Folk Dance Developmental Progression: Forms and Skills Suggested Teaching Sequence

Transcription

1 Folk Dance Developmental Progression: Forms and Skills Suggested Teaching Sequence Formation Individual, Scattered, Moving, (Locomotor) Still (nonlocomotor) Pairs, 3 s 4 s Nonlocomotor Changing places Lines, moving Circle open or closed, still or moving, direction changes lines facing, body facing changes, directions changes Double circle, Pairs moving, Partner changes Sets, corner & partner Music, or Dance Element reaction to cues individual movement change places Mirror, clapping games,echo play, body percussion movement improvisations Stop and go Change leaders, Imitation w/o instruments, Reaction games One or none in the middle, changing partners, special awareness around, feet with beat! Stepping with music on beat, move as a group, changing leaders Phrase length & irregular changes Weavings, if single circle Phrase length, complex: ex ABBCCD Goals and concepts Body awareness, spatial sense, Relationship of self to others Bilateral, and unilateral Cooperation with partner, coordination with partner, Simultaneous imitation Bilateral Alternating, crossing midline Use of space, reaction to cues, responsibility of leading & improvising, foot patterns increase with difficulty over time Community, focus, rules, and sequences, metric awareness & form use of space, musical phrase and sequences Uneven steps/metric changes Precision of beat, and rhythmic sequences Multiple skills, sequences and partners & corners, locomotion in relation to place

2 Changing Group form Sophisticated steps and sequences Simultaneous Imitation Hand Dance Folk Dance Process Through Imitation Music: Rakes of Mallow Rhythmically Moving #2 Preparation: facing the teacher, mirror with hands only formality walk hands across the floor 2-8 s to the student s right, then 2-8 s back to the left. 2 patsch, 2 claps (repeat), in (away from body on the floor) 4 steps, out 4 steps. Practice with the music, and then transfer to real feet. This is a primary dance, no hand holds necessary, or left or right footing, celebrate they are moving the right direction Build your classroom community; encourage looking at the other people in the circle while doing this dance, smile at someone. Upgraded version You can add more visual interest, and community communication interest by changing the form from a single circle, to a concentric circle formation. Be cautious to prepare the students for the fact that they will be heading toward the people in the other circle & to be mindful of the other dancer s space. Form Concentric Partner circles Add: clapping partner s hands rather than Self during the B. Highway Number One Building Movement Vocabulary, Exploration Warm-up Quick Reaction game: Start and Stop Locomotion/non-locomotion practice various types of each Music: Shenanigans Highway Number One Folk Dances of Terra Australis, The Best of Shenanigan s Dance Music Volume 3. Progression over several classes or as children progress from grade to grade. Track #18 o Follow motions by echo imitation of recording Next lesson track #17 Student s create movement patterns or 4 beat ostinati during the pause on the recording, the driver of each car leads their group. Add a quick reaction response: change drivers with a signal Variation on the above: hand drum steering wheels, the driver plays, and the passengers echo Next lesson: Students create new ways to travel

3 o o Choose a new mode of transportation Choose a new road, river or railway to travel on, a new town to stop in, and what to do when you get there. Alunelul (The Little Hazelnut from Romania) Resource: From Teaching Movement and Dance by Phyllis Weikart Rhythmically Moving CD 7 Formation: Circle with T shoulder hold Steps for Part I CCW Back Back Back Back R L R L R (L) (L) L R L R L (R) (R) Repeat 1. Step right foot slightly sideward to the right with the weight on the ball of the foot 2. Left foot crosses on the back of the right foot on the & of beat 1 3. Repeat, adding a stamp of the left foot on the & of beat three and then another stamp on beat 4 4. Repeat beats 1-4 moving in the opposite direction 5. Repeat 1 st 8 beats Steps for Part II CCW CW CCW CW Back Back Back Back R L R (L) L R L (R) R L R (L) L R L (R) This is a shortened version of Part I with quicker foot changes. Part III R (L) L (R) R (L) (L) L (R) R (L) L (R) (R) This is still yet a shortened version of Parts I and II. I process this dance with students sitting in a circle and having their hands move on the floor I practice the long pattern first, paying close attention to the stamps where the same foot is repeated.

