Dance 2 - Lesson 2

In the second lesson of the Year 5 Dance 2 series, pupils are set to learn and perfect the art of Street Dance, focusing on arm positions and movement actions in unison. The learning objectives are clear: students should be able to explore, repeat, and link a variety of dance actions with coordination, respond to a beat using music, and collaborate with a partner to create a short dance phrase. The success of the lesson is measured by the pupils' ability to meet these criteria, with key vocabulary such as 'phrase', 'sequence', 'stance', 'musicality', 'variation', 'transition', and 'unison' being integral to their understanding of the dance form. Essential equipment for the lesson includes gymnastic mats for the cooldown and music that the pupils are familiar with to help them engage with the rhythm.

The lesson is structured with a 10-minute warm-up where the class teacher lays out the dance zone and models different travelling steps, such as skipping and galloping, encouraging pupils to move in various ways. Following the warm-up, the main 30-minute session begins with a reminder of Street Dance's informal style and involves pupils rehearsing basic moves and learning new ones, such as the 'Shoulder Brush' and 'Chest Pop'. They then work in pairs to create a short Street Dance sequence, incorporating these moves. The lesson concludes with a performance opportunity, where pupils showcase their dance phrases and receive feedback based on the success criteria. A 10-minute cooldown period with stretching and breathing exercises ensures pupils relax and reflect on their performance.