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Choreographic Form

Sixth-grade dancers learn choreographic form — how a dance is organized, like AB or ABA. Repeating a section (A) and adding a contrast (B) gives a dance shape, so it feels whole instead of random. They order the process, then build a short ABA study.

Grade 6Choreographic Form (AB & ABA)45 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…

  • ✓Build a phrase.
  • ✓Use repetition.
  • ✓Add contrast.
  • ✓Form ABA.
Essential Question

How do choreographers give a dance a clear shape?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Form-Building Steps

Project this and have students put the steps for building a dance form in order.

🎼 Put the form-building steps in orderTry it
Tap the first step to build a dance form!
The Lesson · Explicit teaching

45 minutes, five moves

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

1

Warm-Up — Shape of a Dance

5 min

What makes a dance feel finished instead of random?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose the question.
  • Share ideas.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Form

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Form-Building Steps.
  • Order the steps.
  • Note A repeats, B contrasts.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Create — Build ABA

14 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Make an A phrase.
  • Make a contrasting B.
  • Return to A.

🎒 Student Actions

  • A.
  • B.
  • A.
4

Perform — Perform

10 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform your ABA study.
  • Make A recognizable.
  • Make B clearly different.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform.
  • Repeat.
  • Contrast.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • What is an A section?
  • Why add a B?
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Dance).

NCAS
DA:Cr2.1.6

Organize movement into a choreographic form.

NCAS
DA:Cr1.1.6

Explore and select movement material.

NCAS
DA:Cr3.1.6

Revise and refine a dance study.

NCAS
DA:Pr6.1.6

Perform a structured dance.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • A/B section cards.
  • Frame: "A repeats, B is different."
  • Build it step by step.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Use AB (two sections).
  • Keep phrases short.
  • Model each step.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Build ABACA (rondo).
  • Add a transition.
  • Give the form a title.
Materials

What to gather

  • 🎼Section cards
  • 🔶Open floor space
  • 💻Order the Form-Building Steps
  • 📄Form map sheet
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

formhow a dance is organizedphrasea short series of movesA sectionthe main, repeated partB sectiona contrasting partABAA, then B, then A againrepetitionrepeating movementcontrasta clear differencetransitiona link between sections
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 A section?
The main phrase that repeats.
QUESTION 2
Why add a B section?
For contrast, so the dance has variety.
QUESTION 3
What does ABA mean?
A section, then a contrasting B, then A again.

Reflect: choreographic form.

Have students build and perform a short ABA dance study. A printable form map 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.

🃏 Choreographic FormFlip
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.

📝 Choreographic FormQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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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.

🖨️ Choreographic FormPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: A section, ABA, B section, contrast, form, phrase, repetition, transition
  1. how a dance is organized
  2. the main, repeated part
  3. repeating movement
  4. A, then B, then A again
  5. a short series of moves
  6. a clear difference
  7. a contrasting part
  8. a link between sections

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the A section?
  2. Why add a B section?
  3. What does ABA mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) form · 2) A section · 3) repetition · 4) ABA · 5) phrase · 6) contrast · 7) B section · 8) transition
Part B: 1) The main phrase that repeats. 2) For contrast, so the dance has variety. 3) A section, then a contrasting B, then A again.