Apples and Bananas - A Circle Dance

I love circle dances.  I have written about them before but there is so much to say!  Circle dances are a great way to work on eye contact, spatial awareness, dancing in unison, and it is great when you have limited space. 

In order to do a circle dance successfully:
Practice.  Stand in a circle with your class. Ask the children to put their arms out.  Make sure they are close enough to each other that they are not pulling to reach each other's hands.  Have them hold hands for three seconds and then let go.  Then challenge them to do it for five seconds.  Then for ten.  Let them know that the only way they can learn the dance is if they do not pull.  I have done circle dances with three, four and five year olds very successfully.  It is about setting expectations and practicing.  After your class can hold hands without pulling have them walk, march and/or tip toe in a circle.  When they have that down you are ready to do a circle dance!

Apples and Bananas

1. Have your class stand in a circle.  Tap every other child on the head and say apple.  These are the "apples" in the dance.  The children you did not tap are the "bananas." 
2. Have the class walk, march or chasse in a circle for 8 counts.  Have them march in place with their hands on their hips for 8 counts.  (Then the "bananas" jump down and sit criss cross on the floor on count 8.)
3. The "bananas" clap to the beat while the "apples" skip into the circle for 4 counts.  Then the "apples" jump in place 4 times.  On the 4th jump they turn to face the "bananas."
4. The "apples" skip back 4 times.  They jump 4 times again.  On the 4th jump they sit down and the "bananas" jump up.
5. Now it is the "bananas" turn.
6. When the "bananas" skip back to the apples they don't jump down but turn to face the inside of the circle and the "apples" jump up.  Everyone holds hands.
7. The dance starts again.  When it is time to go in and out of the circle the "bananas" start.

Use music that has a slow beat at first.  Then you can experiment with different tempos.  Feel free to change the counts and modify the dance so it works for your class.  I created the Apples and Bananas dance when I was teaching  a 5 year old ballet class in a very small space.  This circle dance made it easy for the class to dance together safely.  Everyone was involved and each child did not need to sit and wait his or her turn while another dancer skipped across the floor.  (Which took literally 2 seconds because the space was so small.) 

Make up your own circle dances!  And if you have a fun one I would love to hear about it!

Have fun dancing in a circle with the little ones in your life!!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Observsation Leads to Rejuventation

March is a long month with no holidays or breaks.  I think that is why I sometimes struggle with my ideas and energy in March.  I get antsy for spring and so did the children.  Thank goodness I have a wonderful trick to get me energized and rejuvenated!  I watch other teachers teach.

I learn so much by watching other teachers.  I observe the differences in teaching styles, classroom management and flow.  I get inspiration about lessons, music, props, etc. from others in the teaching field.  I love sharing ideas and philosophies. 

It doesn't even have to be the particular dance style or student age group that you observe.  It can be fun if it is entirely different.  You might find new music, new approaches to discipline or themes for your class.  And it is nice to sit and take it all.  For once you are not the doer but the observer.

As a parent I like to observe other parents and learn from them as well.  I have so many phrases I say that I have taken from other mommies.  My favorites include "no thank you"  when I don't like the way my daughter says something to me,  "different rules for different families"  when my daughter asks why her friend gets to do something that she is not allowed to do and "you are full of beans"  which is just fun to say.

So, inspiration can come from many places.  Sometimes that best place is the where you already are; in the studio or classroom.  But this time step out and be the observer.

Have fun observing and energizing for yourself and the children in your life!
Stacey

The Magic Train

I got a massage last week and it was heavenly!  My muscles needed it.  My body got a cue to relax and my muscles responded by letting go.  Believe it or not, you are never to young for a massage.  A gentle massage helps the body relax, helps to connect to deep breathing and helps reinforce nonverbal communication.

When I was doing my student teaching in the public schools, I was discouraged from touching any child. I understand this as a means of safety for both the children as well as the teachers.  Unfortunately, touch can be a great teaching tool.  It can be a way of communicating, calming and encouraging a child. 

