Bringing Art to Life: Dancing with “The Gleaners” (Plus Free Printables!)

Looking for a fresh, meaningful way to connect your dance students to art, history, and storytelling? One of my favorite ways to do this is through movement inspired by visual art — and The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet is the perfect piece to explore.

Painted in 1857, The Gleaners depicts three women gathering leftover wheat after the harvest. The painting captures the quiet strength and dignity of laborers, and it’s packed with shapes, gestures, and emotions just waiting to be brought to life through dance.

We start by observing. I ask my students: What do you see? How do these women move? How do their postures make you feel? Students try mimicking the shapes and gestures, experiencing the weight and repetitive nature of gleaning for themselves. It’s a powerful way to introduce the story and set the tone.

Next, students create short movement phrases inspired by actions in the painting — bending, gathering, lifting, carrying. We focus on grounded, slow, heavy movements to reflect the labor-intensive work. Students explore different levels, space, and tempo to build authentic movement rather than exaggerated poses.

Then, small groups weave these phrases into a larger dance sequence that shows a “day in the field.” They might start with morning gathering, transition into moments of exhaustion, and end with a final tableau that mirrors the painting. Watching them embody these stories is always a highlight.

But the learning doesn’t stop there! We also discuss the social and historical context of gleaning and compare it to modern-day labor. Students often create a short contrasting section showing movements from today’s work life — typing on a keyboard, stacking boxes, moving quickly — sparking amazing conversations about the value of work and community across time.

To make it easy and impactful, we’ve created a complete set of printables to support this lesson:

✔️ A printable page with The Gleaners artwork to help students observe and reference shapes.

✔️ An information sheet with background on Millet and the painting.

✔️ A journal page for students to record their observations, reflections, and movement ideas.

✔️ Blank descriptive word cards for students to write their favorite words that describe the piece — great for inspiring movement choices.

✔️ A feedback worksheet so students can give thoughtful peer feedback after watching performances.\✔️ A detailed grading rubric for the final performance to keep assessment clear and focused.

This lesson helps students build empathy, deepen their storytelling skills, and connect movement to real human experiences — all while strengthening their choreographic and performance abilities.

If you’re ready to blend art, history, and dance in a powerful way (and have all the printables ready to go!), try bringing The Gleaners to life in your studio. Your students might surprise you with the stories they’re capable of telling — no words needed.

Keep dancing, and keep teaching!

-Whitney