Warm ups
Description
Teaching points
Mobile Phone- Use the names of different functions on a mobile phone to
create movements.
Call = make a phone shape with hand and create a motif to send to someone;
Message = draw an M shape in the air with different body parts;
Send = with a partner find different ways of travelling around the room
exploring unison and cannon; Voicemail = whole class copying one persons
moves.
Appropriate mobility and stretching.
Make sure the children have enough
space, avoid others, look up and look
for spaces, be creative when working
with a partner.
CD Players- ♫♪ Children travel around space in different ways (walking to
start, then progress to skipping, hopping, etc) and respond to different
commands. This can either be verbally, visually or both. ► Play- Movement
around space, ►►l Fast Forward- perform movement with grater speed,
l◄◄ Skip back- Movement backwards, ιι Pause- Balance still for four
seconds, ■ Stop- stop, ▲ Eject- jump up.
Use different movements- high knees, side
ways movements-cross overs.
Change directions and speed easily, whilst
avoiding collisions- looking up, looking
ahead, moving into space.
Taps- Tap eight times on your feet, try to keep an even beat. Move to your
knees and tap for eight. Repeat this on hips and shoulders. Repeat whole
sequence again. Try with four beats, two beats and finally one beat.
Appropriate stretches.
This can be changed into a variety of different
movements. Use waving instead of tapping,
move the body parts in different ways, take the
beats on a journey around the hall e.g. galloping
or side-stepping.. Try and keep to the rhythm of
the music or accompaniment.
Shakes- Find a space. Stand up in your space. Draw a circle around your
space. Shake your hands high in the air, at your shoulders, hips, knees, feet.
Shake for four counts. Shake your shoulders, high, low to the side. Repeat
with other body parts- hips/bottom, knees, feet. Repeat and make a
routine/sequence.
Shake your whole body around the room. Move in different directions and
levels. Come back to your space. Shake slower to stop.
Appropriate stretches.
Play music or use a tambourine/shaker.
Encourage the use of space. Move around
without collisions- look where you are
going.
STEP- join a partner, follow and copy your
partner.
Traffic lights- Use travelling actions e.g. skip, gallop, side step. On command
red- stop still, amber- perform action on the spot, green- travel around the
space.
Move into spaces, avoiding other people.
Look up.
Gears and levers- Use the numbers 1, 2, and 3 to distinguish the speed and
levels of movement. Speed 1= slow, 2= medium, 3= fast and levers 1= low, 2
= medium, 3= high. Use different travelling movements e.g. skip. Change the
speed and level of the movement. Take your action into all spaces in the
room.
Look where you are going. Try and look for
good spaces to move into.
Animal Zoo- The children take a visit to the zoo, exploring different animal
movements. Elephant- Stamping with feet- heavy and slow, Rabbit- in crouch
jump hands together then feet together, Crab- Back to the floor with hips
raised walk on hands and feet move in different directions, Kangaroostanding jumps.
Links to Top Gymnastics- Time to travelVisit to the zoo.
Percussion Instruments- Listen to different percussion instruments. Think
about their sounds. Use words to describe the sounds. How could we
communicate those words through actions? Use a drum and a tambourine.
Introduce a different instrument e.g. Bells. Move to the instruments. When the
instruments stop- you stop sill in a shape. When the instruments are played
travel around looking for spaces.
Move into spaces without collisions. Look
where you are going. Stop still when the
instruments stop. Try and stay balanced.
Explore a variety of sounds with three/four
instruments. Create a warm up sequence.
Alphabet soup- Children move around in various directions and movements.
Start movements with light activity e.g.
On command they make the capital letter called out. Examples include X, V,
Y, T, C, I, L, K. These can be explored individually and in partners/small
groups. Hold each shape for three to six seconds.
Teach the children some stretches they can use to warm up and cool down.
Ask them why it is so important to warm up and cool down.
walk and develop gradually into more
vigorous activity e.g. hopping.
Use A4 sized letters to show as a visual
stimulus.
Colours- use contrasting colours such as black, yellow and blue. Children
create a motif for each colour (e.g. black = a dark hole- kick and punch to get
out, fast and vigorous; yellow = happy, warm sunshine- skip around open
shape; blue = coldness- closed shape, slowly). Call the different colours. The
children perform and travel using their motifs.
Appropriate stretches.
Use visual colours (A4 sized colour spot) to
show to children. Encourage a change of
speed, level and direction that the children
travel in.
Copy Cats- Begin in pairs (or small groups of three to four). Standing one
behind the other, the front person leads their partner/group around and in/out
of space. The followers have to copy the actions/movements of the leader.
Begin with less vigorous movements e.g. walking, progressing to more
vigorous activity e.g. hopping, jumping, running. On command ‘change’ the
person at the front goes to the back and a new leader takes over.
