These workshops focus on dance-based strategies that can be integrated in multiple curricular areas.

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Weather On The Move

FOR TEACHERS OF GRADES 3-6
INSTRUCTION TIME: 3 HOURS
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: 30

Combining his training as a pilot and a choreographer, Harlan Brownlee leads you through an interactive exploration of weather that you can take back to your classroom. Learn strategies that relate motions of the body and elements of dance to the structure of the earth’s atmosphere, cloud formations, and the dynamic exchanges of heat and pressure that create wind and weather conditions.

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Dances for an Expanding Universe

For Teachers of Grades 5-8
Instruction Time: 3 hours
Maximum number of workshop participants: 30

Spinning planets, streaking comets, and shooting stars comprise this astronomical adventure that will propel students into orbit! This participatory workshop integrates dance with the characteristics and movement patterns of the planets and sun in our solar system. Learn ways to help students apply and demonstrate their understanding of the gravitational force that keep planets and moons in orbit by creating dance sequences based on objects in the solar system. You’ll enjoy this unique choreography experience!

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Words in Motion!

For Teachers of Grades 2-8
Instruction Time: 3 hours
Maximum number of workshop participants: 30

Working with the elements of dance, this workshop provides teachers an engaging approach for students to explore free-verse poetry and delve into the nuances of rich vocabulary. By composing free-verse poems and choreographing them into dances, teachers learn how to immediately apply movement structures and prosody to enhance the meaning of text and help students express their understanding of words and poems. Please come dressed in loose comfortable clothing and be prepared to move.

Literacy Components:

  • Vocabulary: The purpose of the vocabulary instruction is to develop deep and sustained word meaning.
  • Prosody: Prosody is referred to as “reading with expression.” It is the variation of tone used when speaking or reading aloud and the emphasis given to certain syllables in a word. Prosody is used to express understanding of words and poems.

 

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Full STEAM Ahead!

For Teachers of Grades K-3
Instruction Time: 3 hours
Maximum number of workshop participants: 30

Choreography, like coding, is an algorithm, or a set of instructions. This kinesthetic professional development session is interactive as it merges coding and technology with physical activities and movement and leads participants through a process where they create a short simple dance that illustrates the connections. Teaching Artist, Harlan Brownlee introduce participants to movement strategies that can be immediately taken back to the classroom. This session demonstrates the connections between choreography, variables, and the algorithm and draws parallels to 21st Century learning skills, commonly referred to as the 4C’s of Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Communication.

 

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Biome Boogie: Dances for Planet Earth

For Teachers of Grades 2-6
Instruction Time: 3 hours
Maximum number of workshop participants: 30

The biodiversity of planet Earth is breathtaking, with an incredible range and variety of species. Starting with the Tropical Rain Forest as a biome for exploration and creativity, learn how to create various "Biome Dances" about the relationships that exist between plants, animals, and the environment. Take back to your classroom instructional movement strategies that help your students demonstrate their understanding of the complexity and interdependence that exists in the natural world.

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Thinking Bodies – Moving Brains

For Teachers of Grades K-12
Instruction Time: 15 hour course
Maximum number of workshop participants: 30

Thniking Bodies - Moving Brains
In this 15-hour seminar, Kennedy Center Teaching Artist, Harlan Brownlee leads participants through a series of arts integrated lesson plans utilizing dance and movement. As a result of this seminar participants will acquire a greater understanding of the elements of dance, learn how to create activities that integrate dance and movement into their daily lesson plans, and develop an appreciation for the engaging nature of movement as a tool to enhance effective teaching. Creating an artistic product contributes to a student’s ability to remember material and reinforces a student’s capacity to communicate and collaborate as well as think creatively and critically. Skills developed in the arts allow students to engage and persist in problem solving.

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Dancing the Hero’s Journey: A Study of Self, Characters and Historical Figures

For Teachers of Grades K-5
Instruction Time: 3 hours
Maximum number of workshop participants: 30

Humans face obstacles and experience struggles daily. Great heroes throughout history and beloved characters in books have grown through adversity to create positive change. How can we engage students in the study of these figures in order to identify their traits and key details that led them to overcome challenges? In this engaging workshop, you'll learn how creative movement aids the analysis of literature while simultaneously helping students to overcome fear and challenges. Students will dance their way through retelling key details of both real-life heroes’ journeys and fictional characters. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to join Focus 5’s Jessica DiLorenzo as she shows how to empower your students to inspire change by blending meaningful social emotional skills with the analysis and comprehension of texts.