When supervised and instructed the children can use touch to communicate and teach each other.  If this still is out of the question in your teaching position skip to step 6 of the lesson.

The Magic Train

1. You can make a magic train with the children; one child sitting in back of the next.  If your class is big enough you can make a complete circle ( you can also do this in pairs taking turns giving a gentle touch.)  Have the children place their hands on their neighbors' shoulders.  They should not move their hands.  The magic train has not left the station.  This is a quite and calm train.  It does not move fast.  It is powered by breath.  It needs the class to breath together, slowly, in order to start chugging down the tracks.
2.  Next, they can give a gentle squeeze of the shoulders.  If this is too difficult for your class they can pat the shoulders instead.  (After the squeeze have the children pat their partners shoulders and backs.)
3. Now the train has to turn.  The children need to slowly "draw" a circle on their neighbors' backs.  First clockwise and then counterclockwise.  (If you do this activity in pairs you can also have the children draw different shapes or letters on each other's backs, concentrating on curves, straight lines and angles.)
4. Have the train come back to the station by having the children pat the shoulders again and give a gentle squeeze.  Then the children should have their hands on their partners shoulders just breathing as the train comes to a stop.
5. Discuss how it felt to give a gentle touch and to receive a gentle touch.
6. Lastly, have them cross their arms and squeeze their own shoulders.  Have the children give themselves a hug.  They can help their muscles relax as well. 

The next time you need your students to calm their energy you can have them do the "Magic Train" or give themselves a gentle massage.  It is a very important to learn how to have a light touch, how to communicate with others non verbally and to calm oneself down.

I hope you enjoy sharing this calming and relaxing exercise with the children in your life.  And special thanks to Becky Acabchuk (ctyogadance.com) for inspiring this activity.

Sincerely,
Stacey

Show and Tell and Dance

When I taught at a dance studio, my little ones loved to bring in toys and stuffed animals.  I used to take the toys and then give them back at the end of class.  Then one day I asked a child to share her doll with the class.  We talked about her texture, her angles, and curves and I asked the class how the doll would move.  Every child got up and showed me how he or she thought the doll would move.  It was awesome!!!

The next week more children brought toys or dolls in and we did it again.  Soon we had Show and Tell at the end of every class and it was not only educational but a great motivator for the kids to pay attention in class so we would have time for show and tell.  It also was another great incentive for the kids to participate and think about dance outside of class. 

Try incorporating a little Show and Tell into your classes and watch your students get engaged in a entirely new way.  You will also learn more about each student.  It was so interesting to me to see what the children brought in and what they shared about their objects.  It can give you great insight into how to reach a child that is shy or reluctant to move in class.

You might want to bring in some items to share as well.  Study the texture, angles, curves, straight lines, size, weight, etc and see what new movements the objects inspire!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Share the Magic

I am working with a group of preteens/teens on a musical without much rehearsal time.  I hate rushing to teach a dance number because what I love most is teaching the craft of dance, blocking, staging, etc.  How would a character stand and why?.  How to walk backwards and use visual markers to sit on a chair without falling off.  This is the magic of theatre to me.  The mysteries revealed.  I feel short changed.   Anyone can learn steps.  But to learn to to move around the stage with ease, to SHARE the stage with someone else, to dance as one unit is what gets me really excited!

I usually write about dance for little ones but my experience with the teens is important for all teachers/parents and kids of all ages.  Dance is a performing craft.  Make sure your students/children have time to perform for each other.  If you are a parent have your kids perform for you.  If you know nothing about dance have them enter the living room and tell you a joke.  But learning how to share a talent, share a performance space and take direction is all really important life lessons.

 Teach them:

1.  How to enter and exit the space
2. Be aware of their bodies - people fidget without realizing it
3. Be aware of how they can use their peripheral vision  to become aware of their surroundings and others in the space
4. That it is okay to make a mistake
5. Create, recreate, change and perfect the dance, movement, joke, juggling routine etc.
6. Take compliments, suggestions and constructive criticism
7. How to bow and applaud for others as well

It is never to early to learn (and parents - it is never to late either!)  Try performing for your kids/students and have them perform for you.  It will build trust and confidence.  And it is magic!