Look ahead, taking your partner/group into
spaces. Encourage a change of level, speed,
direction and pathway taken.
Musical Body Parts- Children move around the room, when the music stops
the children have to warm up which ever body part the teacher has called. The
children copy your warm up ideas for each body part and/or then develop
their own.
Start with walking movements and then
develop more vigorous activity gradually.
Sweet Shop- Children explore the different actions associated to different
sweets. Bubble gum = Stretching into long thin shapes and blowing a bubbleround flat shapes which grow and burst. Curly Whirly = turning and twisting
movements of different body parts. Chocolate bar = melting shapes from high
to low, wide to narrow to end in a liquid on the floor. Rolo = Find two
different ways to roll and link together. Children perform actions on
command.
Perform the actions as a whole class. Create
a class warm up dance. Perform to music
and create a repeating dance phrase. Start
slow and build up the tempo.
Explore other sweets and their movement
ideas. These can be added each time.
Wake ‘n’ Shake- If you have a wake and shake routine, use this within your
warm up. Try to include aspects of brain gym.
Ensure there is adequate space within the
working area for children to move around
without collisions.
Flash cards- Use flash cards of action words to capture attention and provoke
an immediate movement response. Write action words on large cards to be
held up as a ‘message’. The children pick a card and communicate their
message through movement. Try Twist, swing and shake.
This could be used as a guessing game.
The language of dance sheet has a list of
action words that could be used.
Movement patterns- Draw a large twisting pattern on a piece of paper for all
the children to see. Draw bouncing, zig zag, twisting or sliding patterns. Draw
some sections slow and others fast. The children dance the movement pattern
drawn. Suggest the use of different body parts, different body shapes, change
the levels, speeds, directions and pathways. You could focus on one aspect
from your lesson objectives.
Example:
Shapes and Lines- Draw large interesting shapes and lines. Ask the class how
they will move for each symbol. This could be a class decision or individual.
Children respond to the picture shown through movement.
Name Game- Pupils stand in a circle. Each child in turn says their name and
performs any movement they like with their body. The rest of the group copy.
The movements can then be speeded up and performed to music e.g. two/ four
counts for each person’s movement idea.
If you have a large group/class size split into
two or three circles. Encourage any type of
movement e.g. a jump, turn, gesture etc
Cool Downs
Description
Teaching points
Follow the leader- Remain in your still shape. When this boy/girl taps you
on the shoulder follow on behind by joining the back of their line. Finish
with a line at the door.
Allow for calming down time. Make the
movements slow and quiet. Use calming music.
Stretches- Long stretch, wide stretch, small/curled stretch. Hold for at
least six to ten seconds. See top Dance handbook. Finish lying on the
floor. Relax arms, back, legs and head. Close eyes if you like. When you
feel your toes being tapped line up by the door quietly and sensibly.
Allow children to have relaxing and calm time.
Discuss why this is needed. To relax our minds
and bodies, to allow our bodies to recover after
activity.
Cats- Sitting on the floor. Proud cats- sitting up straight, straight spines,
happy cats- on hands and knees, head up, straight to hollow back, angry
cats- on hands and knees, arched back (hackles up!), stretching cats- on
hands and knees stretching one paw out at a time, balance and hold for
three to four seconds.
Play calming music, whisper.
Simon Says- use names of body parts. Simon says put your hands on your
knees, shoulders, feet, hips, elbow etc.
Kim’s Game- Stand in a circle. One child or the teacher/coach starts off
with a movement/action e.g. waving arms above the head. The
action/movement is then copied around the circle (this could be in unison
or a canon effect- Mexican wave). The next child adds a movement to the
previous one each time until the whole circle has had a turn.
Encourage slow stretching movements for a
cool down.
Curl and stretch- Walk around the hall covering every space. Try not to
bump into anyone else. When I walk past you curl up into a small ball on
the floor, when I tap your back make a long shape on the floor. Stay in
your shapes until I ask you to sit up slowly.
Safety- make sure you are looking where you
are going. Be aware that there will be children
on the floor as well as walking around. Avoid
any collisions.
Numbers- Ask the children to draw numbers in the air. Make the numbers
large using changes of levels. Try to include stretching and curling within
their numbers. Draw their date of birth or house number. Control the
movements and show good posture.
Relaxing - Lie down on the floor with a long stretched out shape, arms
above your head. Close your eyes. Take your arms stretching up towards
the ceiling, hold; gradually drop them back down, keeping them straight,
behind your head. Hold them for six seconds and gradually bring them
back up. As they lift start lifting your body, keeping your eyes closed.
Drop back down carefully and repeat again. Count to ten and open your
eyes slowly.
Relaxing lions- Lie down on the floor with a long stretched out shape.
