Dance
Skills
1920s Partnered Charleston
Prepared for Townsend School
June 2007 V1
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
MEETING THE ACADEMIC AGENDA
CROSS CURRICULAR
HISTORY
MUSIC
PSHE/SPORTS STUDIES
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
PERFORMING ARTS
LENGTH OF UNIT
6 HRS APPROX
YEAR GROUP
8
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
What do we want to achieve?
To have an understanding and explore the History and culture of the Charleston dance
To compose a short routine involving learning the basic steps of the dance to perform
clearly and fluently.
To develop different ways of using the body to show expression, rhythm and the
energy of the dance
To perform the dance clearly and fluently using contrasting dynamic qualities
To feel at ease in working with a partner
To observe and evaluate themselves and others dancing
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
Learning Outcomes?
To perform with an awareness of both partner and group dances
To perform with clear dynamics and precise footwork
To demonstrate an understanding of descriptive words when talking about dance.
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
Expectations…
Expectations/
E’s
By the end of the dance MOST children will be
able to:•Perform with expression and improvise
freely using a range of continual movements and
patterns
•Work collaboratively in pairs and small groups to
communicate a dance idea
☺
Remember and perform complete dances
•Warm-up and cool-down independently
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
Vocabulary:
In this unit pupils will have the opportunity to use a range of
words and phases such as:
•Charleston vocabulary:
African American influences, Jazz, Tap, Flappers, Break-a-way,
Lindy Hop, leading and following
•Composition/features:
Pattern, musical phrases, dance structure, improvisation,
musicality.
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
Health and Safety:
•Do pupils have appropriate footwear on e.g. trainers/ dance
shoes
•Is the space appropriate for energetic dance e.g. wooden floor
vrs stone/concrete floor
•Are pupils wearing appropriate and comfortable clothing
•Have pupils been appropriately warmed up and cooled down
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
WHAT IS THE CHARLESTON DANCE?
The Charleston is a dance named for the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm is a traditional one from West
Africa, popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States of America by a 1923 tune called The Charleston.
While it developed in African-American communities in the USA, the Charleston became a popular dance craze in the
wider international community in the 1920s. Despite its black history, Charleston is most frequently associated with
white flappers and the speakeasy. Here, these young women would dance alone or together as a way of mocking the
"drys," or citizens who supported the Prohibition amendment, as Charleston was then considered quite immoral and
provocative.
Traditionally partner Charleston was danced by a man and woman, but now - as then - men and women dance
together, though women more frequently. In 20s partner Charleston couples stand facing each other in a traditional
European partner dancing pose, often referred to as closed position which aids leading and following. The leader's right
hand is placed on the follower's back between their shoulder blades. The follower's left hand rests on the leader's
shoulder or biceps. The leader's left hand and the follower's right hand are clasped palm to palm, held either at shoulder
height or higher. Partners may maintain space between their bodies or dance with their torsos touching.
The basic step is for the leader to touch their left foot behind them, but not to shift their weight, on counts 1 and 2, while
the follower mirrors the motion by touching their right foot in front of them without shifting weight. On counts 3 and 4,
both partners bring their feet back to a standing position, but shift their weight onto the foot they have just moved. On
counts 5 and 6, the leader touches their right foot in front of themselves while the follower touches their left foot back.
On 7 and 8, both feet are brought back to the standing position where the necessary weight shift occurs to allow the
basic step to repeat.
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
Charleston posters promoting the dance craze of the 1920s. In the middle is
Josephine Baker who bought the Charleston dance to theatres in Broadway and
helped popularise the dance in the USA and in Europe.
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How people dressed in the 1920s. The first picture is of young girls called
“Flappers”. For the first time women started to feel emancipated and so they cut
their hair short and wore short dresses that showed their legs!. The second
poster is of a mainstream middle class family and how one should dress!
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
20s PARTNERED CHARLESTON STEPS
All steps are 8 count, the emphasis for Charleston is on the 1, 3, 5, 7. You tap on the 1 and
step on the 3, tap on the 5 and step on the 7. Charleston/rag time music is also structured
in this way. Leads start with their left leg tapping back, followers start right tapping forward
BASIC CHARLESTON (Closed = is in ballroom position/ Open = connected just hand to hand)
Leads start with their left foot tapping back, followers start right tapping forward
Leads then transfer weight and step on left and followers step back on right
Leads then tap forward on right, followers tap back on left.
Leads then step back on right, followers step forward on left.
CHARLESTON HESTITATION
Hesitation means the same foot is tapping forward and backwards for the full 8 count ie
forward and backwards twice. Step when you want to hesitate on the other leg.
FLAPS
Leads raise left leg, followers raise right and flap the legs like a birds’ wing, change and
do the same on the opposite leg for a full 8 count.
LADIES TURN
Leads keep their basic step, and lead the ladies into a turn by raising their left arm.
Followers do a 360 circle with the basic step turning 180 degrees on the 3 and 5 beat.
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
POSSIBLE DANCE FRAMEWORK
Pupils decide on an opening and closing for the Charleston
dance.
Use visual stimuli to develop own formations/dance steps
using: Pivots/ turns, Kicks, steps leading with the heels,
jumps, think about animal gestures to incorporate into your
Charleston, eg Silly walks and impersonations of birds, and
monkeys, chickens, rabbits etc.
Help pupils to develop their knowledge of compositional skills
by structuring a core task which asks for specific responses
to the material explored which results in a class/ group
performance.
Lead the pupils in an exploration of actions, gestures and
body shapes that suit the Charleston style. Help pupils to
identify and make clear the dynamics of the dance.
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
Other resources to help you
Visual stimuli- Charleston clips
“You tube” search and for 1920s Charleston dance,
particularly clips with Josephine Baker in them!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIsaW9Jeg2c
Audio stimuli
The Charleston – James P. Johnson
Strictly Dancing Charleston by the French Charleston
Orchestra, see Amazon ref:
http://www.amazon.com/Strictly-Dancing-Charleston-VariousArtists/dp/B000001VNT
Photographs/context and history
www.Jiveswing.com
see Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_(dance)
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com
Extension links
Introduce historical context, i.e. the social environment
and changes in the 1920s.It was the age of prohibition,
and of prosperity, and it was the age of downfall, explore
these issues to set the context to the dance.
Explore the Women's suffrage movement, as women
make gains to obtain full voting rights. This happens in
England in 1928; as a result, women begin to enter the
workplace in larger numbers.
Explore how technology turned the twenties upside-down
with radio, the automobile, film and many other inventions.
Fashion styles change from the early 1900s to the 1920s.
Joseph and Trisha of www.jiveswing.com