Sincerely,
Stacey

New Perceptions of High, Middle and Low Level

Levels can be a hard concept to teach little ones.  I usually teach low level is at the floor, middle level is table top level and high level is as high as you can reach or jump.  But that is not necessarily the truth.

Low can go much lower than the floor.  As anyone whose backyard looks like the Artic right now, you can dig WAY lower than where your feet are planted.  You can build a gigantic tunnel under the ground!  And middle level, well, when I was trying to chase my puppy into the house I experienced middle level where low level used to be.  And high level when I am walking on the snow is a wonderful place to explore because I never reach this high without the help of a stool or chair.  I guess what I am saying is that levels can be relative based on your environment.

It makes me think about how my perception of level is very different than a child who is 3 feet tall.  His or her high level is my middle level.  It is great every once in a while to change your outlook, see things differently and put yourselves in the minds eye of the children you teach. 

Yes, the clouds to both kids and adults are way up in high level but the door knob to a two year old is in high level  while to me it is in middle level.

Try exploring the levels with your class and don't give them images of what high, middle and low level is to you.  See and hear what it means to them.  And watch how they explore it with their high, middle and low level bodies!

Have fun exploring perceptions with the kids in your life!
Sincerely,
Stacey

Opposite Day: A Summer Day At The Beach

If you live in the Northeast you are experiencing one snowstorm after another.  And it is getting very tiring!!  What do you do when your surroundings are getting very  monotonous?  What do you do when you feel like your teaching is getting monotonous?  Shake it up a bit by having opposite day.

If you are tired of pulling off little snow boots, wiping snow off the floor and zipping up coats try this activity on for size!

A Summer Day at the Beach

• Ask your students to bring in beach towels and do floor exercises on them like you are sun bathing!
• Have your students bring in sunglasses, hats, beach balls, pails and shovels and have these props inspire your movements
• Find some beach inspired music and swim in the ocean with dolphins, crabs and starfish ( dolphins dive up and down, crabs walk sideways and starfish have 6 reaching points.)
• Explore the opposite texture/movement of the ocean vs. the beach ( the ocean is always moving, the sand is moved when people step on it.  The ocean pulls the sand.)

Have fun moving in sunny weather with the children in your life - and don't forget the sunblock!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Hug O' War

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day I would like to share with you a favorite poem of mine by Shel Silverstein.  This poem is from his book Where the Sidewalk Ends.  If you have never read his work I encourage you to run to your nearest library or bookstore and  immerse yourself in his children's poetry and stories.    If you are familiar with him I encourage you to run to your nearest library or bookstore and immerse yourself as well.   

Share this poem with your class and see what images and ideas they come up with. Can they make a hug dance? Tug and hug are opposites. What is the difference between the two? How can they show you this with movement. What does a giggle or a smile look like in dance?


Can your children/students create a dance where a tug o' war becomes a hug o'war? What is the importance of working together and teamwork? Everyone has a body. With our bodies we can share our feelings, ideas and create together. What can they learn from each other?  What can they create together?

Share this poem this week with the children in your life and enjoy the dances and conversations it inspires!

Thank you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sincerely,
Stacey   

Communicating Without Saying A Word

My family recently got a dog.  I was dreading housebreaking.  I came to realize as I hovered over our little puppy that she was training me instead of the other way round.  She was communicating her needs by sniffing the floor, walking in a circle and walking away from her toys and food bowl.   How wonderful that movement was her way of telling me she needed to go out.

Of course this got me thinking about all the non spoken ways we as humans communicate with each other.  And I am not talking about facial gestures either.  Do you have a student that always sits as far away from you as possible?  Or one that is practically sitting in your lap?    Do you have a student that slowly inches his way into the classroom and one that bounds in the moment you open the door?
They are telling you something.

