DRAMA AND DANCE THROUGH THE AGA KHAN MUSEUM

PRESENTATION NOTES

Dance curriculum presented by Roopa Cheema, OCT, BFA, BEd, MEd

BIG IDEA: When we engage thoughtfully with Islamic art and culture, therefore gaining knowledge and understanding of Islam through art, non-Muslims can see how we connect to universal ideas in Islam and start breaking down Islamophobia in our classrooms, school communities, and the rest of the world.

THREE LESSONS:

LIGHT: Grade 11/12 Dance CHOREOGRAPHY - Exploring Forms and Shapes in Islamic Architecture

TEXT: Grade 11 Dance CHOREOGRAPHY - Transmission of Knowledge Through Text

WATER: Grade 11 Dance CHOREOGRAPHY - Dancing Fountains: Site Specific Performance

*The following are excerpts from the full lesson plans for the Aga Khan Museum.*

LIGHT - LESSON ONE: Grade 11/12 Dance CHOREOGRAPHY - Exploring Forms and Shapes in Islamic Architecture

BIG QUESTIONS:

  • How might we use two and three-dimensional artifacts from Islamic art to create and inspire movement sequences?
  • What is the role or purpose of light in Islamic art and architecture?
  • What might light symbolize?
  • What role does light play in our daily life?

MINDS ON:

  • Teacher will have the students gather for a whole group discussion.
  • Teacher will project two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects and architecture housed at the Aga Khan Museum in addition to photos of mosques from around the world onto a whiteboard.Ask students to identify common themes or shapes in the objects and artifacts. (Direct links to objects on the Aga Khan Museum are found in the lesson plan.)

ACTION!

Teacher will instruct two or three pairs to combine to form a group of 4-6 students to collaborate and create a movement/dance sequence. Students will share the objects they chose and select one or both objects to inspire their movement phrase. Instruct students to select at least one element of dance to focus on and to choose one compositional manipulative and one compositional convention to guide their creative process in the composition of their movement phrase. Next, students must recreate an element of light either natural or artificial to incorporate into their movement phrase. Teacher may want to brainstorm ideas for students to share with each other.

TEXT - LESSON TWO: Grade 11 Dance CHOREOGRAPHY - Transmission of Knowledge Through Text

BIG QUESTIONS:

  • How might knowledge be transmitted through movement?
  • What role did the Silk Route play in the transmission of knowledge?
  • How might you, your family, and your community share knowledge?
  • What does the poetry of Rumi and Hafez tell us about Islamic culture and art?
  • What are some of the big themes found in the poetry of Rumi and/or Hafez?

MINDS ON:

After examining at the painting of their choice at the museum, each student is given a piece of paper on which to write two words that describe the painting using the teacher prompts as a guide. Students exploring similar paintings may gather around one of the paintings and tape their descriptive words around it. As a group, students must choose three (or more) words that represent the feelings/impressions evoked by that work. The chosen words will then be used for choreographic inspiration.

ACTION!

  • Hand out a variety of Rumi and Hafez poetry (BLM #2A) Teacher will choose 2-3 for the class to read together in choral speaking. Students may stand (or sit) in a variety of ways: in a circle, spread across the room, or facing multiple corners/directions.
  • In groups of 3-5, students will choose the poem that resonates with them most and discuss why they chose a particular poem. Students will have time to discuss the meaning of their poems.
  • Students will read their poems out to the rest of the class and provide an explanation for their choice.
  • On chart paper, students will select keywords/themes from their poem and write these down. They will brainstorm descriptive words in response to the words/themes chosen in their poem. They will create a word bank from which they can pull from during the choreographic process.
  • Students will now begin to create their movement pieces using their poems, word banks, elements of dance, and compositional forms.
  • Students may use their voices to recite part or all of their poems (one word, one line, or the entirety of the poem to create a vocalized soundscape independent of or in conjunction with Persian music)
  • Students will use the next 3-4 class periods to work on their 2-minute choreographies

WATER - LESSON THREE: Grade 11 Dance CHOREOGRAPHY - Dancing Fountains: Site Specific Performance

BIG QUESTIONS:

  • Fountains are often community spaces in Islamic culture. What are some community spaces in your school?
  • What does water represent in Islamic tradition? What does water represent in secular western society?
  • What is the role of water in Islamic traditions and architecture?
  • Where is water located in your school?
  • How can site specific choreography cultivate a sense of community in your school?

MINDS ON:

  • Room As A Score (getting used to the notion of interacting with specific spaces)
  • The teacher will choose FIVE objects in the dance studio. These objects can be fixed (benches, ballet barres, shelves, doors, clock, lights on the ceiling, a grate on the wall, etc.) or non-fixed (staplers, shoes, pencil cases, broom, books, any object in the room) and demonstrate using these objects as inspiration for movement from either the shape or the function of the object. For example, you may make an opening and closing motion with your arms to show the function of the stapler or staccato movements to illustrate the ticking seconds on a clock.

ACTION!

  • Brainstorm all the places in the school community where water can be found (this can be inside or, weather permitting, just outside the school). Students will make hand drawn or computer generated maps of the school and indicate with a blue drop all the places water can be found in and around the school. Alternatively, the teacher may give provide a simple blueprint of the school, if needed.
  • Bring students back to the class and look at the websites listed in the Materials section and discuss the importance of water in Islamic architecture. Take this opportunity to discuss the modernity of Islam and notions of what it means to be an advanced society through the structure and architecture of Islamic fountains and other water systems.
  • Discuss the importance of water for all life. Compare and contrast water in Islamic architecture with water in western architecture - brainstorm all the places in the city, province, and country where water is located (ex. Fountains in front of important buildings, drinking fountains in various buildings - can discuss the accessibility of those fountains, sewer drains, fire hydrants, garden hoses, etc.)
  • In pairs or small groups, brainstorm the qualities of water as inspiration to help create new movement. Write or draw your findings on chart paper and post in the classroom as an anchor and visual reminder.