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Contemporary Technique

Tenth graders explore the vocabulary of contemporary dance — release, floor work, contraction, spiraling, and off-balance movement — the techniques that free the body from classical rules to move in new, expressive ways.

Grade 10Technique50 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…

  • ✓Explain contemporary dance.
  • ✓Use release & floor work.
  • ✓Try spiraling.
  • ✓Move in new ways.
Essential Question

Contemporary dance breaks the “rules” of ballet to explore weight, gravity, and the floor. What are its signature techniques?

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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 Contemporary Technique Explorer

Project this and tap each technique. Have students learn contemporary dance vocabulary.

💃 Explore contemporary technique — 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 — Breaking the Rules

5 min

Contemporary dance breaks ballet’s rules to explore gravity and the floor — how?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a contemporary phrase.
  • Ask how it differs from ballet.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Notice.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Contemporary Technique

12 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Contemporary Technique Explorer.
  • Note release and floor work.
  • Note spiraling.

🎒 Student Actions

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

Create — Create

14 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Try a release movement.
  • Do controlled floor work.
  • Spiral through the spine.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Release.
  • Floor it.
  • Spiral.
4

Perform — Perform

12 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform a contemporary phrase.
  • Show weight and flow.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Show it.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a technique.
  • Explain it.
  • 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 Accomplished).

NCAS
DA:Pr5.1.HSII

Use contemporary technique.

NCAS
DA:Cr1.1.HSII

Explore new movement.

NCAS
DA:Pr4.1.HSII

Apply weight and flow.

NCAS
DA:Re7.1.HSII

Analyze contemporary style.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Technique picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is when ___.”
  • Demonstrate each.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with release and floor work.
  • Demonstrate a technique.
  • Try one.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Combine techniques.
  • Compare to ballet.
  • Choreograph a phrase.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🪥A dance floor/mats
  • 💻The Contemporary Technique Explorer
  • 🎵Music
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

contemporarya modern, free dance stylereleaseletting go of tensionfloor workmoving on and off the floorcontractioncurving the torsospiraltwisting through the spineoff-balanceplaying with balancegravitythe pull dancers useweightthe body’s heaviness in motion
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 release in contemporary dance?
Letting go of tension so movement flows freely, using gravity and breath.
QUESTION 2
What is floor work?
Moving on and off the floor with control — rolling, sliding, rising.
QUESTION 3
What is spiraling?
Twisting through the spine to initiate and travel through movement.

Reflect: move freely.

Have students try one contemporary technique — a release, floor work, or a spiral. A printable contemporary 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.

🃏 Contemporary TechniqueFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Contemporary TechniqueQuiz
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.

🖨️ Contemporary TechniquePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: contemporary, contraction, floor work, gravity, off-balance, release, spiral, weight
  1. twisting through the spine
  2. the pull dancers use
  3. curving the torso
  4. moving on and off the floor
  5. playing with balance
  6. a modern, free dance style
  7. letting go of tension
  8. the body’s heaviness in motion

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is release in contemporary dance?
  2. What is floor work?
  3. What is spiraling?
Answer key — Part A: 1) spiral · 2) gravity · 3) contraction · 4) floor work · 5) off-balance · 6) contemporary · 7) release · 8) weight
Part B: 1) Letting go of tension so movement flows freely, using gravity and breath. 2) Moving on and off the floor with control — rolling, sliding, rising. 3) Twisting through the spine to initiate and travel through movement.