I like to mix things up when I teach.  I sometimes stand in front of a class and get them all settled.  Then I walk to the back of the room and have all the students turn to face me.  A student that likes to sit in the back is now in the first row and vice-versa.   Try this out and see how your students respond.  Challenge them to take risks, not by the steps they take, but the space they take.

If you have a student that always bounds into the room and then one day walks in slowly you know there is a change in mood or behavior.  Sometimes the cues kids give us are more subtle than this.  If you observe your students and what they tell you with their movements then these subtle cues can become more obvious.

When I studied dance I always liked to stand in the front right corner.  I could see the teacher but was not standing right in front of her.  If I did not get to class early enough I would have to find an open spot.  When this happened I was never as comfortable.  I now see how that challenged me.

Change where you stand to teach class.  Notice if you always like to stand in the same place.  Are you giving subtle information to the class by the spaces you choose as well?

Have fun observing how the students in your life communicate through movement!

Sincerely,
Stacey

A Look Ahead to Recital Time

It might be silly to already be thinking about spring but as resolutions for 2011 are being made, so are plans for spring dance recitals.  Now is the perfect time to think not only about the dance steps but what you want your children to LEARN about being part of a performance.   If you are not a dance teacher but a dance parent this applies to you too! 
Things to think about:

1. What do you want your children/students to take away from their performing experience?  (It can be as simple as to demonstrate what they learned in class, follow through with a commitment or to share their movement ideas with others.)
2. What can you teach your children/students about performing that goes beyond the dance? (How to be a good audience member, what an audience member experiences from buying a ticket to getting a program to finding their designated seats.)
3. What do you want your children or students to learn about putting on a performance?  (Costumes, lighting, music, make-up, tickets, etc)
4. How involved do you want you students to be in creating/choreographing the dance?  (Can they create a few steps, maybe personalize their bows, vote on the music or props?)
5. What role do you see the parents taking?  (Backstage helpers, costume makers, or nothing at all)
6. What do you want your children/students to learn about performing? (Everyone needs to work together,  practicing leads to perfecting a dance, everyone has a special part to play, you can overcome butterflies and nervousness, etc.)

By thinking about the complete picture now, the performance at the end of the year will be fulfilling and satisfying for everyone!  Every experience you involve children in can be a valuable learning experience. 

Have fun creating an end of the year goal and objectives for and with the children in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Guided Mediation Is Not Just About Finding Your Happy Place

Have you ever led your class/children through a guided meditation?  The benefits of even a quick few minutes of guided meditation or relaxation is super beneficial for them and you.

Guided Relaxation Exercise

Give these directions: Lie down on the floor and close your eyes.  Put your hands on your belly and rest them there.  Now slowly breath in and out through your nose.  As you breath feel your hands resting on your belly.  Don't answer my question out loud but only to yourself - can you feel if your hands are rising and sinking on your belly with each breath?  Notice how your shirt feels under your hands.  Is it soft, rough, thin, thick?  Breath in and out at your own pace  Now feel your body sinking into the floor.  With each breath that you take feel if you can sink further into the floor.  Feel as if your body is getting heavier and heavier.    Imagine yourself lying on your favorite blanket.  It is soft, warm and cozy.  What color is this blanket?  Does it have a pattern on it like stripes or hearts?  Is it big and squishy or light and thin?  Feel as if your blanket is giving you a warm hug.  Now notice your hands again on your belly.  Can you feel your belly moving up and down?  Take another deep breath in and out.  Take your attention back to the room.  Do you hear any noises from the hallway or outside?  Start to prepare for our relaxation time to be over.  Slowly move your legs in and out.  Reach your arms over your head and do a big stretch.  Make a big yawn sound.  Slowly open your eyes and when you are ready come to standing.

Here are just a few of the many benefits of this exercise: 

Focus
Visualization is a powerful tool to focus the mind on one specific idea.  If you are seeing the color of your imaginary blanket then you are not thinking about what you are having for dinner.  Closing your eyes helps further take away any distractions.  At first it might be hard for some children to close their eyes.  If this is the case, you might want them to lie on their stomachs so they can not move their head around.