Now try a stretched star shape and curved shape. Try these again feeling
your body get longer. Relax your arms somewhere so they are
comfortable, relax your shoulders, head, tummy, knees, feet. Close your
eyes and relax like a sleeping lion. When I (the teacher) taps you on the
foot slowly sit up and quietly line up by the door. Describe how their
breathing rate, temperature and heart rate have changed after the cool
down.
Use a soft voice. Hold and count the stretches
for six seconds each.
Use a soft voice. Hold and count the stretches
for six seconds each. Look behind before you
stretch out – make sure you are in a space.
Mirrors- Form into partners. Number one and two. One leads, whilst
stationary, with their hand/s and two (facing one) copies ones actions like
facing a mirror. Use the hands, shoulders, head, legs, feet. Swap roles.
Encourage slow movements and stretching up
and out with different body parts.
Slower, lower and higher- Start off in a high body stretch with arms above
head and on tip toes. Slowly bring the stretch lower, on a count of ten,
Control the body and try to stay balanced.
until curled on the floor. Outstretch on the floor and repeat by bringing the
stretch into a curled tuck shape within ten counts. Keep tucked but onto
toes, bring the shape back up to standing position within ten counts.
Pull and push- Form into partners. One pupil sits or lies down on the floor,
the other touches/taps a body part. Once a body part has been tapped the
pupil has to react by bringing the body part very slowly up following the
hand of the leader and then back down.
Arches- In pairs form arches by taking your arms above your heads and
joining hands at the top. The teacher/coach chooses a child to be the
leader. The leader moves and travels through the arches. When the last
person of the line passes under your arch, follow on behind. The leader
keeps going until everybody is in the line and then lines up by the door (or
finishes in a circle etc).
Use soft, calming music.
►
PlayMovement
around space
►►l
Fast Forward- perform movement
with grater speed
l◄◄
back- Movement backwards
ιι
PauseBalance still
for two
seconds
Skip
Stopstop
Ejectjump up
Movement Patterns
Flash Cards
Objects/Artefacts
Dressing Up
People/Places
Moods & Emotions
Nature
Animals
Seasonal Events
Stimulus
Shapes & Sculpture
Sound
Poetry
Stories
Pictures
Locations
Machines
Games
Sports
History
Everyday Life
What the children hear?
What the children see?
What the children touch?
What the children smell?
What the children imagine?
List of Topic ideas
Balloon
Bubbles
Ribbons
Flags
Parachute
Water
Ocean
Materials
Kite
Shells
Leaves
Colours
Shapes
Lines
Patterns – William Morris, Kaleidoscope
Numbers
Sounds
Patterns
Time
Weather
Fear
Washing machine
Vehicles
Magnets
Springs
Class Walks
Recycle- waste
Deserts
Caves
Poetry
Jungle Fever
T.V Cartoons
Mr Men Books
Creation stories
Animals- cats, dragons,
penguins, minibeasts, butterfly,
ducks/swans, spiders
Zoo keeper
Fireworks
Magic mirrors
Space
Tudors
Egyptians
Victorians
Comics
Costumes
Props – umbrellas, hats,
shoes,
Artefacts
Birds
Rivers
Life cycles
Playgrounds
Electricity
India
World War- Blitz
Space – rockets, starts, earth,
moon, sun,
planets
Water – water cycle,
Rivers
Boats
Bread
Dragons
Adventure Stories
Fairy Tales
Dance
Year
R
Foundation and Key Stage 1
List of Resources
The Box
Box, variety of clocks- alarm clock, wall
clock, digital clock, watches a small birthday
cake or wrapped presents, musical
instruments - drum, tambourine, cymbals,
xylophone, tambourine, woodblocks.
Music Suggestions- The Box introductionDisney’s Toy Story Track 4 Andy’s Birthday,
percussion instruments.
1
Clowns
Stimulus for clowns- pictures, video extract,
clothes, visual pictures for warm up, dance
actions/movements and gestures, bell.
Music suggestions-Barnum Track 1 & 22,
Popular Overtures Rondo Classics Disc 2
Track 7, Antonin Dvorak- Carnival Overture,
Back to Titanic James Horner Track 3Alexander’s Ragtime Band.
2
The Seaside TD
Variety of shells, pictures, stories, poetry
about shells and the sea, Books- The
Spell Shell by Roderick Hunt,
Commotion in the Ocean by Giles
Andreae, digital camera,
Pictures/photographs of the sea/waves
and marine life, Props- fabric materials,
ribbons, percussion instruments, DVD
extracts from Nemo, The Little Mermaid,
Sharks Tale, Top Dance card- Shoreline,
Indian Hand gestures.
Music suggestions: Moecheeba- Parts of the
process track 1 The sea, Atmospheric musicseaside, Titanic James Horner Track 1 Never
an Absolution, Moby –Play Track 3
Porcelain, Adiemus- songs of sanctuary
Track 1 Adiemus, percussion instrumentsrain stick.
