Creative Movement

8 Tips for Teaching Dance

February 19, 2016 by Erika 1 Comment

I’ve had a lot of failures in the dance classroom. There have been some days when I go home and wonder, “How much longer are parents going to keep paying for me to teach them…THAT?”. Or, “Wow, we did not learn anything today.” If you’re a teacher, you know what I’m talking about! Ha, if you’re a parent, you know what I’m talking about! So, my lessons are never pinterest perfect. But, I’ve got a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

Say when before what.

Describe when students will do something before describing what they will be doing. For example, when the music starts, skip to a new place in the room and freeze in a curved shape. Other cues may include: when I say go, when I count to three, when your partner freezes, when I point to this picture, etc.

Allow a little chaos.

As I have taught lessons where student creativity is central to the class, I have watched several teachers become worried that their students are incorrectly interpreting the creative prompts. However, every student should have his or her own ideas to express during the creative process. When twenty-five different ideas are being expressed, it can feel a little chaotic. The creative process is not the same for everyone, so let there be a little chaos!

Challenge students.

So, they haven’t mastered the tendu yet (translation: point your foot). That doesn’t mean we can’t do grande battements (translation: big kicks)! (Who, in fact, has ever mastered a tendu??? Even Misty Copeland (principal dancer with American Ballet Theater) takes technique class!) Elementary school students often surprise me with their dancing abilities. Just as in every subject, we must expect the best from students. Therefore, it is important to constantly challenge students to improve what they are doing. Ask questions like: Can you make your dance bigger? Can you show your movement more clearly? How can you make that movement more creative?

Constantly add other elements of dance.

Though a dance lesson may focus on creation of shapes, challenge students to use different body parts, energy qualities, levels, pathways, or timing. For example, shake your elbow while you skip. Now, turn your leap. Move in a curved pathway as quickly as you can. Perform the sequence as slowly as you can. Continue to add more layers on to an activity once they master its basic form.

Live in the moment.

When teaching a dance class, I sometimes forget to pay attention to what is going on around me because I am so focused on what activity is coming next. Instead, live in the moment with the students. Try to experience what they are experiencing and help them find new ways to explore and discover. As in all teaching, if you are aware of your students needs, you will be better able to teach them.

Dance WITH the students.

I just can’t emphasize this enough. Whenever I move with the students, their commitment to the movement increases. Instead of giving instruction then watching the students complete the task, participate with them. Move throughout the classroom instead of always standing in the front. Especially in creative activities, students often do not need a demonstration; they just want the teacher to participate.

Be clear and concise.

As I explain activities, sometimes I find myself taking too much time in explanation and answering several questions before the activity starts. Instead, explain the activity as simply as possible. While students are moving, add on extra layers of difficulty or additional movement problems. Giving direction while the students are moving saves time and maintains student engagement. So, “When I turn on the music, go running.” Then, while they are running add, “Run backwards! Now run backwards in a circle. Do 4 more backwards runs in a circle, then stop!”

Make rules for dance and remind students of them every time they come to dance.

I have often found that when students come to a dance class, they believe that all the rules of their classroom no longer apply. It is important to establish rules at the beginning of each class. Helpful rules can include: stay one foot away from all furniture and walls; when we dance we speak with our bodies, not our mouths; when the music stops, you stop; do not run into each other; etc. Then say the rules. Every. Single. Class.

The Snowy Day

February 17, 2016 by Erika Leave a Comment

I don’t know about where you live, but here in Tennessee, we’ve had a LOT of snow lately. Too much, in my opinion. In fact, when I see snow on the ground, I prefer to do something like this:

Unfortunately, my kids like to do something like this:

So, for the children’s sake, I think it’s time to pull out an old friend: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

This book is the BEST for teaching pathways! I love to follow the footprints in the story and then follow footprints on the ground in our classroom. Here’s how I do class with this book:

Welcome to Class and Warm Up:

Who can show me how snow falls? Does it fall heavy and hard? Or soft and light? When I turn on the music, I want to see lots of dancers like falling snow. Can you fall quickly and slowly? How can you move very lightly and quietly like snow? Snow is not loud.
What else happens when there is snow? Is it warm? Or is it cold? And what happens when water gets really, really cold? It turns into ice! It freezes! When I turn on the music, walk around the room lightly on your toes, like a very, very light snowflake, but when the music stops, freeze in an interesting shape! If shapes are not very interesting, remind the children that every snowflake is different. Therefore, all the shapes should be unique and interesting.