Connecting to Breath
By focusing on calm breathing, inhaling and exhaling, children can feel how their lungs expand and contract, how their bellies move up and down and how the air is drawn in and pushed out through their noses. They can feel how their breathing effects their bodies.  It gives them a sense of body awareness.

Relaxation
When the body and mind have a chance to reconnect it can be very peaceful.  The children are not being asked to do anything except be, breath and focus on your voice.  It is a time to take a break from all the stimulation of the outside world.  This is also a great tool to use to transition from a very active activity to a quiet activity because you are giving the children a chance to change focus and pace.

You might find that guiding the meditation is very peaceful and relaxing for you to.  I always do!  Let me know if you try this out and how your students/kids respond!

Have fun reconnecting with the children in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Jingle Bells

This winter song is great to sing with little ones.  The chorus is easy to sing and repeat!

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh.

Have the class come up with a gesture or movement they can repeat every time they sing "jingle." Let them free dance to the song and listen for the "jingle" word. Can they do the gesture in high, middle and low level? Can they travel with the gesture? Can they do the gesture looking at a friend?  (Maybe the gesture is opening and closing their hands, or raising and lowering their shoulders, or shaking their leg.)  Whatever it is explore all the ways your class can jingle!!

For a more advanced challenge try it to Jingle Bell Rock!

Have fun jingling with the children in your life!!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Festival of Dancing Lights

Thanksgiving is gone and the winter holidays are right around the corner - literally.  Chanukah starts this Wednesday night and lasts for 8 days.  Here are a few Chanukah movement activities you might like to try  with your students and children to bring the festival of lights to life!

A fun exploration of Chanukah
The story of Mama mouse and her little children discovering the tastes and sightsof Chanukah in the book Hanukkah Mice by Ronne Randall  is an easy introduction to different ways families celebrate this holiday.  I love reading this book to my classes.  After we read the book we explore some of the themes through movement.


Melting Candles Slowly Burning Bright
The mice are looking for the Chanukah lights and at the end of the book they find all the candles burning bright. Pick one child to be the first Chanukah candle.  Ask the child to stand nice and tall as you "light" her.  Ask your student to dance bright and glow in her spot and then slowly melt down to the floor.  Next, this child should pick a student to be the second Chanukah candle.  "Light" them both and watch as they dance and glow in their spot and slowly melt to the ground.  Repeat this until all eight candles are burning bright.   (This is a great activity to focus on moving slowly because melting candles take their time!)

Information about the candles:
There are 8 candles along with the Shamas, or helper candle.  This candle is usually placed in the middle of the menorah and lights all the other candles ( which would be the teacher in this activity).  The 8 candles represent the 8 nights of Chanukah.  On the first night you light one candle with the Shamas, on the second night 2, etc.  Each night you light the newest candle first.  The candles are put in the menorah from right to left.

Whirling Dreidels Quickly Spin 
What is the opposite of a melting candle?  A dancing dreidel spinning fast as can be!  If you don't have a dreidel you can pick one up in most pharmacies or grocery stores for very little.  It is a spinning top.  And you spin it to win chocolate coins.  I don't teach the game to the students even though it is a lot of fun.  What we focus on is the action of the dreidel.  It spins uncontrollably and then stops.  Completely the opposite of the candles in the menorah.  It is very hard to spin and then stop.  It takes great muscle control and concentration.

Spin the dreidel for the children.  Ask them what they see.  Have a child demonstrate .  Focus the classes attention on the start and stop of the activity.  At first have them start and stop to the sound of a tambourine or your voice.  Ask them how it feels to spin like a dreidel.  How is it different then moving like a melting candle?

