1/14/2026 - Week 1 / Meeting 2: Names

 

 

Unit: Creative Dance

Theme: Names

 

I

Introduction 

 Names have meaning. In modern times most people are not aware of their name's meaning. However, names are a very personal source of inspiration to create dance. Today's class uses the students' names to generate stories. Each story is told in expressive movement as students move deeper into the significance of the name given to them at birth, during their life time, as a result of a quest.

 

 II

Learning Objectives

• Understand the meaning of names
  
• Explain the usefulness of finding the story in the name
  
• Gain awareness of the potential names have as a source
  
• Experience the connection between your own name dance
  
• Reflect on the work done in class.

 

 III

Main Lesson

 

1

Warm Up 

2

 Name Dance

 

3

 

Review directions, levels and space

 

3

Ideas

Alphabet Dance. https://fb.watch/pDxSC0oEBX/

4

Read Introduction (Page x)

The Movement of Movement

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Moment_Of_Movement/kckFbAFDE70C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Dance+Improvisation&printsec=frontcover

 

III

Discussion

 

1. Be aware of the letters in your name. What moves can you generate to embody the letters in your name?
   
2. What is the meaning of your name? Express it in movement.
   
3. Think about the circumstances in which your name was chosen by your parents. Turn it into a story. Dance it!
   
4. Is your name related to any important figure in history, religion, or politics? Express this relation in movement.
   

 

IV

A Note to Remember

  Dance improvisation fuses creation with execution. The dance simultaneously originates and performs movement without pre-planning. It is a way of tapping the stream of the subconscious without intellectual censorship, allowing spontaneous and spontaneous exploring. (3)

V

Case Study 

 

Video

VI

 Activity

 

Solo Work

What is the story of your name?

Discover it

Write it...

Say it...

Dance it....

Find music for it

Re-Dance it

Record it

 VII

 Journaling 

 

Reflect on the experience

Post it!

 

 

VIII

 

Glossary

 

Free association: a therapeutic method used to investigate the psyche, is a significant feature of psychoanalysis. The client is asked to express whatever is on their mind including memories, words, images, and daydreams, however random.(4)

 

 

IX

 

Sources

1. Creative Movement: The Name Dance. https://thedancebuzz.com/2012/07/14/creative-movement-the-name-dance/

 

2. Dance Tour Name.https://stagelightarts.com/3-17-20-dance-your-name/

3. Blom, L.A. and Tarin Chaplin, L. (1988). The Moment of Movement. University of Pittsburgh Press. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Moment_Of_Movement/kckFbAFDE70C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Dance+Improvisation&printsec=frontcover

4. Washington, N. (2021). All About Free Association Therapy. https://psychcentral.com/health/free-association-therapy

X

 

Students' Work 

 

 

Judah Pardau

My name is Judah, and I started by thinking about the shapes and energy of each letter in my name. The “J” became a curved, downward motion with my arm, while the sharper letters made me think about movements that were more direct and defined.

The name Judah carries a strong and historic meaning, often associated with leadership, identity, and strength. To express that, I used more grounded and intentional movements, trying to make each one feel purposeful and steady rather than overly loose or random.

The story behind my name is also tied to a deeper cultural and historical background, so I tried to reflect that by making the movement feel meaningful and connected to something bigger than just the letters themselves. I thought about presence and weight in the way I moved, rather than just speed or complexity.