Minds On

Today’s vocabulary

A choreographic form in which one soloist or group performs, followed by a second soloist or group whose performance responds to the first.

A structure that organizes movements. Compositional forms may be defined as narrative or patterned (e.g., canon, call and response, retrograde, A B A, rondo). Explore also compositional form; dance form.

Let’s get started!

Dances are often organized using a choreographic form.

Call and response is an example of a choreographic form.

Call and response exists in both dance and music.

Consider the following video. In this video, someone demonstrates an example of call and response.

Let’s reflect on the call and response video. Answer the following questions using a method of your choice.

How was call and response used in this video?

Press the ‘Answer’ button to reveal a sample answer.

Answer

The first musician played something and the second musician played it back to them.

What was the call section?

Press the ‘Answer’ button to reveal a sample answer.

Answer

The piano piece.

What was the response section?

Press the ‘Answer’ button to reveal a sample answer.

Answer

The drumming piece.

Pause and Reflect

Reflect

A young person sits in a wheelchair thinking, their left hand resting under their chin, looking slightly up towards something or someone.

How would you describe call and response in your own words? Record your ideas using a method of your choice.

Action

Get ready, get set…

Three young people stand in a row. One stomps their feet, another claps their hands, and the third snaps their fingers using both hands.

Task 1: The call section

Body percussion is a set of movements that use the body as an instrument, such as stomping, clapping, snapping, etc.

Let’s use body percussion to create a plan for a short, 8-count sequence.

We can use the Elements of Dance to help support our work!

Use the following Elements of Dance chart to help you think about how your body is moving. You will be using body percussion to create your call section, but consider how the elements can help make your piece more interesting. What level could your movements be danced at? Could you change your tempo?

Press the ‘Elements of Dance’ button to reveal the Elements of Dance chart.

Elements of Dance

Body	What is your body doing? Consider the following questions: What different body bases could you use to create a shape with your body? What different body parts could you move? How many different locomotor and non-locomotor movement could you create? Could you create symmetry in your body? What about asymmetry? What kinds of angular shapes could you make? What kind of curved shapes could you make?
Space	Where is your body moving? Consider the following questions: How could you move at a high, middle, or low level? What different pathways could you travel (in a straight line, in a zigzag, backwards)? If you are dancing with someone else, how is it different when you dance close together vs. far apart?
Time	When is the body moving? (in relation to time) Consider the following questions: How could you move at various speeds (e.g., fast, medium, slow)? How it is different dancing to music vs. dancing without music? Could you add a pause or a moment of stillness into your movements?
Energy	How is the body moving? Consider the following questions: How could you move lightly (e.g., as if you are a balloon floating through the sky, as if you are an astronaut in outer space? How could you move as if your body was heavy (e.g., as if you were pushing a big piece of furniture across the floor, as if you were moving through thick mud)? What is an example of a sudden movement? What is an example of a sustained movement?
Relationship	Who or what is the body moving with? Consider the following questions: How might dancers meet or part in a dance piece? How could emotions or facial expressions be added to movements? How could you move around, under, or over a prop?

Body percussion charts

Consider the following example of a sample 8-count sequence body percussion.

Count #1 Clap (squatting at a medium level)
Count #2 Clap (squatting at a medium level)
Count #3 Stomp (with both feet at a high level)
Count #4 Stomp (with both feet at a high level)
Count #5 Stomp (with both feet at a high level)
Count #6 Snap (while walking forwards in a straight line)
Count #7 Snap (while walking forwards in a straight line)
Count #8 Stomp (both feet, with arms out to the side)

Now, let’s create our own!

Make your own body percussion phrase using the following fillable and printable Body Percussion: Call graphic organizer. You can also use another method of your choice to create your body percussion phrase.

This will be the “call” section of your dance piece.

Count #1	Count #2	Count #3	Count #4
Count #5	Count #6	Count #7	Count #8

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Body Percussion: Call.

Activity

Try it out!

If possible, practise the 8-count body percussion you created.

Be sure to do a safety check before you try your body percussion sequence.

Safety

Before you begin, consider these safety precautions:

Wear comfortable clothing and proper shoes for the activity. Use the appropriate equipment for the activity. Be sure to check your equipment before use. If you are unsure if the equipment you are using is safe, please check in with a teacher and/or parent/guardian. Complete the activity in a safe environment with enough space, so you aren’t bumping into any objects. Listen to your body. Do the modifications, take breaks or stop the activity if you are feeling unwell.