Candles and Dreidels Dancing together
Put on some music. (Klezmier music for this is fun!)  Have the children dance around anyway they like.  Then yell out candle or dreidel and see if they can put the slow melty feeling in their bodies or the fast spinning energy of the dreidel.  Remember, they can choose to put the energy into their entire body or maybe just one body part.  Can one body part be a candle while the other is dreidel?  Which do they like to do better ( slowly melting or spinning fast) and why?  You might learn a lot about your students/children by what the choose and why!

Have fun exploring some fun ideas about Chanukah with the children in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey

The Great White Way

I love getting together with my family for Thanksgiving.  The turkey, the stuffing, and the dancing!  Yes, I know that dancing might not seem as traditional as cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie but it is!  As a child, I used to wake up early and put on the Thanksgiving day parade and watch the first hour without moving from my seat (usually 3 feet from the little TV in the kitchen so my mom and I could watch it together.)  The first hour would feature all the new Broadway shows and rain or shine the performers would be singing and dancing their hearts out. And don't forget the Rockettes!  It was fantastic!

I now watch the parade with my daughter and my mom. It is a dance experience we can share together.

So, if you are by a TV at 9:00am Thanksgiving Day, turn it on and share with a child the magic of Broadway!  (Of course, children of all ages are welcome!)  And encourage your students' parents to check it out as well!

Have fun planning your own special Thanksgiving dance traditions with the children in your life!
Sincerely,
Stacey

Dancing in Tight Spaces

When I was student teaching in the Bronx, I had almost 30 children in a small classroom.  I remember standing on a chair in front of the class to teach dance and I had the children copy my movements.  I did not know what else to do.  I did not want anyone getting hurt by moving in a such a crowded room and since I am a little over 5 feet, I wanted everyone to see me as well. 

I know that crowded classrooms/studios/spaces can be quite a challenge.  Here are some ideas to help manage space issues.

Dancing in tight spaces:

1. Go outside.  Make your own boundaries with cones so the dance space is clear.  You can make the space as big or as small as you want!
2. Dance in groups.  Switch off doing the activity.  One group watches and one group moves.  Make sure the group that is watching has an assignment.  (Watch for 3 traveling steps, look for level changes, etc. so the kids are still active participants.)
3. Create one big circle.  Have the kids sit in a circle and call various children to come in and out of the circle. 
4. Line the children in rows of 4 or 5 and have the children practice their gross motor skills traveling through the space a few at a time.  Have the kids "tag" the next group to go.
5. Practice, practice, practice moving together.  First walk through the space.  Move close to each other without touching.  Move as far away from each other without touching.  Try it in different levels and ways of locomoting.  The more you practice the easier it will get.
6. Use painter's tape to make lines, curves and angles on the floor.  Have the children dance on the shapes.  Have the groups shift from one shape to the next.
7. Create a dance where the kids don't leave their spots.  This can be a great exploration of the space directly around them.  Then have some kids dance through the space while others continue to dance in their spots.  Take turns.
8. Make a chair dance.  How many ways can you move while seated in a chair? Can you use your legs, elbows, heads, knees, feet, backs, arms, etc.? 
9. Use all of the above to vary the use of space in the room.

As a new teacher, I was so nervous about the kids getting wild and bumping into each other but we never practiced how to move safely together.  You will be amazed how the kids will become very aware of their boundaries.  Exploring your space and movement possibilities will lead to new dance experiences for you and your students/kids.  Moms - I know it is really hard to move around in a tight living room as well.  These ideas are for you too!

Have fun exploring tight spaces with the children in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Chicken Soup is a Tasty Dance Lesson!

I love chicken soup.  It just tastes good.  It is soothing, comforting and always makes me feel better when I am under the weather.  It is simple to make.  Start with water. Add a bunch of different vegetables, some chicken, a handful of parsley and a pinch or a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  My sister adds garlic and leeks.  Some people add noodles.  I prefer matzo balls.  My daughter likes the broth and the matzo balls.  I love eating the parsnips and onions.  Everyone eats what they like.  The point is a little bit of this and a little bit of that added together makes for a great soup.  And can make for a great dance lesson too!

