The purpose of this study, conducted at Mohawk Alternative Middle School (Columbus, Ohio) was: (1) to identify student attitudes about dance and the place of dance in education; (2) to determine the effects of specific cooperative learning structures on the ability of individual students to create their own movement studies; (3) to identify instructional strategies for teaching dance composition; and (4) to explore cooperative learning as a means to integrate the areas of critical, historical, cultural, social, and aesthetic inquiry into student dance making. Pre- and post-surveys, written journals, pre- and post-video recordings of individual student compositions, and interviews form the basis for the presentation of eight individual case studies. Data analysis indicates that cooperative learning structures have a definite and useful place in the dance classroom and studio. The majority of subjects showed marked improvement in either performance or compositional skills or both and demonstrated greater confidence, self-assurance, and clarity. Appendices describe preparation for research, survey questions and student responses, pre- and post- video interviews, analysis of pre- and post- movement studies, and a coding sheet for assessment of movement studies. (Contains 37 references.) (LL)