Provide quality creative dance experiences for students of all ages and abilities.

With a long history as a leading resource for dance educators, Creative Dance for All Ages, Third Edition With HKPropel Access, is the research-backed tool every creative dance teacher needs. Internationally recognized master teacher and author Anne Green Gilbert presents creative dance for everyone and provides tips on meeting the challenges of teaching it.

The updated third edition features the following:

• New full-color photos illustrating key concepts
• An easy-to-navigate format to quickly access lesson planning and assessment tools
• Suggestions for modifying lessons to include students of all abilities
• Class management tips to implement on day one

An unparalleled resource for dance educators of all experience levels, Creative Dance for All Ages provides the theory, methods, and lesson ideas that will set teachers up to provide the best possible creative dance experience. Related online tools delivered through HKPropel include a variety of resources that can be implemented in the classroom or studio:

• 55 age-appropriate and brain-compatible lesson plans 
• 11 videos demonstrating the lesson plans and teaching strategies and how to put them to work in the classroom and studio
• 8 adaptable assessment forms and curriculum planning templates
• 25 music tracks to accompany selected lesson plans
• Sample dance curriculums to systematically cover a 10-week quarter or 16-week semester

Divided into two parts, part I presents the theory behind the conceptual approach to teaching dance. These five chapters include information on how to structure lessons, class management techniques, working with special populations, ways to begin and end class, and creative ways to practice skills. Also covered is the BrainDance, a beneficial exercise that focuses the brain for learning and warms up all parts of the body for dancing. Part II introduces 15 dance concepts (place, level, size, direction, pathway, focus, speed, rhythm, energy, weight, flow, body parts, body shapes, relationship, and balance) and describes hundreds of ways to explore this dance vocabulary using a sequential and progressive five-part lesson plan format.

Step into creative dance with the guidance of a seasoned teacher and feel prepared to help students of all ages and abilities experience the joy of dance with Creative Dance for All Ages, Third Edition With HKPropel Access.

Human Kinetics is proud to publish this book in association with SHAPE America, the national organization that defines excellence for school-based health and physical education professionals across the United States.

Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all new print books.

Audience

Resource for dance teachers in K-12 schools, studios, companies, and recreation settings. Undergraduate text for teaching methods courses.

Part I. Fundamentals of Teaching Creative Dance
Chapter 1. Teaching Students of All Ages and Abilities

Chapter 2. Planning and Teaching Your Creative Dance Class

Chapter 3. Honing Your Teaching Skills

Chapter 4. Warming Up, BrainDance, and Cooling Down

Chapter 5. Developing Dance Skills Conceptually

Part II. Dance Concepts and Sample Lesson Plans
Chapter 6. Place
Self-Space and General Space

Chapter 7. Level
High, Middle, Low

Chapter 8. Size
Big (Far Reach), Medium (Mid Reach), Small (Near Reach)

Chapter 9. Direction
Forward, Backward, Right Side, Left Side, Up, Down

Chapter 10. Pathway
Straight, Curved, Zigzag

Chapter 11. Focus
Single Focus, Multi-Focus, Internal Focus, External Focus

Chapter 12. Speed
Slow, Medium, Fast

Chapter 13. Rhythm
Pulse, Pattern, Grouping, Breath

Chapter 14. Energy
Smooth, Sharp, Swingy, Shaky

Chapter 15. Weight
Strong, Light, Passive, Active

Chapter 16. Flow
Free, Bound, Simultaneous, Successive

Chapter 17. Body Parts

Chapter 18. Body Shapes
Straight, Curved, Angular, Twisted, Symmetrical, Asymmetrical

Chapter 19. Relationship

Chapter 20. Balance
On-Balance, Off-Balance, Counterbalance

Chapter 21. Specialized Lesson Plans

Appendix A. Teaching Academic Curriculum Using Kinesthetic Intelligence
Appendix B. Exploring Other Arts Through Dance
Appendix C. Props
Appendix D. Music Suggestions
Appendix E. Model of a Children’s Dance Company
Bibliography

Anne Green Gilbert founded the Creative Dance Center and Kaleidoscope Dance Company in Seattle, Washington, in 1981 and the Summer Dance Institute for Teachers in 1994. Gilbert started as an elementary school teacher, moved on to dance and pedagogy classes at the University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Washington, then taught children’s dance classes at Cornish College and Bill Evans/Dance Theatre Seattle. She has been an adjunct professor at Seattle Pacific University for many years and taught for Lesley University’s Outreach master’s program for 10 years. For the past three decades, Gilbert has taught toddlers through adults at the Creative Dance Center, trained teachers through her Summer Dance Institute, and conducted hundreds of workshops and residencies across the United States and abroad. 

In 2000, Gilbert developed the BrainDance, a focusing warm-up exercise that is used in many schools, studios, and homes around the world. She is internationally recognized for her work with young artists and her creative process. She has choreographed dances for university dance companies as well as Northwest dance companies and Kaleidoscope.

Gilbert is the author of Teaching the Three Rs Through Movement Experiences, Creative Dance for All Ages, Brain-Compatible Dance Education, Teaching Creative Dance (DVD), BrainDance (DVD), and numerous articles. She is an active member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and Dance and the Child International (daCi). She served on the daCi board for 12 years. She is founder and past president of the Dance Educators Association of Washington, an organization promoting quality dance education in all Washington State K-12 schools. As a member of the Arts Education Standards project, Gilbert helped write the Washington State Dance Standards and Learning Goals. She is the recipient of several awards, including the NDA Scholar/Artist award in 2005, the National Dance Education Organization Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, the Lawrence Tenney Stevens American Dance Award for her work with boys and men in dance in 2014, and the American Dance Festival Balasaraswati/Joy Anne Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching in 2016.

Human Kinetics is pleased to partner with SHAPE America by offering discounts on our resources to SHAPE America members! Whether you’re a preK-12 teacher, higher education faculty member, researcher, administrator, or future professional, we’re here to help you in your professional career and personal fitness journey of improved fitness, stronger athletic performance, and better nutrition.

SHAPE America members receive the discount code through the member portal at SHAPE America. Learn more at or direct your questions to .