Go!

Task 2: The response section

A young person wearing glasses stands in place, clapping their hands together as they look to their left towards someone or something.

We are going to create a “response” section to your dance piece.

Use the Elements of Dance chart to help you think about how you might respond to the call section you created. Think back to the call and response video example you explored in the Minds On section. You might choose to respond to the call section, using similar elements (e.g., similar movements, levels, or tempo).

Press the ‘Elements of Dance’ button to reveal the Elements of Dance chart.

Elements of Dance

Body	What is your body doing? Consider the following questions: What different body bases could you use to create a shape with your body? What different body parts could you move? How many different locomotor and non-locomotor movement could you create? Could you create symmetry in your body? What about asymmetry? What kinds of angular shapes could you make? What kind of curved shapes could you make?
Space	Where is your body moving? Consider the following questions: How could you move at a high, middle, or low level? What different pathways could you travel (in a straight line, in a zigzag, backwards)? If you are dancing with someone else, how is it different when you dance close together vs. far apart?
Time	When is the body moving? (in relation to time) Consider the following questions: How could you move at various speeds (e.g., fast, medium, slow)? How it is different dancing to music vs. dancing without music? Could you add a pause or a moment of stillness into your movements?
Energy	How is the body moving? Consider the following questions: How could you move lightly (e.g., as if you are a balloon floating through the sky, as if you are an astronaut in outer space? How could you move as if your body was heavy (e.g., as if you were pushing a big piece of furniture across the floor, as if you were moving through thick mud)? What is an example of a sudden movement? What is an example of a sustained movement?
Relationship	Who or what is the body moving with? Consider the following questions: How might dancers meet or part in a dance piece? How could emotions or facial expressions be added to movements? How could you move around, under, or over a prop?

Now, let’s try it out.

Make a second body percussion phrase using the following fillable and printable Body Percussion: Response graphic organizer. You can also use another method of your choice to create your body percussion phrase.

This will be the “response” section of your dance piece.

Count #1	Count #2	Count #3	Count #4
Count #5	Count #6	Count #7	Count #8

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Body Percussion: Response.

Activity

Press the ‘Sample’ button to reveal an example of a sample 8-count sequence body percussion. You can use this sample to help you plan your own sequence.

Sample

Count #1 March (while walking forwards in a straight line)
Count #2 March (while walking forwards in a straight line)
Count #3 March (while walking forwards in a straight line)
Count #4 March (while walking forwards in a straight line)
Count #5 Tap knees (squatting at a medium level)
Count #6 Tap knees (squatting at a medium level)
Count #7 Clap (hands above head)
Count #8 Stomp (both feet, with arms out to the side)

Try it out!

If possible, practise the 8-count body percussion you created.

Safety reminder

Always be sure to do your safety checks before any physical activity!

Task 3: Putting it together!

One dancer leans to the left, 1 arm raised up and 1 pointed down. One dances on 1 leg, 1 arm above their head and 1 arm out at their side.

Consider the various ways the call and response sections could come together. For example, one solo dancer could dance both pieces, or one dancer could do the call and a second dancer could do the response.

In music, a solo vocalist will often play with “character” by playing around with various elements, such as pitch. They might use a high voice to sing the “call” and a low voice to sing the “response.” This helps to differentiate between the “call” and the “response” section. How might you create different “characters” in dance so that a solo dancer could dance both parts?

Record your answers using movements, pictures, or as a detailed written or audio description. If possible, share the dance sequence with someone!

Portfolio

Consider adding your dance and ideas to your portfolio.

Consolidation

Putting it all together

A student, wearing headphones and a long-sleeved shirt, sits at a desk indoors writing with a pencil in a notebook beside an open laptop.

Portfolio

Review your learning

Use the following questions to reflect on your learning:

How do choreographic forms help to organize a dance piece?
How do you think the message of a piece might change if the “call” and “response” was done in different ways (e.g., a solo dancer dancing both pieces, two groups of dancers doing the call and response, one dancer doing the call section and a group of dancers responding, etc.)?
Have you used call and response in music? How is this form the same in both subjects? How is it different?

Record your responses using a method of your choice. Consider adding your work to your portfolio.

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel...

I have an excellent understanding of the concepts   I have a very good understanding of the concepts   I have some understanding but need to review some more  my understanding of the concepts needs a lot more work

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.

Learning goals

Success criteria

Minds On

Today’s vocabulary