SKILL
AND ACTIVITY PROGRESSION
DANCE
GRADE
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SKILLS |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
ACTIVITY PROGRESSION |
ROPE JUMPING |
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Rope Jumping to Music,
Jump Across U.S. |
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FOLK DANCE |
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FOLK DANCES: Virginia
Reel |
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Patty Cake Polka |
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Mexican Hat Dance |
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SOCIAL DANCE |
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SOCIAL DANCES: Alley
Cat |
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Chicken Dance |
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Limbo |
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Bunny Hop |
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Macarena |
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SQUARE DANCE |
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CALLS: Partners,
Corners, Honor, Circle, |
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Swing, Promenade,
Do-Si-Do, Grand Right and Left |
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SQUARE DANCES: Red
River Valley |
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Girls to the
Center |
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Duck for the Oyster |
I = INTRODUCE / R = REVIEW / M = MASTER / A = APPLY / O = OPTIONAL
ACTIVITIES
FOR PRACTICING, ROPE JUMPING, CALLS AND DANCES ARE ON FILE, TAPES AND RECORDS.
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VIRGINIA REEL
The
Virginia Reel is a line dance.
Divide the class into sets of six couples. You may use vests or pair students with one boy and one
girl. Boys stand in a line facing
the girls who are also in a line. You end up with two parallel lines about four
feet apart and facing each other.
Music
includes the following calls:
1.
All join
hands, go forward and back: Each
line takes four steps forward, four steps back.
2.
Do it
again.
3.
Right
hands around: Join right hands
with partner and walk around back to place.
4.
Left
hands around: Join left hands with
partner and walk around back to place.
5.
Both
hands around: Join both hands with
partner and circle around back to place.
6.
Do-Si-Do:
Partners pass right shoulders and back around to place.
7.
Sashay:
The first couple closest to the music joins hands and slides down the
center to the set and back.
8.
The
first couple “Reels” off: The
first couple links right elbows and swings 1 and ½ times. The boy links left elbows with the next
girl in line. Meanwhile, the first
girl links left elbows with the next boy in line. They swing once around, then
first couple gives their right elbows to the original partner. The first couple swings once around and
gives their left elbows to the next girl or boy in line. The first couple continues reeling until
reaching the end of the line (the analogy of “knitting” a sweater works
well). Reinforce the “reeling” by
saying right to your partner, left to the side. The head couple slides back to the front.
9.
Cast
off: All dancers face the front of
the set in preparation. Girls and
boys turn to the outside of the set, and follow the leader of their line to the
end of the set, where the firsts couple makes an arch for all the other couples
to go under. There is a new head
couple.
10.
Continue until all couples have had a turn.
PATTYCAKE
POLKA
The Pattycake Polka is a circle dance done with partners
facing each other creating a double circle. The dance begins with everyone moving counterclockwise. The following steps comprise the dance
movements:
1.
Heel
and toe, heel and toe: those in
the outer circle begin with their right foot and those in the inner circle
begin with their left foot.
2.
Slide,
slide, slide, slide: Hold partners
hands and move in a counterclockwise direction.
3.
Heel
and toe, heel and toe: Switch
feet. Those in the outer circle
begin with their left foot and those in the inner circle begin with their right
foot.
4.
Slide,
slide, slide, slide: Hold partners
hands and move in a clockwise direction.
5.
Clapping:
Clap right hands with partner three times. Clap left hands with partner three times. Clap both hands with partner three
times. Clap own knees three times.
6.
Swinging:
Swing right elbows with partner.
7.
Changing
partners: Outer circle moves one
person to right to get a new partner.
8.
Repeat.
MEXICAN HAT
DANCE
(LA RASPA)
The
Mexican Hat Dance is a circle dance.
Partners face each other, making it a double circle dance. The following dance steps are
included:
1.
Hop and place right heel forward. Hop and place left heel forward. Hop and place right heel forward. Clap twice.
Repeat until the music changes.
2.
Right elbow swing your partner eight counts. Left elbow swing your partner eight
counts. Right elbow swing your
partner eight count. Left elbow
swing your partner four counts.
3.
Partner on the outer circle, moves one place to the right
using four counts.
4.
Repeat the dance with a new partner.
ALLEY CAT
The
Alley Cat is a solo dance done in lines.
The dance is easy to learn and can be made more difficult by increasing
the speed. Each time the dance is
repeated, the lines rotate one quarter of a turn. The steps to the dance follow:
1.
Face the
music and extend the right foot twice to the side.
2.
Extend the
left foot twice to the side.
3.
Place the
right foot back twice.
4.
Place the
left foot back twice.
5.
Lift the
right knee up twice.
6.
Lift the
left knee up twice.
7.
Lift the
right knee up once, and lift the left knee up twice.
8.
Clap.
9.
Turn ¼
turn to the right.
10.
Repeat.
CHICKEN DANCE
The Chicken Dance can be adapted from a solo dance, to a pairs
dance, to a circle dance. The
directions listed here are for the solo dance:
1. Raise hands to shoulder
height. Use fingers and thumb to
make “beaks”. Open and close
“beaks” four times.
2. Raise elbows to shoulder
height. Flap “wings” up and down
four times.
3. Move “tail feathers” from side to
side and toward the floor four times.
4. Clap hands four times.
5. During the chorus skip around the
room flapping your wings.
6. When the music changes again
repeat the whole dance.
BUNNY HOP
The bunny hop is a line dance where students line up one behind
the other, preferably with their hands on the shoulders or waist of the person
in front. It is preferable to make
numerous lines rather than one long line.
The person leading the line must be responsible and able to avoid
contacting the other lines. Steps
to the dance follow:
1.
Each person
extends the right foot twice to the right.