4 Hasrat Bibi Maryam BY Zuleika, Arranged by James Carr A Partners touch at the wrist, keeping the crescent shape in the air while passing. Single circle, hands go up with phrase one towards the center, down with phrase two, back to starting position B similar to a grand right left, however, the partners pass & touch at the wrist, start with right wrists touching first. Folk dances are a great way to introduce a new language, before asking the students to sing the piece. Hasrat Bibi Maryam is from the Crooked River Choral Project series, and available at Music Is Elementary during the conference, or online: musiciselementary.com

5 SASHA Sanna Longden s CD No. 1 ½ : Even More Folk Dance Music for Kids and Teachers Track #11 Sashay the Donut: New England Dance Masters scattered partners Folk Dance Steps: Find a partner. Partners face each other in scattered position. Point at your partner while saying Sasha, Sasha, Rrrrraz (1), sdva (2), Trrrree (3) (Hand clapping) Right, right, right Left, left, left Both, both, both Knees, knees, knees (repeat) (elbow turn) Elbow turn with right elbows for 8 counts hey! Elbow turn with left elbows for 8 counts hey! (travel) Travel around the room and find another partner (repeat) Repeat the entire dance with a new partner each time. Sashay The Donut American Folk Dance New England Dance Masters: reel Formation - double circle Great for beginners changing direction & formation partners Section I with partner 8 beats - do-si-do 8 beats - right hand turn 8 beats - left hand turn 8 beats - two hand turn

6 Section II Sashay the Donut head couple sashays through the alley with each couple falling in behind. When the each couple returns to their starting place, they drop hands and open up allowing the following couples to come through. The next time (after a repeat of section I), the next couple acts as the head couple. Exploring Pathways & Phrases Straight Lines Forward/backward Diagonal ways Curved Lines Curve Circle Spiral Combinations Zigzag Figure 8 Letters, numbers Exploring Phrases & Pathways Starting with duple, play the disappearing beat game in 8 beat phrases. Disappearing Beat as learned from David Frego used with permission Begin by counting Eight beats Repeat and speak 1-7 and clap on 8 Repeat process until you get to one, ending up with clapping all 8 beats Try again, this time adding locomotion, changing direction after claps, on each new beat one clap change direction Reverse the cycle Clap on ONE then walk 2-8 Clap on One, Two then walk 3-8 ect. Add music to contribute clap clap

7 Dance Construction Cards Tools for dance student dance creations A. Preparation: After students have experience in locomotor vocabulary, pathways, formations, and hand holds, label material and bring to symbolic level. B. Make cards (or have you students make cards) The cards can be color coded by category: Formation, locomotor movements, pathways etcs. Right Hand Star CCW CW Do si- do Elbow Swing Backward Pat & Clap stomp C. Follow the phrase form of the music you choose, to help guide your students into a dance that will fit with the music. (AABB today) D. Exploration: in small groups (4-6) have students select a card from each of the variables. Using these elements of movement in 8 beat phrases, create an form dance. This is a synthesis activity to domonstrate your knowledge of movement. Share with other teams. Music: Soldier s Joy Rhythmically Moving #2

8 Changing Direction/Changing Body Facing Direction: Where the body is heading, locomotor Forward, backward, sideways etc. Body Facing: Has relation to a specific place for example the center of a circle Stand in a circle Facing Outward stand in a circle facing inward Building on the circle example, add direction: Hold hands in a circle facing outward, take four steps sideways. (sideways direction) Music: Los Machetes Mexican Sword Dance More Folk Dance Music For Kids and Teachers Volume 2, Sanna Longden Warm-up: Dalcroze Eurhythmics Quick reaction game (Setting Up the A Section) Take a walk teacher follows beat of any student, eventually bring class to a common tempo On the signal change Direction Do various patterns, eventually working to pattern of the A section in the music, walking 15 beats, change direction on beat 8, heading back to your starting place. Can you travel in a line with a partner & do the same? How will you return back? Are you and your taking turns? Next task: stay with your partner: can you find a way to do my pattern with your hands? FRONT UNDER FRONT BACK FRONT UNDER CLAP CLAP CLAP Say the pattern with me, when the class can speak the pattern, give them time to explore ways to solve the pattern. Have several students demonstrate their solution; ask the class to find how their solution was similar. Ask a partner set who have solved the pattern as it fits the dance to demonstrate. Let s all try it that way Allow students time to practice the B section, then join as a circle & perform the B section. Say & Do: Front Under Front Back, Front Under Clap Clap Clap Add lummi sticks or another object to simulate swords Add the beat with sticks during the A section o Review when to CHANGE DIRECTION o Review when to CHANGE BODY FACING to the center of the circle Perform the dance as a whole, adding stylistic character of the Mexican Swordsmen Swords high in the air, body very stately in stance

9 Folk Dance Resources More Folk Dance Music for kids and teachers Sanna Longden Multicultural Folk Dance Volumes I and II Christy Lane, Human Kinetics This comes in a 2 CD, book and video set New England Dancing Masters: Jump Jim Joe Listen to the Mockingbird Down In the Valley Shenanigans Highway Number One Folk Dances of Terra Australis, The Best of Shenanigan s Dance Music Volume 3. Phyllis Weikart Materials; Rhythmically Moving CD s 1-9 And Book Teaching Movement & Dance A Sequential Approach to Rhythmic Movement