Extras
Fairy Tales
Penguins TD
Fairy Tales – Goldilocks and the
Three Bears, sizes shown in
pictures, Jack and the Beanstalk,
pictures of seeds at different
stages of germination, The
Three Little Pigs.
Books (fiction and non-fiction), photographs,
DVDs (DK Eyewitness Arctic & Antarctic
2003), flip chart, pen, Top Dance – Penguin
Small Visits.
Music suggestions:
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (Music
by Howard Blake), Heaven and Hell by
Vangelis, Percussion instruments e.g. drum,
tambourine.
Music suggestions:
Percussion instruments- cymbal,
drum, tambourine/bells, Toy
Story CD.
The very Hungry
Caterpillar
Book- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by
Eric Carle, Lycra material, scarvesvariety of colours, textures.
Music Suggestions: Light calming music
e.g. Moods, Percussion Instruments.
Sounds & Shapes
Objects
Links to Top Dance- Body Talk,
instruments from different times
and places, drum, tambourine,
bells, paper/newspaper, video
recorder, T.V to watch
recording.
Bubbles, elastic, visual cards with action
words, ball/s, flip chart and pen.
Music suggestions: The Snowman – music
by Howard Blake Track 4 Or gentle music –
Moods CD,
Voice sounds, Percussion instruments,
Penguin Café Orchestra – Music from a new
found harmonium – track 3, Music with a
strong beat such as basement Jaxx - Bingo
Bango or Samba Magic.
Book: The Toymaker by Martin Waddell
and Terry Milne, poetry of toys, picture/s,
pictures/symbols of tools (e.g. hammer,
saw, file, screwdriver, pinning, stitching,
painting, gluing), selection and variety of
toys e.g. puppet on strings/marionette, toy
soldier, jack in the box, teddy bear, robot,
floppy rag doll, pull along toy, wind up
toy- car or other.
Music Suggestions: Any light lively
music, Toy Story CD, Percussion
instruments
Colours
Seasons
Words in Action
A4 spots of colours- black, blue,
yellow, red, white, interactive
board/paper/pens/paint, Poems
and stories about colours,
materials/fabrics, ribbons, Crêpe
paper, diary extracts/ pictures/
poems/stories of the Great Fire
of London, kettle, bowl, science
mirror.
Music suggestions: Spirit of the
canyon- track 8 Firefall, EnyaA day without rain- track 10
One by one, Its all gone Pete
Tong CD1 Day Moroccan
Blonde Mirage, Enya- A day
without words -Track 1 A day
without words.
Leaves, information books, percussion
instruments, Ice shapes/cubes, book:
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian
Andersen; scarves, hats and gloves, first
hand experiences of observing a
growing seed to plant, pictures of life
cycles of flowering plants e.g.
dandelion, sweet chestnut tree,
information books.
Action words, list of directions, flipchart /
pen, Letter shapes- alphabet, ribbons,
ropes, flat markers- feet.
Music for cool down- Enya,
Clannad, Moods.
Musical suggestions: Vocal sounds,
Percussion instruments- drum, tambourine,
rain stick, Vivaldi Four Seasons Autumn
(Allegro) Track 9, Vivaldi Four Seasonsspring (Allegro) Track 3, Moods CD – The
heart asks pleasure- Michael Nyman Track 6,
Vivaldi Four Seasons- Winter (Allegro Non
Molto) Track 10, Classic Chillout CD1Paradise Unique- Smokebelch ll Track 7
Toys
Music suggestions:
Music with a good beat – Jamiroquai
Travelling Without Moving, Ladysmith
Black Manbazo, Adiemus
Moods CD, Percussion Instruments,
Voice sounds
CD/tape
player, video
camcorder,
digital
camera, Top
Dance
Handbook,
cards & CD,
visual
resourcesCD players
symbols
CD/tape
player, video
camcorder,
digital
camera, Top
Dance
Handbook,
cards & CD.
CD/tape
player, video
camcorder,
digital
camera, Top
Dance
Handbook,
cards & CD.
Dance
Year
3
Key Stage 2
List of Resources
Numbers TD
A4 size numbers 0 to 9 (several copies),
mathematical symbols +, -, x, ÷ and
=, Top Dance card- Lottery (also see
Top Dance Handbook pg. 41),
formations sheet, Tombola, video clipNational lottery numbers draw.
Music suggestions- Ladysmith Black
Manbazo- The Star and the Wiseman
Track 1 Inkanyezi Nezazi, Moby- Play
Track 1 Honey, Highlights from CatsAndrew Lloyd Webber Track 7 The
Jellicle Ball, Bingo Bango – Basement
Jaxx- The singles, Poland- Tangerine
Dream, or instrumental music with
changes of quality, 1812 Overture, 76
Trombones and Pennsylvania 65000.
