Rhythm and Musicality:

Begin with activities that emphasize the relationship between movement and music.

Clap, stomp, and use body percussion to explore rhythmic patterns. (Refer to ice breakers/ team bonding page)

Practice identifying the beat and tempo of music, then translate this to movement like swaying or stepping in time.

Use techniques like mirroring or call-and-response to help students internalize the rhythm.

Use different music genres and tempos to challenge students' adaptability and understanding of rhythm.

Basic Dance Movements and Terminology:

Introduce fundamental movements and corresponding dance terms. (See terms on different page)

Focus on clear explanations and demonstrations, allowing students to practice and internalize the movements.

Incorporate repetition to develop muscle memory and improve technique.

Consider breaking down complex movements into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Improvisation:

Introduce structured improvisation activities where students can freely explore and generate movement ideas.

Give prompts like "lead with your knees" or "show me how this character would walk" to encourage creative exploration and physical awareness.

Use props or imagery to inspire movement:

Building Off Imagery

Sometimes a vivid mental picture is all it takes to remember steps.

1. Create metaphors: Dancers of all levels respond well to vivid images. Instead of putting your arm out and reaching, identify it as “reaching for an apple.”

2. Chain images together: Reach for the apple, kick a ball, open a curtain and jump over a stream. 

3. Identify transitions: The in-between moments are where dancers often struggle the most. Create specific qualities, like “Your shoulder blades are melting down your back like ice cream on a warm day.”

4. Share strategies: Ask students to come up with their own imagery and then teach it to another group of dancers. 

(*note this can also be a fun ice breaker)

Choreographic Devices:

Explain how devices like repetition, variation, levels, pathways, and mirroring can be used to develop movement phrases and enhance a dance piece.

Have students experiment with manipulating their improvised movements using these devices.

Emphasize storytelling through movement by focusing on the verbs in sentences to inspire actions and the emotions behind them.