have.
  • Each group will share their choreography with the whole class.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Facilitate a discussion around the following questions:
    • How was each group's dance different even though each group had the same data to start with?
    • How did probability impact the outcome?

 

Assessments

Formative

  • The teacher will assess student learning throughout the lesson by observing students’ ability to use various movements in dance and their ability to use chance to create a unique piece of choreography.

Summative

  • Create a list of questions to ask about the students' choreography/data. Examples:
    • What is the probability that your dance has:
      • One turn
      • Two jumps
      • One slide and one clap
      • Compare all groups’ choreography–Example: What is the probability that all groups had a jump first?

 

 

Differentiation

Accelerated: 

  • Students will compare statistical data and probability of all the groups.

 

Remedial:

  • Limit the data set.
  • Limit the complexity of mathematical questions about the data.

 

Additional Resources

 

Credits

Ideas contributed by: Melissa Dittmar-Joy

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  May 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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MOVEMENT BY CHANCE: EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA PATTERNS 6-8

EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA PATTERNS

MOVEMENT BY CHANCE: EXPLORING DANCE AND DATA

Learning Description

Students will explore the concept of chance dance, inspired by Merce Cunningham, while simultaneously developing data interpretation skills. Students will begin by learning about Cunningham’s innovative approach, where movements are determined randomly using dice, coins, or digital tools. Working in small groups, they will create short dance sequences by assigning movements to numbers and rolling dice to determine the movements in their choreography. After performing their sequences, students will record data on movement frequency, patterns, and transitions. They will then analyze this data using charts or graphs, discussing trends and drawing conclusions about how randomness influences artistic composition. This lesson merges creative expression with mathematical thinking, encouraging students to see patterns in both dance and data.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 6-8
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & MATH
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

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"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create a chance dance sequence using randomization.
  • I can analyze movement patterns by collecting and interpreting data.

Essential Questions

  • How can we use data interpretation to analyze and understand patterns created through chance dance?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6:

6.NR.2.2 Summarize categorical and quantitative (numerical) data sets in relation to the context: display the distributions of quantitative (numerical) data in plots on a number line, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots and display the distribution of categorical data using bar graphs.

6.NR.2.3 Interpret numerical data to answer a statistical investigative question created. Describe the distribution of a quantitative (numerical) variable collected, including its center, variability, and overall shape.

6.NR.2.4 Design simple experiments and collect data. Use data gathered from realistic scenarios and simulations to determine quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and range). Use these quantities to draw conclusions about the data, compare different numerical data sets, and make predictions.

 

Grade 7:

7.PR.6 Using mathematical reasoning, investigate chance processes and develop, evaluate, and use probability models to find probabilities of simple events presented in authentic situations.

7.PAR.4 Recognize proportional relationships in relevant, mathematical problems; represent, solve, and explain these relationships with tables, graphs, and equations.

 

Grade 8:

8.PAR.3 Create and interpret expressions within relevant situations. Create, interpret, and solve linear equations and linear inequalities in one variable to model and explain real phenomena.

Arts Standards

MSD.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

MSD.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

MSD.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

MSD.CN.3 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as it relates to other areas of knowledge.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 6: 6.DS.4 Select and create an appropriate display for numerical data, including dot plots, histograms, and box plots.

Grade 7:

7.DSP.5 Investigate the concept of probability of chance events.

a. Determine probabilities of simple events.

b.Understand that probability measures likelihood of a chance event occurring.

c. Understand that the probability of a chance event is a number between 0 and 1.

d. Understand that a probability closer to 1 indicates a likely chance event.

e. Understand that a probability close to 1 2 indicates that a chance event is neither likely nor unlikely.

f. Understand that a probability closer to 0 indicates an unlikely chance event.

 

Grade 8:

8.DSP.2 Draw an approximate line of best fit on a scatter plot that appears to have a linear association and informally assess the fit of the line to the data points.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.

Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.

Anchor Standard 3: I can perform movements using the dance elements.

Anchor Standard 5: I can describe, analyze, and evaluate a dance.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Data - Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis
  • Analyze - Examine methodically and in detail the constitution or structure of something, especially information, typically for purposes of explanation and interpretation
  • Interpret - Explain the meaning of information, words, or actions
  • Charts - A sheet of information in the form of a table, graph, or diagram
  • Graphs - A diagram showing the relationship between variable quantities, typically of two variables, each measured along one of a pair of axes at right angles
  • Fraction - A numerical quantity that is not a whole number

Arts Vocabulary

  • Merce Cunningham - American modern dancer and choreographer who developed new forms of abstract dance movement
  • Chance Dance - Chance dance is a choreography technique that uses chance to determine the order of a sequence of movements. It can also refer to a movement activity where participants create a dance using a random method like rolling dice.
  • Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece
  • Choreographer - The person who designs or creates a dance piece
  • Form - How a dance/choreography is structured (put together)
  • Level - One of the aspects of movement (there are three basic levels in dance: high, middle, and low)

 

Materials

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Create a short dance with students using a movement list to select from.
    • Example movement list:
      • Jump
      • Hop
      • Clap
      • Turn
      • Slide
      • Change levels
      • Change directions
    • Explain to the students that a piece of choreography is a collection of data.
    • Using the data/choreography, create a chart/graph to represent all the steps in the dance.
    • Explore various types of charts/graphs that can be used to display the data/choreography.

Work Session

  • Watch the video, The Six Sides of Merce Cunningham. Discuss who Merce Cunningham is and how he used the concept of chance to create dances.
  • Discuss how this applies to dancers and choreographers.
  • Break class into groups.
  • Give each group a set of movement cards (each group's cards should be the same) and one die.
  • Choose one of the two methods:
    • 1) Tell the students to randomly select a card then roll the die to indicate the number of times that movement will be done.
      • Students should continue until they have used all the cards.
    • 2) Give students a set number of movements that they must include in their choreography. Have students assign a numerical value (one to six) to each movement. Have students roll their dice to determine what each movement in their choreography will be.
  • Have the students create a graph/chart (ex. histograms, dot plot, box plot) to represent all the data in their choreography.
  • Students will then create choreography for the data they have.
  • Each group will share their choreography with the whole class.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Facilitate a discussion around the following questions:
    • How was each group's dance different even though each group had the same data to start with?
    • How did chance impact the outcome?

 

Assessments

Formative

  • The teacher will assess student learning throughout the lesson by observing students’ ability to use various movements in dance and their ability to use chance to create a unique piece of choreography.

Summative

  • The teacher will assess student learning using the data charts students create about their choreography
  • Create a list of questions to ask about the students choreography/data–Examples:
    • How many total movements were in your dance?
    • What was the mean/median/mode of your data?
    • Compare all data charts.
      • What is the probability that all dances would contain a jump?
      • What is the mean/median/mode of all dances?

 

 

Differentiation

Accelerated: 

  • Have the students collect the data from all groups' choreography and create various types of charts/graphs representing all the data or comparing the data of different groups.

 

Remedial:

  • Limit the data set.
  • Give the students a chart/graph that is already created and have them create choreography from the data.

 

Credits

Ideas contributed by: Melissa Dittmar-Joy

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Revised and copyright:  May 2025 @ ArtsNOW

 

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