STORYTIME!

Read beginning of story through “…pointing in, like that:”

Look at the foot prints in the snow. Every time he walked, he made a foot print. Look how his feet point in and out. Everyone stand up. Try turning your toes in and out. Can you walk like Peter with your feet pointed in and out? Are you leaving in and out footprints behind you? Can you turn around and walk backwards in and out? What about sideways?

Continue reading the next page through “…that made a new track”

What does the word “drag” mean? Usually it means heavy and slow. Can you drag your feet? When I beat my drum (clap my hands, shake maracas, turn on music, etc.), show me how you can drag your feet very heavy. What else can you drag? Can you drag an arm, a leg, an elbow? Remember that dragging is heavy and slow.

[Read more…]

Dinosaurumpus!

February 8, 2016 by Erika Leave a Comment

This book is so great for classes that are getting into a rut. I love it because boys and girls both enjoy the story, you can throw in technique as you go, and have a big creative portion at the end, right along side the book!

Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton is my “grand finale” of a dinosaurs themed class. First, I’ll put up pictures of six dinosaurs, printable here. Then, I have cut out some leaves and flowers out of green and orange poster board. I cover up each dinosaur picture with a large leaf or flower. Written on the back of the flowers and leaves are different parts of our warm-up and technique portions of class. These could include: warm-up, stretch, kicks, movement rhyme, barre, etc. When students arrive, I tell them that we have come to the jungle today! There is something hiding behind all those flowers, but I don’t know what it is. Have students take turns removing the flowers and leaves and doing the activity on the back. Slowly, they’ll uncover all the dinosaurs. Then, we get to pick dinosaurs!

This is Deinonychus. She loves to run super duper fast! How fast can you run? Kick? Gallop? Chasse? Let’s do fastland/slowland. Line up some cones, mats, or a piece of tape across the middle of the room. One one half of the room, do movements as quickly as you can. You can dance any way you want (kick, wiggle, jump, roll, big, small, etc.) as long as it is fast! On the other half of the room, move as slowly as you can. Can you slow motion walk? Kick? Balance? (This idea is from Anne Greene Gilbert’s Creative Dance for All Ages).

Sometimes, instead of Fastland/Slowland, we’ll do animal races instead. Details here.

Pteranodon swoops and swirls in a loop. A loop is like a circle. Can you run run leap in a big circle around the room? Hold hands and make a circle. Let’s chasse together in a circle. Can you squish together little circle? Pull out big circle?

Apatosaurus swings his tail with a thwack, thwack, thwack. Today I have a ribbon tail for everyone! Give a ribbon to each child. Dance with your ribbon. Draw a rainbow overhead. Turn and make a circle around your body with your ribbon. Run and let your ribbon fly behind you! Throw and catch your ribbon. Shake and wiggle your ribbon. Put your ribbon on the floor and jump over it! Show me your favorite way to dance with a ribbon! Then, smash your ribbon into a little ball inside your hand. Put the ribbon back in my bag.

Stegosaurus loves to clatter her bony back plates. Everyone come get a shaker (maraca, plastic jar with beads inside, bells, etc.). Let’s shake to the beat of the music. Can you march and shake? Shake up high. Down low. Let’s make a shaker parade. Everybody follow me this way! Give each student a turn to be the leader.

T-Rex loves to dance in his very own way! Everyone close your eyes and think in your head, what is your favorite way to dance? Don’t tell me! Just think it inside your head. Do you like to jump? Turn? Crawl? Explode? When I turn on the music, show me your best way to dance!

For older students (4 and up…ish) make a dance that goes from this wall to the mirror (or this corner to the speakers, etc.) that has your two (or 3) favorite ways to dance in it. Add a beginning and ending shape. Practice it lots of times until it’s perfect! Take turns sharing your dances with a partner or the class.

Triceratops has three horns on his head. He likes to do dinosaur hops! Let’s do dinosaur hops going one foot, one foot, two feet! (Or, front, front back, or two feet, two feet, turn around, etc.) Do a hop sequence that your class is capable of.

