Greek and Roman Mythologies Within the Dance Classroom: An In-Depth Description of a Cross-Curricular Unit Plan

Abstract

This article provides an in-depth look into a unit plan I crafted as a student teacher based on Greco-Roman mythologies and how I have since modified it and applied it to various grade levels. My inspiration for this unit is based on the connection between ballet and modern dance pioneers (George Balanchine, Isadora Duncan, and Martha Graham) and the Greco-Roman mythologies that influenced them when creating some of their masterworks. Along with explanations of successfully tested lesson plans and templates of rubrics and assignments, I include descriptions and short analyses of four myths I have used in the high school and middle school setting. This unit could easily be adapted to embrace mythology from other areas of the world and modified for any pre-K–12 setting.