- Definition
A stimulus is simply what gives a dancer an idea or starting point for their dance, like a story, a feeling, or even an object.
Using a picture of a stormy sea as a stimulus for creating a dance with big, crashing movements.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A stimulus is like the starting idea for a dance, the way hearing a fun song makes you want to wiggle.
Ask your child: If we danced like falling leaves, what would our moves look like?
Common mix-up: Kids may think dancing is just about the music. A stimulus can be anything that gives you an idea for a movement — a feeling, a picture, or even a toy.
Examples
- Using the idea of a robot as a stimulus to create stiff, jerky dance moves.
- Creating a dance about a seed growing into a flower, using that story as the stimulus.
stimulus is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