Finally, read the story: Dinosaurumpus! As you go through the story, review the steps that you did for each individual dinosaur as you found them in the jungle. As time permits, create a class dance that puts all the dinosaur steps together. This will be your class “dinosaurumpus!” Maybe you will go, march in a parade, dinosaur hops, leap in a circle, run to the side, pick up your ribbon, and do your own dance across the floor.

Then, the dinosaurs are so tired, they all fall asleep. Everyone lay down. Do either Late Last Night or The Goldfish Song (click for details) as your goodbye dance.

And if you still have time (or want to send them home with the kids), here are some dinosaur coloring pages.

What can a 3 year old do?

February 6, 2016 by Erika Leave a Comment

I think one of the biggest challenges when teaching very young children is figuring out where to start! Should you start with body parts? Pathways? Size? Levels? First Position? Maybe just freeze dance…

I can’t say I have the perfect answer to this. Some of my classes just need to learn how to take direction. Others want to learn all the steps and need to be encouraged into some creativity. Some of my 3-year olds can balance on one leg. Some can barely balance on two. 🙂 I have had some students simply sit and watch for 35 minutes of a 45 minute class. Every. Single. Week.

“Are you ready to dance, Bridget?” “Nope.” “Okay! Maybe soon!”

So, as I’m sure you all know, every student is different. Setting that aside, here is my cheat sheet for dance skills by age group! Click to view the whole sheet, or scroll down for an overview. [Read more…]

Dancing a Book About Beetles: Beetle Bop

February 1, 2016 by Erika Leave a Comment

Beetle Bop is definitely not a well known book, but I love it for the 4-7 age group! It basically just goes through a list of descriptive phrases about beetles…but the words are great for dance! Here are the details.

Read the story from the beginning. Stop at:

Buzzing beetles: Place faux flowers (I get mine at the dollar store) all over the floor. Dancers “buzz” (skip, kick, turn, or free dance) from flower to flower, freezing in a shape next to one flower when the music stops.
Steadily Drumming Beetles: March to the beat of the drum. Make sure your feet match my drumming. Try faster and slower tempos. Then, experiment with hopping, jumping, clapping, and running to the beat. Try new directions (forwards, backwards, sideways).
Big Beetles: Everyone show me your favorite big jump! If there is time, have students show their jump and let everyone try it. These might include star jumps, split jumps, jump turn arounds, echappes, tuck jumps, and more.
Small beetles: Let’s do some small movements. In dance, we can do a small movement called an isolation. Do a teacher-led isolation sequence, trying all different ways to move your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and toes.
Noisily Gnawing: Can you dance noisily? When I turn on the music, show me elephant running feet. How loud can your feet be? Now, show me ballet running feet that are quiet and soft. Repeat with run, run, leaps.
Round: Hold hands and make a circle. Make a little circle. Make a big circle. Chasse in a circle. Tip-toe in a circle. Everyone make a round shape with your body in our circle.
Fly-in-the-air: Using a trampoline if you have one, create a series of “obstacles” to practice jumping. Jump over cones, leap across “lava”, practice star jumps or tuck jumps on the trampoline, jump turn around inside a hula hoop, etc.

Whirling/Spiraling/Swirling: Practice chaine turns across the floor. Then, everyone create your own one foot turn. Where will your arms go? Where will your legs go? Is it fast or slow? Perform your turn for a partner. Then, teach it to them.
Glowing Beetles: Every student receives a flashlight or glowstick. Turn off the lights. Do a free dance to “Fireflies” by Owl City.
Beetles Flip: Using gymnastics mats, practice rolls on a wedge mat or handstands on a flat mat.
Fly: Place cones throughout the room. When the music turns on, go run, run, leaping over all the cones. Watch out for your friends!
Beetles Bop: Create a dance as a class from all the previous movements. Maybe you’ll start in a circle and do chaines, then one by one, do your one foot turn away from the circle. Run, run, leap over to the wall with your quiet ballerina feet and pick up your flashlight. Then, the lights go out and you do your best beetle dancing until the music ends. Divide into two groups and perform for each other.

I hope you enjoy Beetle Bop! Let me know how it goes in the comments, below!