2.
Each person
extends the left foot twice to the left.
3.
Hop forward
one hop.
4.
Hop backward
one hop.
5.
Hop forward
three times.
6.
Repeat.
THE MACARENA
The Macarena is a line dance. Students are arranged in lines and rotate one quarter turn
each time. The Macarena is of Latin descent.
1.
Extend right arm, palm down.
2.
Extend left arm, palm down.
3.
Flip right hand.
4.
Flip left hand.
5.
Crossover:
Tap left shoulder with right hand.
6.
Crossover:
Tap right shoulder with left hand.
7.
Tap behind head with the right hand.
8.
Tap behind head with the left hand.
9.
Crossover:
Tap left hip with right hand.
10.
Crossover:
Tap right hip with left hand.
11.
Right hand taps right rear.
12.
Left hand taps left rear.
13.
Swivel hips.
14.
Clap and turn one quarter turn right.
15.
Repeat.
RHYTHMIC GROUP
ACTIVITY
Equipment: Hula Hoops, Regular Jump Ropes, Chinese Jump Ropes, Ribbons,
Rhythm Sticks, Balls, etc.
Directions:
Divide students into workable groups. Each group will design an activity using the equipment
listed above. In addition, two
groups without equipment could be used:
The clapping, snapping and tapping group or the creative dance group. The goal is to create a rhythmical routine
that has a beginning, middle and end.
Groups should attempt to maintain a beat (rhythm), using different
levels, movements, and balances.
In some cases music is appropriate, in some cases it is not appropriate. Students should choose one type of
equipment only. At the end of the
designated time, students may share their routines with the rest of the class.
SQUARE DANCE
CALLS
Knowledge of the following terms/calls will make the
transition to square dance simple.
SQUARE DANCE FORMATION: All couples face toward the inside of the square. Couple One is the couple closest to the
music. Couple Two is to the right
of Couple One. Couple Three is to
the right of Couple Two. Finally,
Couple Four is to the right of Couple Three:
MUSIC
PARTNERS: Boys’ are on the left, girls’ on the
right.
CORNERS: Boys’ corners are on the left, girls’ corners are on
the right.
HONOR:
Turn toward your partner, and the boys’ bow while the girls’
curtsey. May be done with corners,
too.
CIRCLE:
All join hands and circle to the right or left.
SWING:
Join right elbows with partner or corner and turn once.
PROMENADE:
Partners join hands and walk counter clockwise around the set and back
to place.
DO-SI-DO:
Partners walk past each other, right shoulder to right shoulder, back to
back,
left shoulder to left shoulder, and return to place. Arms may be crossed across chest.
GRAND RIGHT AND LEFT: Face your partner, give your right hand
to your partner and walk past.
Give your left hand to the next person and walk past, right hand to the
next person and walk past, and left hand to the final person and walk
past. When you meet your partner,
promenade back to home with boys on the left and girls on the right. Girls move in a clockwise direction,
while boys move in a counter clockwise direction.
RED RIVER VALLEY
The Red River
Valley is a traveling dance around the square.
INTRODUCTION:
§ Honor your partner
§ Honor your corner
§ All join hands
§ Circle left
§ Circle right
§ Grand right and
left
§ Promenade
DANCE:
Couple One goes to Couple Two and joins hands. They circle four steps left, followed by four steps
right. The boy from Couple One
swings the girl from Couple Two.
The girl from Couple one swings the boy from couple two. Then each couple swings with their
partners. Couple One repeats with
Couple Three and Couple Four in order.
Couple Two now continues with all three Couples in order. After Couple Two goes around the set,
There is a repeat of the introduction. After that Couple Three and travels to
each Couple in order. Finally,
Couple Four travels to each Couple in order. The dance finishes with a
repeat of the introduction.
GIRLS TO THE
CENTER
Girls to the Center is a lively dance in which all couples
are actively engaged throughout.
INTRODUCTION:
§ All join hands
§ Circle left
§ Circle right
§ Square sets
§ Grand right and left
§ Promenade
§ Swing your
partner
DANCE:
All four girls go into the center, do a one-half turn and stand back to
back. All four boys walk around
the “track” counter clockwise.
They pass their partner and and swing the next girl, returning to the
girls’ place in the set. All four
girls again go into the center and stand back to back. All four boys walk around the track,
and swing the next girl, returning to the girls’ place in the set. All four girls again go into the center
and stand back to back. All four
boys walk around the track, and swing the next girl, returning to the girls’
place in the set. All four girls
again go into the center and stand back to back. All four boys walk around the track, and swing their
partner, returning to
their original places in the set. The introduction is repeated. Then the boys go into the center and stand back to while the
girls walk around the track. After
all of the girls work their way around the set, the introduction is repeated.
DUCK FOR THE
OYSTER
Duck for the oyster is another traveling dance. Each couple travels around the set
“ducking for the oyster” and “diving for the clam”.
INTRODUCTION:
§ Honor your
partner
§ Honor your corner
§ All join hands
§ Circle left
§ Circle right
§ Grand right and
left
§ Promenade
DANCE:
Couple One walks to Couple Two and joins hands. They circle one-half way around to the
left (about four small steps ).
Couple Two raises their hands to form an arch. Couple One “ducks for the oyster” by taking only one step
under the arch and backing up.
Then Couple Two raises their hands to form an arch. Couple Two “dives for the clam” by taking
one step under the arch and backing up.
Couple Two raises their hands to make an arch for the second time, and Couple One “ducks on through”. Couple One goes to Couple Three and
Couple Four and repeats the entire dance.
Couple Two then goes all the way around the set. After that the introduction is
repeated. Couple Three and Couple
Four continue with their turns around the set. The dance finishes with the introduction.