Chicken Soup Dance
Tell your class that they are going to make chicken soup but you forgot the recipe.  Have them stand in a circle (which will be the pot.) Go around the circle and one at a time ask each student to name some food to throw into the pot.  (The sillier the better - you might wind up with a chicken, pizza, peanut butter, rhinoceros soup -yum!)  When a student throws, tosses, drops, sprinkles, etc the ingredient in have her be specific about the movement.  Then have the class stir the soup with different body parts.  At some point you might need to turn up the heat and have the soup boil or turn down the heat and have the soup simmer!  Have the class use their imaginations.  When the soup is ready make sure each child gets a bowl full.  Drink it up and let the " dance" soup takes hold!

This activity is great for class participation, body part recognition and isolation and well as creativity and expression.  Also great for adding in lots and lots of action words!! 

For added fun make "recipe" cards for the kids to take home so they can make their own dance soup with their families.

Dance Soup

Recipe:

1.  pour 3 cups of water with your elbows
2.  slice 2 bunches of carrots with arms
3. throw in 4 handfuls of noodles with your knees
4. Stir with your hips
5. Toss with your toes
6. Boil with your body
7. And simmer with your shoulders

Slurp, sip, gulp.  Get ready to dance!

Have fun cooking up some dance fun with the kids in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey

PS.  Check out  Stone Soup by Marcia Brown

Halloween Treat

Happy Halloween to all those trick and treaters!  As a lovely treat I would like to share with you a fun music video created by my friends Steve Blunt (children's singer/ songwriter) and Deb Mendonca Cote (aveproductions.com).

Check out "Pumpkins Beware":
http://www.aveproductions.com/PumpkinsFLASH/pumpkins.html

Use Halloween as motivation to create your own dance video.  All you need is a favorite Halloween song, a video camera and space to dance.  Explore some action words from a favorite pumpkin song or book.

Excerpt from the song "Pumpkins Beware" by Steve Blunt:
Pumpkins beware it's Halloween
Cling to the vines and don't be seen
if a human comes for you
your happy pumpkin days are through!

Excerpt of the book Five Pesky Pumpkins by Marcia Vaughan

One worried pumpkin
All alone tonight.
Out jump the others..."BOO!"
And give her such a fright!

Remember when creating any kind of dance always have a:

• Beginning (opening shape, entrance, etc.)
• Middle (maybe a specific way to travel around the space or the children's favorite movements)
• End (ending shape, exit, etc.)

That's it.  Kids love to watch themselves on camera and it gives them a different perspective on how they move.  Believe me, once they start creating it will be hard to get them to stop. 

Have fun creating dances with the children in your life!
Sincerely,
Stacey

Performance Magic!

When my daughter was little she loved to put on dance shows for me.  We had a brick fireplace that was her stage.  She would run out of the room (or backstage) for costume changes and she would even pretend to come out at the end of the show and do a "meet and greet" with the audience (me and my husband.)

Her understanding of dance as a performance came from us taking her to see dance shows.  I am not talking about Broadway but whatever local dance company or school was performing, sometimes in the park or in a theatre or high school auditorium.  When my husband and I would take her, I would explain that we were paying money to buy tickets.  The tickets were to prove we paid so we could go in and out of the theatre.  The programs that we got told us who was performing, who worked on the show and gave us information about the performance.  I would take her up to the stage, if it was accessible, and have her touch it.  I would point out musicians in the pit, if we were fortunate to go to show with live musicians.  And if there were ushers, she would learn how they make sure everyone is in the right seat.

Any opportunity to meet the performers was always pure gold.  I would point out the costumes, hair and makeup.  I would let her know they are people like me and her.  They practiced often, possibly auditioned and put time, energy and love into their performance.  I loved her look of pure awe, mouth open, eyes wide whispering her questions to me.

Her shows at home were filled with all of these elements.  She would make us "pay"  for tickets at her make-shift box office.  She would show us to our seats and even "sell" us concessions at intermission.  My favorite part of her shows were her ""meet and greet" after.  The way she held out her hand to shake ours.  Her declaring that she was one of the performers and asking if I had any questions.

