Plodding Along: A Dan Wagoner Experiment

1. About Dan Wagoner

• Show “History” video
• Show “Influence of the Family” video
• Students take notes on Wagoner (see notes document & Dan Wagoner test)

2. Shapes & Variation

• With your students, connect the 4 shapes from "Plod" to the 4 shapes in dance (curve, straight, angle, twist).
  Shape 1: Parallel attitude (side), arms rounded off center
  Shape 2: Left foot in coupe, left arm extended straight up, right arm extended straight out
  Shape 3: 4th position releve, both arms extended up in a "V"
  Shape 4: 2nd position plie, upper body curved over left shoulder
• Break students into pairs. Using Google's "Cardboard Camera" app, have students capture Virtual Reality photos of each "Plod" shape and share with class (can be used with Google Cardboard VR viewers or projected onto a screen).
• Create an 8 count phrase using the shapes and teach it to students.
• Discuss: What is a variation? (a different form of something; variant)
• In small groups, have students create a 16 count variation of the 4 shapes taught. Students may refer back to their VR photos for reference.

3. Weight & Time

• Try the 8 count "Plod" phrase with light weight and heavy weight.
• Discuss: What happened to the movement, rhythm, and timing when we made those changes?
• Create a larger phrase: 8 count shape phrase (normal), 16 count student variation, 8 count shape phrase (light), 8 count shape phrase (heavy), 8 count shape phrase (normal)
• Have students perform their phrases for the class (see Shapes Rubric).

4. Wagoner's Phrase

• Listen to Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony" (used for "Plod") and discuss.
• Teach students "Wagoner's Phrase" (taught at Columbia College, 2007)
• Perform this phrase to "Classical Symphony" (see Wagoner Exercise Rubric).

5. Choreography/Dance Study

• Students take notes on Choreography Terms (see notes document & Choreographic Forms Quiz)
• Show "Start a Dance" video.
• Show "Around the World" video, a Dan Wagoner piece.
• Break students into small groups and have them choreograph their own piece using Theme and Variation on "Plod" shapes (8 count phrase, 16 count student variation, light, heavy) and the Wagoner Phrase.
• Students can perform their piece at a recital or for another class.

Dan Wagoner Test (Google Form)
Shapes Rubric
Wagoner Phrase Rubric
Choreographic Forms Quiz (Google Form)