60 Minutes
Assemble videos of dance works created about heroes in history or current day heroes who were committed to a particular ideal or vision.
Assemble information about individuals who faced opposition in the pursuit of their goals.

TV, CD player
Selected videos of dance works created about heroes in history or current day heroes who were committed to a particular ideal or vision.

Ask students what they think of when they hear the word "Hero." What names and situations come to mind?

Read about the Olympic Games.

Explain that the Olympics have a set of values that range from fair competition, commitment and honor, to other life skills such as self-discipline, good manners, cooperation and respect.

Discuss the way in which the media offers a somewhat false image of a hero to our students. This hero is generally a person who has great popularity and wealth, such as celebrities, professional athletes, TV personalities and pop musicians. This perception creates a false understanding of a hero's purpose.

Discuss what makes people heroes. Do heros need to be rich and popular? Popularity and wealth are not necessarily a true hero's objective in doing what they do. Commitment to ideals and goals are the attributes that motivates this person despite the fear of opposition or ridicule they may receive from others. They make decisions because they know it is the right thing to do.

Ask students where they might find real heros. Discuss how our communities are filled with heroes that embody these real Olympic values. They could be our friends, our family, or people that we know. What makes them special? How do they do what they do?

Find 2 examples of heroic people who stood for their ideals in the face of opposition or ridicule. (Opposition may include physical challenges.) Bring them to class on videotape, CD, cassette, or articles to discuss these examples.

View a choreographic piece based upon a hero. Evaluate and discuss the choreographer's process to develop and create meaning in the piece.

Analyze the process of abstraction of ideas.

Discuss how what we put into our hearts and minds has a powerful impact on our ability to be our best, to do something heroic. The genius of those who make great contributions to our world comes from the ability to use emotions productively. Explain to the class that their assignment will be to create a "Hero" dance.

Several dance activities and movements are listed below.

1.	Choose one simple movement to perform (turn, extension, roll). Perform an improvisation of entering the space; perform the simple movement with commitment and then exit. Commit to performing the movement with greater range, energy and focus each time it is performed. Explore fully your internal commitment of extending beyond previously developed skills.
2.	Explore movements of opposition by pushing the space with a body part. Alternate body parts.
3.	Create a short sequence that includes three pushing movements and transitions between them.
4.	Perform movement in an improvisation based upon pulling. Explore the movement possibilities while moving in opposition to another.
5.	Perform improvisations based upon moving in opposing directions from the group.
6.	Discuss internal and external responses from these activities.
7.	Perform an improvisation based on creating spontaneous tableaus using facts about a real life hero as the basis for them.
8.	In a small group, discuss a chosen hero. Define the movement potential from the research introduced. Write five sentences or poetic images that define the heroic attribute of commitment that this person has exhibited. Improvise movement and select movement that abstracts these ideas (utilize strategies presented in the explorations performed as a class). Create a composition with a clear beginning and ending which develops the ideas you have chosen. Rehearse and perform.

Assessment

Extensions