The Norwegian curriculum in dance (Musikk, Dans, Drama) at high school level are a mix of traditionalism and progressivism focusing on developing both the practice of dance technique, as well as improvisation, creative movement work and reflection linked to dance and movement in all dance-related subjects (Andresen, 2015).
The aim of the Norwegian dance programs’ curriculum is found to be holistic, integrating the whole person in dance (not just the physical aspect). It’s designed to stimulate the students’ individuality and encourage them to question and reflect upon their own dance practice. Thus, dance as a subject has moved away from its position as merely a subject of physical education and gained status as a subject of the arts (Andresen, 2011).
In the other master thesis (Larsen, 2015), which explored how the concept of knowledge and competence in the curriculum were understood and practiced in the teaching, it showed a teaching practice applying a holistic view on knowledge and learning that integrated intellectual, cognitive, physiological, aesthetic, creative, and ethical perspectives (Larsen, 2015).
Andresen, J. V. E. (2011). Embodied knowledge in high-school dance students; communicating the bodily experience (Master’s thesis, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Det humanistiske fakultet, Institutt for musikk).
Larsen, P. I. (2015). «Hva kjennetegner dans i videregående skole?»-En analyse av fagenes kunnskap, pedagogikk og praksis (Master’s thesis, NTNU).
