Revolve Aerial Dance
Founder, Artistic Director
Julianna Hane
Performance Experience: (highlights)
Charleston Unmasked
American Cancer Society Hope Gala
Charleston Dance Festival
South Carolina Dance Festival
Piccolo Spoleto
Artisphere
First Night Charlotte!
Evie Awards
Teaching Experience:
Adjunct faculty - Winthrop University, University of Utah, and College of Charleston
New England Center for Circus Arts Professional Training Program
Workshops: Aerial Dance Festival, Zaccho Dance Theatre, Project Bandaloop, Cirque Alfonse, Susan Murphy
Education:
MFA in Modern Dance, University of Utah
BA in Dance, Winthrop University
Certified Laban Movement Analyst
K-12 Certified Dance Educator
Certified Yoga Teacher
University, College of Charleston, University of Utah
K-12: North Carolina Dance Theatre, Cario Middle School
Studios: New England Center for Circus Arts, SHOW Circus Studio, Marsh Studio, Revolve Aerial Dance, Charleston
Dance Institute
Lesson Plan
Students will use the creative process to communicate an idea. The use of movement a form of
communication enhances non-verbal skills, and the connection of verbal language to movement enhances
their ability to draw inspiration from the physical body. Working in groups encourages the development of
interpersonal skills and collaboration. Ultimately, students will develop further clarity in communication
through both verbal and non-verbal means.
Daily Activities: 5-8 days, 50 minutes each session (flexible schedule to meet teacher’s needs)
Day 1:
 The artist introduces herself and shows a dance that has an underlying story. Students suggest stories
they saw, and the artist then reveals the intention behind the dance. Discuss the difference between
intention and interpretation in dance as opposed to literal depictions of story in theatre.
 Students learn the “rules” of a dance class, warm-up, and improvise using dance vocabulary.
 Students review the elements of a story using a chart on the Smart Board or chart paper. The artist
points out a simple story structure in dance: beginning, middle, and end.
 Students brainstorm a list of simple stories or cycles in nature that have three or so parts.
 As a class, students improvise and choose movements that illustrate that story, distinguishing between
beginning, middle, and end.
 Class is divided in half. Groups perform for each other and learn to use the most basic feedback
format: “What did you see?” “What made each part of the dance distinct?”
Day 2:
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Students warm up and review dance vocabulary.
Artist introduces the creative process and its parallel, the writing process (projection or chart). Today’s
focus is brainstorming and improvisation. Introduce the dance concept of shape. Have students
improvise shapes as a class.
Students review elements of story. Today’s focus is conflict. Students brainstorm conflicts.
Artist passes out conflict cards to students who are grouped in pairs. Each pair decides how to
represent that conflict in a duo shape to share with the class.
As a class, students choose a conflict they want to represent for the class story. Brainstorm/improvise
ways of representing that conflict through shapes/tableaux.
Students take turns viewing the group shape, and write a descriptive opening to a story using the class
conflict. The class brainstorms vivid language aloud as they write, with the artist and classroom
teacher modeling examples. (Writing could continue after dance lesson ends).
Day 3:
 Students warm up and review dance vocabulary.
 Students explore different actions through movement (shake, roll, slide, retreat) – both in place, and
across the floor.
 Artist introduces the elements of dance, again move quickly in order to complete this and how they are
used to alter movement from its pedestrian form to something larger than life that expresses an idea.
Students improvise using the elements of dance: Body, Energy, Space, Time, and Relationship.
 As a class, students revisit the conflict chosen on day 2. Students then choose movements that
illustrate the conflict, and select elements of dance to illustrate the emotions or ideas involved in the
story opening. This is the start of our “rough draft” of the dance.
 Students perform their movement for each other (half and half). Students share vivid language that
pops up as they view the dance.
 Students revisit the written version of the conflict, altering language as needed to make it more rich
and vivid. (Writing could continue after the dance lesson ends).
Day 4:
 Students warm up and review actions in place and across the floor.
 Students review the opening of the dance. We are working on the rough draft of our dances/stories.
 Today’s story focus is rising action. Artist introduces the concept of intensity in dance, and how
intensity can build over time. Students improvise using the elements of dance, exploring different
levels of intensity in movement.
 As a class, students select movements that illustrate rising action in the story. Students use the
elements of dance to create an increase of intensity over time.
 Students view each other sharing the class dance, and develop vivid language to represent this part of
the story. Students work on the written version of the story. (Writing could continue after the dance
lesson ends).
Day 5:
 Students warm up and review their dance/story. We are still working on the rough draft.
 Today’s story focus is the climax or “big moment.” Artist introduces the concept of full effort or
energy. Students improvise using full effort.
 As a class, students select movements that illustrate the big moment in the story. Students rehearse
using full effort to make sure the dance “peaks” at that moment.
 Students watch each other, one half at a time.
 Students revisit their written stories and brainstorm vivid language to depict the big moment. The
artist and classroom teacher model examples.
Days 6:
 Students warm up and review their dance/story. Today we will finish the rough draft.
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Today’s story focus is the resolution. Artist introduces the concept of endings – stillness in a shape or
tableau or exiting the stage.
Students select movements to depict the resolution of their story, and rehearse ending with clarity and
commitment.
Students observe each other (half and half), then visit their written story to articulate their story
ending in words. Students share out loud the vivid language they are discovering as they work.
(Writing could continue after the dance lesson ends).
Day 7:
 Students warm up and review their dance/story. Today we will edit and refine details in our work.
 Students edit the dance with assistance from the artist. Focus will be on refining details and finding
more clarity in movement language.
 Students rehearse the dance for memory’s sake.
 Noting what changed in the dance editing process, students refine the language in their written stories.
(Writing can continue once the dance lesson ends).
Day 8:
 Students warm up and rehearse their dance.
 Students and the artist select key sentences in the written story that best illustrate the dance/story.
 Students share the class dance and select statements with an informal audience.
 Optional: The dance can be filmed and then shown to the students using a Smart Board for celebration
and reflection.