resources for teachers who move
Here’s what is on my jazz playlist for fall of 2015!
Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That by Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Am I Wrong by Nico and Vin
Applause by Lady Gaga
Best Years of Our Lives by Baha Men
Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen
Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore
Clarity by Zedd
Classic by MKTO
Counting Stars by OneRepublic
Cups by Anna Kendrik
I love ballet. I always have. However, I teach recreational ballet. To six year olds. And I have to keep reminding myself of that fact! There are all kinds of developmental considerations when teaching turn-out, and that’s another post for another day. But here is my favorite way to teach ballet positions. We use this rhyme:
1, 2, 3, look at me!
1, 2, 3, look at me (show ballet feet positions 1st, 2nd, 3rd, then releve balance 1st)
1st, 2nd, 3rd, fly like a bird (show ballet feet positions 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Hop to right and left with back leg in arabesque)
1, 2, 3, turn quickly! (show ballet feet positions 1st, 2nd, 3rd, turn around quickly – feet and arms any shape)
Plie, releve, get ready, STAY! (plie and releve in 1st, make a ball down low, balance in releve arabesque)
After warm-up in my preschool gymnastics classes (and sometimes in dance, too), I do a conditioning portion of class. One of our all-time favorites is “Animal Conditioning. Each animal has a picture in my bag. One at a time, students pick a picture out of my bag and we do that animal’s movement across the floor. I usually say, “When I say go, crawl like a snake (waddle like a penguin, hop on one foot like a flamingo, etc.) all the way to me. Give me a high five, then go back to the red line (starting line)”. Then I make any student who left before I said “Go!” return to the starting line and wait for the cue. Here are the animals!
Get the free printable here.
Turtles move down low and slow. How slowly can you crawl all the way to me?
Snakes slither on their bellies. Can you crawl like a snake?
My favorite kinds of penguins are fairy penguins (crouch down low) and emperor penguins (stand as tall as you can). Fairy penguins are the smallest kind of penguin. How small can you get? Emperor penguins are the biggest kind of penguin. How big can you get? Test their memories by calling out: Fairy! Emperor! Fairy! Emperor! Emperor! Fairy! etc. When you say Fairy!, they should crouch down low into a tucked position. When you say Emperor!, they should get on tip toes with arms up in a v.
Then, waddle like a penguin all the way to me! Give me a high five, then go back to the start.
Horses love to gallop quickly. Show me gallops with your knees up high. Then, try straight legged gallops (or chasses).
How many times has this happened to you? We’re exactly twelve minutes into dance class, parents are peeping through the windows, and seven three-year-old dancers in pink leotards are chasing a ball they found in the corner of the studio. I’m sitting in the middle of the room doing butterfly stretch with Mollie, who is apparently the only student listening today. No matter how I ask, command, or beg, the others refuse to come to the circle or stretch! Do I give in and let them play ball? Do I ignore the rest of the class and give Mollie my undivided attention? Do I just go into the corner and cry? 🙂
The above situation has happened far more times than I’m proud to admit… But, I’ve got a solution for you! It’s time to redirect! One of my favorite ways to redirect is with a movement rhyme. Dancers love them. Parents think their child is learning something constructive. And I am secretly teaching new skills to unsuspecting preschoolers. Here are a few of my favorites:
Run, run, run, jump! Turn around.
Reach up high. Touch the ground.
Kick your feet. Clap to the beat.
Run, run, run, and Giant leap!
Skip like a butterfly in a circle
Crawl down low, like a turtle
Waddle like a penguin, very quick
Now, show me your trick!
Freeze down low, low, low
Now last thing we grooooooow, grow!
March, march, march, march, Turn around.
Reach up high. Touch the ground.
Wiggle your head and point your feet.
Sit right down. Spin on your seat.
Bear walk, bear walk, across the floor.
Run, run leap, over towards the door.
Chasse, chasse, arms out strong.
Kick your feet, toes out long.