4
Laugh a Minute TD
Pictures from comics e.g. Beano,
Dandy, Buster, Cartoon characters from
films or videos/DVD’s, enlarged dance
language model.
Music suggestions- Divine Madness by
Madness, Black and White Rags by
Scott Joplin, I love to Boogie by T-Rex
(Or Billy Elliot Soundtrack)
Extras
Weather TD
A4 sized letters X, V, Y, T, C, I, L, K,
piece of A4 paper, pictures/poems e.g.
When the Wind Blows by John Foster/
video clip of wind. Weather poems
compiled by John Fisher (Oxford), rain
poetry, BBC sound effects, information
books, pictures of lightening, weather
reports- voice, video clips of weather
around the world, information books,
umbrellas.
Machines TD
Artefacts or pictures of machines, poetry or
stories that involve different machines (e.g. a
Washing Machine, a Chocolate Machine Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or The
Bubble Gum Machine by Roald Dahl, The
Old Grandfathers Clock, The Mean Machine
etc), flip chart, pen.
Suggested Music:
Faithless Greatest Hits – Insomnia, Basement
Jazz Track 15 Samba Magic (The Singles).
Music suggestions- Spirit of the
canyon Track 2 Voices of the wind,
Enya- A day without rain- Track 4
Tempus Vernum, Turbular Bells Mike Oldfield, Accompaniment
suggestions- Body sound effects,
Percussion instruments- tambourine,
drum, rain stick
The Iron Man
The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, pictures of
the Iron Man, paper & pens, extract of the
Iron man for children to share.
Music suggestions- Braveheart (original
soundtrack), James Horner & London
Symphony Orchestra Track 5, Percussion
instruments- drum, rain stick, triangle
Electronic keyboard- pre recorded sounds.
Work, rest and play TD
Movement patterns, flip chart, pen, pictures of
working professions, Links to Top
Gymnastics: Double up…working with a
partner.
Music Suggestions:
Divine Madness by Madness, Penguin Café
Orchestra – Brief History Track 2 Telephone
& Rubber Band, Warm up- It’s all gone Pete
Tong CD1 Track 6, Any calming musicMoby, Enya, Moods CD, Music with a good
uplifting beat- Basement Jaxx- the Singles Track 12 Do Your Thing, Penguin Café
Orchestra – Brief History- Track 3 Music
from a new found harmonium.
Traditional Dance TD
Top Dance Cards- Dorset Ring
Dance. Up the Sides and Down the
Middle by Eddie Upton and Lyn
Payne. DVD clips to explore
stimulus- Riverdance, Lord of the
Dance; book - Irish Dancing and
other National Dances by Rita Storey
(Franklin Watts 2005).
CD/tape
player,
video
camcorder,
digital
camera, Top
Dance
Handbook,
cards & CD.
Suggested Music: Irish Reels: A
Taste of Ireland – CD, The Corrs –
Forgiven not forgotten – Track 9
Toss the feathers instrumental, Lord
of the Dance Track 11 Siamsa, Any
polka- 32 bar.
Power of the Circle TD
Top Dance Cards – Power of the
Circle, Top Dance Handbook pg. 45,
flip chart and pen, hoops, ribbons,
ropes, elastic, dreamcatcher, legend
of the dreamcatcher.
Music suggestions: Sacred Sprit CD,
Raindance CD, Spirit of the Canyon
CD Track 2, Enigma – return to
innocence, Classic Chillout CD1 –
Track 4 Oliver Shanti & Friends –
Sacral Nirvana
CD/tape
player,
video
camcorder,
digital
camera, Top
Dance
Handbook,
cards & CD.
Dance
Year
5
Key Stage 2
List of Resources
Haka
Video/DVD Haka- New Zealand Rugby
Union, resource sheet of information,
www. bbc.co.uk/sportacademy, Haka !
The Dance of a noble people by Timoti
Karetin, Take Ten by dcs.
Music suggestions-Percussion
instruments- drum, cymbal, Dance
Angles CD by Dominic Sandford Track
8, World in Union ITV sport Produced
by Charlie Skarbek Track 12 New
World Haka.
Extras
Body Talk TD
Flash cards (actions words enlarged
on A5/A4 paper), sporting
equipment- balls, ropes, hockey
sticks, rounders bats, cones.
Music suggestions for cool down,
Ladysmith Black Manbazo, Moby,
Enigma.
Tudors
DVD’s/video Tudor dance e.g. A
Knight’s Tale or Shakespeare,
information books on Tudors,
pictures, costumes.
Rama & Sita
Story of Rama and Sita, video/DVD,
pictures of Indian dancers and hand
gestures.