She is 7 now and she is still in awe when we go to shows.  It is a very special time we share waiting for the lights to go down, the music to begin and the curtain to open.  We hold hands, and giggle.  This live performance can't be rewound, paused or recorded to watch later.  We are experiencing a moment together that we will share in our memories forever.

I encourage everyone to take a child to see a live show.  So much can be learned about dance and the art of creating.  And it is pure magic!

Have fun seeing a live show with a child in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Falling Down, Sideways, and All Around

Here in  the northeast the leaves on the trees are vibrant, colorful and awesome!!  And when the wind blows I get to witness a dance of colors cascading down to the ground.  See if you can bring the outside in with this autumn inspired activity (or do the activity outside and join the leaves!)

Falling
The week prior to the activity ask the children to observe the leaves on the trees and how they fall to the ground. Ask them to wear autumn inspired colors for the activity (orange, red, yellow, brown, etc.)  

Have the children share there week's observations with you.   How many different ways did the leaves fall to the ground? Write down all of their descriptive words.


 How many different ways can they fall to the ground? 


The children at first will probably fling themselves onto the floor.  After they have explored this way of falling ask them to show you the opposite way of falling. 

• Can you fall slowly?
• Can you fall leading with your elbow?
• Can your fall take you all the way around the room?
• Can you fall softly?
• Can you fall with a partner?
• Can the entire class fall together?
• Can you fall in a scattered pattern through the class or in a big cluster?

After they have explored all the various ways they can fall, have them describe their experiences to you.  Now see if the class can create a poem with the words.  Read the poem out loud and have them dance to the poem.

This activity works on observation skills, sharing ideas, collaboration and creativity.

Have fun falling with the children in your life!

Sincerely,
Stacey

Back on the Road Again

I am glad to say hello again!  Thank you for all the well wishes!  I am on the road to a full recovery after my recent neck surgery.  Wow - it is amazing what the neck does and how it affects the rest of the body!!


Did you know that an adult human head ways about 10 pounds?


No wonder our necks and backs get sore!  That's a lot of weight to carry on our thin necks! 


Now think about children writing at their desks all day.  No wonder you see so many of them with their heads down or slouched.  Did you ever say to a child "sit up straight?"  I know I have.  But I never thought about how tired their backs and necks might be.

Some exercises to strengthen those back and neck muscles:

1. Wall Push-ups - similar to regular push-ups but do it standing leaning against a wall.  Most young kids don't have the strength for regular push-ups, and  it is important not to practice poor technique or form.
2. Plank- Have your students hold their bodies in "push-up" position on the floor and hold it for ten seconds.  Make sure their ears stay over their shoulders and their heads don't drop down.   Their backs should be nice and straight.
3. Rows- Sing  the "row, row, row your boat" song while sitting on the floor or in chairs.  Row your arms in circles with a nice straight back.  Go forward, go backward, do alternating arms.

These three easy activities will strengthen the students/children's arms, backs and chests and will enable them to sit without their heavy heads toppling to their desks.  And make sure they get a break because muscles can't work when they are tired.  A runner can't run 24/7 and children and adults can't sit all day.  Muscles work better when they are rested.  This doesn't mean lie down and snooze but get up and work different muscles.


Try a new way of sitting:

1. Wall Squats - have the children lean against the wall and slowly slide down until their legs are at 90 degree angles.  See how long they can hold themselves in this position.  What a leg workout!  Those legs need some activation so they don't get to sleepy sitting!
2. Back to Back Standing - Have two children sit back to back on the floor.  Ask them to press their backs together and stand.  They really have to engage those leg and stomach muscles.

Teachers, parents and dance educators - try these exercises and see if it brings new life to your students/ children's ability to sit and stand with their heads held high.


Have fun strengthening the muscles that support your neck with the children in your life!


Sincerely,
Stacey