Isaac J. Gourdine Middle – Dance 8

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

Eighth grade Dance is offered as an elective, students will be exposed to a timeline of US Historical Dances from the 20th century to present day. Students will study how dance has evolved and how it has impacted every decade and influenced culture as we know it. Students will learn about the pioneers of dance through a US Dance History overview. Students will continue to build upon their previously learning of basic Ballet skills, proper body alignment, muscle control, performance etiquette and dance composition/choreography. Students will also be exposed to basic dance compositional skills. An in school performance concert (informal/formal) is part of the performance assessment process. Textbook(s): Dance Anatomy, ISBN 9780736081931; Dance Composition: An Interrelated Arts Approach, ISBN 9780736067904; Discovering Dance ISBN 9781450468862; Experiencing Dance, ISBN 9781450421904, History of Dance, ISBN 9781492536697; and Writing About Dance, ISBN 9780736076104