CD/tape player, video
camcorder, digital
camera, Top Dance
Handbook, cards &
CD.
Music Suggestions: The very Best of
India- CD1- Panjabi- Mundian to
Bach Ke.
Music Suggestions: Music from
the courts of England & Spainsixteenth century, LCP PE
resources: dance music CD Yrs 3
& 4- Track 12
6
Game, set and match TD
Images of Tennis players, gestures
sheet. DVD Wimbledon, tennis rackets,
tennis balls
Music Suggestions- Bridget JonesTrack 17- Think (warm up), Great
Sports Themes- London Theatre
Orchestra Track 8 Wimbledon, Michael
Gray- The weekend Track 3.
Fear
Props- masks, cloaks, lycra sheets.
Music suggestions: Thriller by
Michael Jackson (History CD 1),
Insomnia- Forever Faithless (The
Greatest Hits), Ghost (original
soundtrack) by Maurice Jarre Track
2, Ghostbusters.
Olympics
Jive
Information on Ancient Greeks,
Olympics, DVD/video of Olympics,
Video/DVD of medal ceremony,
Olympic Flag pictures, props- Lycra,
flags, scarves.
DVD/Video of Jive actions, Jive info
sheet (teacher/coach use).
Music Suggestions- VangelisChariots of Fire, World in UnionSwing Low Sweet Chariot.
Music Suggestions: Rock Around the
Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets,
Hound Dog by Elvis Presley, Great
Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis,
Shake, Rattle and Roll CD – 50
classic hits- 2005 Sanctuary Records
Group Ltd.
CD/tape player, video
camcorder, digital
camera, Top Dance
Handbook, cards &
CD.
Language of Dance
WHAT –Travel, turn, jump, gesture, stillness
PARTS
Head
Neck
Chin
Shoulders
Elbow
Wrists
Hands
Fists
Palms
Fingers
Knuckles
FOCUS
Look up
Down
Right
Left
Behind
In front
SPEED/
TIME
Fast
Slow
Medium
Frozen
Quick
Hasty
Accelerate
Decelerate
Successive
Sudden
Urgent
Back
Spine
Hips
Tummy
Bottom
Knees
Feet
Heels
Toes
Ankles
ACTIO
NS
Kick
Stand
Sit
Lie
Kneel
Throw
Fall
Sag
Sink
Crumple
Grow
DIRECTI
ON
Forwards
Backwards
Sideways
Upwards
Downwards
Diagonal
Towards
Apart
WEIGHT/ENERGY
Around
Powerful
Strong
Light
Gentle
Relaxed
Heavy
Stiff
Delicate
COMPOSITI
ONAL
ELEMENTS
Copying
Matching
Mirroring
Repetition
Unison
Cannon
Action/reaction
Question/answer
Explode
Jump
Crouch
Shiver
Shake
Clap
Curl
Roll
Bend
Run
Hop
Flop
Leap
Tumble
Turn
Pivot
Stamp
Punch
Wave
Halt
Whip
Squeeze
Knock
Pause
SHAP
ES
Tall
Bent
Crouched
Curled
Stretched
Rounded
Hunched
Long
Twisted
Symmetrical
Asymmetrical
Narrow
Angular
Short
Wide
Open
Closed
WHERE
LEVEL
PATHWA
Y
High
Medium
Low
HOW
FLOW
Controlled
In contrast
In rhythm
Impulsive
Smooth
Jerky
COMPOSITI
ONALSTRUC
TURE
ABA
ABACAD
A1A2A3
TIMING
Counting
WITH
ACCOMPANIMENT
Music
Percussion
Voice
Objects
Skip
Bounce
Turn
Twist
Stride
Prance
Gallop
Swing
Balance
Prowl
Hover
Dodge
Curved
Angular
Zig zag
Direct
Straight
Twist
Turn
Across
Spiral
SIZ
E
Small
Large
SPACE
COMBINATION
Slow & strong
Fast & strong
Frozen &
relaxed
COMPOSITI
ONAL
FORMATION
S
Line/s
Scattered
WHOM Cluster/s
Triangle
Square
Circle
T-shape
V-shape
Individual
Diagonal
Partner
Group
Class
Prop/object
WITH
Near
Far
Facing
In line
Scattered
Behind
In front
Side
Above
Below
Improving children’s dance
Acquiring and developing skills (performing)
• Do the children perform set movement patterns accurately?
• Can they express dynamic qualities in their actions, e.g. light, heavy, fast or slow?
• Do they move with control in small and large spaces and at different levels?
• Are the dynamics used in the children’s actions clear, e.g. is it really strong and direct?
• Are the actions performed clearly?
• Are they working well as a group?
• Can they improve their footwork, e.g. stretched feet and lightness when they are travelling?
• Can they keep in time with the music?
• Can the children perform action words with control?
