Brain Dance
From the Creative Dance Center: "Developed by Anne Green Gilbert, the BrainDance is a series of exercises that we use in all CDC classes. It is comprised of eight developmental movement patterns that healthy human beings naturally move through in the first year of life. As babies, we did these movements on our tummies, sides, and back on the floor. However, cycling through these patterns at any age, daily or weekly while sitting or standing, has been found to be beneficial in reorganizing our central nervous system. Repeating these patterns over time may help us fill in any missing gaps in our neurological system due to birth trauma, illness, environment, head injury or not enough floor time as a baby.
This "dance" is an excellent full body and brain warm-up for children and adults and can be done in any setting. The BrainDance may be used as a warm-up for any physical or cognitive activity; before tests, performances, and presentations; after sitting for long periods of time; as a break during computer work and TV watching; and to increase energy and reduce stress. It is a centering body/brain movement tool for brain reorganization, oxygenation, and recuperation. The BrainDance prepares us for learning and helps with appropriate behavior and social skills."
BRAIN DANCE ARTICLES AND RESOURCES:
• Mississippi Whole School's article on Brain Dance
• A video example of the Brain Dance
• British Columbia schools' Brain Dance lesson (great printable at the end)
BRAIN DANCE MUSIC
(via SFUSD Google Drive):
• 8 Minute Brain Dance narrated by Ms. Mitchell
• 5 Min - Chimes to start each section
Some options for brain dance:
Can be done with or without music. Instrumental music is preferred, but the kids have really enjoyed the rhythm of Miriam Makeba's "Pata Pata." I have a YouTube Playlist HERE.
Breath:
Choose one of the Mindfulness / Breathing tracks
Take slow, deep breaths while circling arms up / reverse for exhale
TACTILE:
Brush the arms, head, face, chest, belly, back, legs
Tap the body ("friendly spiders")
Squeeze the arms and legs
Flat-hand Pat the body
Core-distal:
curl slowly in towards belly button / slowly reach and stretch in different ways
TK - 2: make a "seed" with your body and slowly grow into a "flower"
Count to 5 as you go from a small curled shape to a large shape, then back. Count to 4, then 3, then 2, then 1.
Ask for synonyms for "small" and "big." See how the shapes change as the words change.
head-tail:
wiggle your head side to side / front and back / circle / twist. Repeat with hips.
Cat/Cow is a great yoga pose for this, but I call it "happy cat / angry cat / crazy cat"
K-2 kids like to imagine a unicorn horn made of crayon on their heads. They draw and write different shapes on the ceiling, then wiggle their hips.
upper-lower:
draw a line across your belly button. Freeze the bottom half of your body and dance to different music using only the top half. See how many ways you can move only the top half of your body.
Repeat by freezing the top half of your body and move only the lower half.
right-left:
draw a line down the center of your body. Freeze the left side and dance to different music using only the right side. Try different directions (front to back / up and down / across the body / circles). Repeat with other side.
cross lateral:
Make an "X" with your body. Then, cross your arms and legs. Jump back open to an "X" and repeat. This was nicknamed "cross-jacks" by a student at Carver!
Raise right arm. take right hand in different line patterns (bouncy, wavy, zigzag, etc.) across the body and then down to opposite foot. Then raise the arm up and over "like a rainbow." Repeat with Left arm.
Balance pose option: stand tall raise right arm and lift left knee. Find balance, then slowly tap right hand to left knee. Repeat on the other side.
vestibular:
Wiggles: start by wiggling the head, then add face, shoulders, arms, fingers, and so on down the body until they are wiggling everything, including their toes. Give them a freeze warning, then count down 3-2-1-FREEZE!
Turns: spin at a medium speed in one direction, then switch. Follow with slow deep breaths
Musical: step 7 steps turning in one direction, clap on the 8, then repeat in the other direction. Do this a few times, then switch to 3 steps and clapping on the 4.
breath:
Make sure to end with a few calming, deep breaths, especially if they've been doing turns or spins!
Here's the Brain Dance sequence that I use (the moves vary slightly for the K-2 and 3-5 dancers) - music is by Eric Chappelle:
Ms. Mitchell's Brain Dance.mp4If you want to do the Brain Dance movements without the narrated track, try these (if you like one, just repeat it a few times):