• Do they use space confidently and safely when travelling on their own?
• Can they keep still in shape?
• Do the children perform clear pathways in space?
• Do they make clear shapes in stillness and in action?
• Are the actions linked together with control?
• Do the phrases have a clear beginning, middle and end?
• Are the stepping patterns showing clear spatial orientation?
• Do the pairs perform the phrases showing clear changes of speed?
• Are the children able to show clarity in their shapes?
• Can they balance and hold positions?
• Can they perform individually within a group?
• Can they lead and follow?
• Can the children copy movements accurately?
• Do they perform together in time?
• Is there a clear contrast in the quality of movement used for each section?
• Are the children working sensitively in pairs?
• Can the children perform in unison?
• Do they copy step patterns accurately?
• Is the group moving in unison?
• Is the focus clear?
• Are the children performing with a high level of energy?
Selecting and applying skills and compositional ideas (composing)
• Can you give the children other ways to develop their movements, e.g. repetition or contrast?
• Do they explore and select appropriate movements?
• Is the motif repeated accurately?
• Have you given enough time for the children to explore the movement before selecting it?
• Have the children selected appropriate patterns which are simple enough to repeat and remember?
• Can the children link actions together to perform phrases?
• Do their movement phrases show contrast in speed and strength?
• Do the children select appropriate movements and dynamics?
• Are the combinations of air and floor patterns clear?
• Are the phrases rhythmical/ sensitive to the accompaniment?
• Can the children repeat, develop and share ideas?
• Are the phrases sensitive to the musical accompaniment?
• Can the children combine actions and develop a motif?
• Can they select contrasting shapes to show variety?
• Do the sections link together smoothly?
• Can the children use appropriate movements to express the intention of the dance?
• Do they select movements to create appropriate mood and atmosphere?
• Can they combine and link movements co-operatively?
• Have the children used exaggeration and enlargement to develop their actions?
• Are the literal movements made more dance like?
• Does more time need to be given for experimentation with the new ideas?
• Have the pairs used each other in a variety of different ways?
Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health
• explain where and when they can take part in dance apart from in PE lessons (KS 1)?
• explain what they like or dislike about dance (KS 2)?
• monitor their appearance during exercise?
• explain why the skin becomes moist and sticky and why some individuals appear flushed during exercise?
• describe when a cool-down should happen and how it should make them feel (KS 1)?
• monitor their heart rate and breathing during a cool-down and explain the purpose of pulse-lowering activities (KS 2)?
• explain the effects of a cool-down on their heart rate and breathing (KS 2)?
• describe when a warm-up should happen and how warm-up activities should feel?
• explain why the activity is appropriate as a warm-up (KS 2)?
• identify which joints are being mobilised (moved) when warming up (KS 2)?
• explain the purpose of mobilising (moving) joints in a warm-up (KS 2)?
• describe how they feel during each section of the dance, e.g. happy, lively, calm (KS 1/2)?
• explain the health benefits of activities which make us feel: calm, lively/excited, tired/out of breath (KS 2)?
• describe when a warm-up should happen and how warm-up activities should feel?
• monitor their heart rate (KS 1/2)?
• describe what has happened to the speed of their heart (KS 1)?
• explain why heart rate increases during this dance (KS 2)?
• explain the health benefits for the heart of performing at least 60 minutes of moderate (i.e. energetic) activity every day (KS 2)?
• monitor their temperature (KS 1/2)?
• describe what has happened to their temperature in the dance (KS 1)?
• explain why temperature increases during this dance (KS 2)?
• explain where, when and how they can be active when it is raining (KS 2)?
• explain why they like taking part in the dance activities on this card?
• suggest alternative ways of being active in activities like dance?
• explain where and when they can take part in these activities inside and outside school and how to access opportunities to do so?
• monitor their breathing (KS 1/2)?
• describe what has happened to their breathing during the dance (KS 1)?
• explain why breathing rate increases and gets deeper during specific sections of the dance (KS 2)?
• describe ‘how the exercise feels’ during each section of the dance (KS 1)?
• identify and explain which sections of the dance use up the most energy (KS 1 or 2)?
• explain how using energy can help to maintain a healthy body weight (KS 2)?
• identify which body parts will be strong and will work well as a result of taking part in dance (KS 1)?
• explain the effects of taking part in dance on bones, joints and muscles (KS 2)?
Evaluating and improving performance (appreciating/evaluating)
• Can the children listen to contrasting sounds and describe the movements they would use to interpret them?
• Can they watch a video/DVD and describe movements?
• Can they describe the difference in movement/speed and strength of two contrasting actions?
• Do the groups maintain a circular formation?
• Is the atmosphere, expression and interaction appropriate for the dance?
• Can the children observe each other and tell or show the movements of others?
• Can the children identify key movements in each other’s phrases?
• Can they draw or write them down correctly?
• Can they describe movement that they and their partner have used in their dance?
• Can they observe each other’s movement phrases and describe the mood and feeling dance?
• Are the children able to describe gestures and actions?
• Are they able to observe and suggest ways of improving their partner’s movements?
• Children could listen to different music — classical, pop, world music. Can they describe the quality of the sounds heard?
• They could watch extracts from DVD/videos. Can they describe the actions used?
• Can the children observe and name the step patterns used in the group dances?
• Can they describe the different actions selected by the group?
• Can the children interpret how the dancer feels at different points by the facial expressions and body shapes created?
• Are the different sections clear?
• Do the children use the props to develop their actions?
• Can the children identify each other’s choice of words within the dance?
• Have they found an original way to interpret the dance?
• Can they comment upon each other’s group work, given clear criteria?
Glossary of Dance Language
Actions
What the body can do in terms of part or a whole- Travel, Jump, Turn, Gesture,
Stillness
Action/reaction
A compositional element when working in a partner or group where the
action/movement of one is followed by another e.g. their reaction to the
action/movement
Aesthetic Appreciation
To appreciate good form and elegant movement of a performer e.g. flair, pose,
body tension, pointed toes.
Audience Skills
Observation, evaluating, and appreciation of the performer, their ideas
and presentation.
Balance
A still shape held with good body control and tension for four to six seconds.
Body Parts
Leading body parts, trailing body parts, focal point of movement-head, shoulders,
arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, body, hips, legs, knees, feet, toes.
Body Shape
Tall, wide, small, open, closed, stretched, twisted, curled, symmetrical,
asymmetrical.
Body Tension
To hold the body still to form balance and essential to a performer e.g. posture.
Canon
A motif in a partner or group which is repeated one person after the other e.g.
Mexican wave.
Choreograph
To compose/create steps or a dance
Compositional Formations
The group pattern and form e.g. lines, circle, triangle, square, cluster, scattered, Vshape, T-shape, diagonal.
Compositional Elements
(devices)
How a movement is performed in partner or group work e.g.
unison, cannon, copying, matching, mirroring, repetition, action/reaction,
question/answer.
Compositional Structure
The arrangement and organisation of actions/motifs/phrases within the dance e.g.
ABA, ABACAD or A1A2A3 .
Directions
Forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonal, left, right, up, down, towards, apart,
around.
Dynamics
The ‘how’of the movement/motion e.g. speed, weight/energy, flow.
Flow
Focus
Free, bound, cautious, controlled, on going, in rhythm, gradual, jerky.
The point upon which attention is concentrated- e.g. where the eyes are lookinglook up, down, right, left, behind, in front.
Gesture
The use of the hands, head or body to express and emphasize instructions, feelings
and moods- stamp, punch, reach, open, close, lean, wave.
Jump
Spring, soar, leap, bounce, hop, fly, explore.
Levels
Low, medium, high.
Matching
A compositional element where one matches another’s movement/s.
Mirroring
In a partner or group where one (facing each other) mirrors another’s movements.
Motif
A gesture or action which is repeated often throughout a sequence.
Movement Vocabulary
The understanding and development of ways of moving and stillness which enables
more complex sequences to be composed.
The floor pattern that is taken by the performer e.g. straight curved, angular, zig zag,
spiral, turn, twist.
Pathway
Performance Skills
The presentation, quality, timing and enjoyment of dance.
Phrase
Two or more motifs linked together form a phrase.
Posture
The position of the body- body tension, confidence and body awareness of a
performer.
Question/Answer
A compositional element in partners or a group, where one performs a movement
(question) and pauses and two returns with a movement (answer).
Quality
Firm, energetic, light, flowing.
Rhythm
Fast, slow.
Stimulus
The idea for a dance.
Simultaneous
Different movements or motifs that occur at the same time.
Size
Large, small.
Space/Places
Refers to whom or what (props) you are dancing with- near, far, facing, in line,
behind, in front, side, above, below, personal, general.
Spatial Awareness
Movement in space without collisions, awareness of others when working as a
group, e.g. awareness of positions in a line, triangle etc to keep formations.
Speed
Fast, slow, medium, frozen, quick, hasty, accelerate, decelerate, successive, sudden,
urgent, gradual.
Stillness
Wait, pause, hold, freeze, suspend.
Timing
Movements or stillness which are appropriate and in relation to the
music/accompaniment and/or other performers.
Travel
Shapes/motifs/phrases that are performed on the move- run, skip, hop, crawl, creep,
shuffle.
Turn
Spin, twirl, whip, pivot, unwind, spiral, roll.
Unison
A movement or stillness that is performed at the same time.
Weight/Energy
The effort of a movement- strong, powerful, light, heavy, delicate, relaxed, stiff.
Example Movement Pattern