Song of the Term – Concert Dance
Song of the Week is what it was called when I created this plan for the Hi-5 classes. Each week on TV Hi-5 performed their Song of the Week at the start and end of their half hour show and this was the same routine the children learnt in our classes.
When I let go of the Hi-5 licence I changed the plan and found it most beneficial to keep the same choreography here for the entire term, allowing the children to learn a little bit each week and then finally be able to perform it for the parents at the end of the term with confidence and never any boring repetitive rehearsals to get it perfect.
Approach: It’s always nice I think for the parents to watch at the end of each term or every six months with a concert at the end of the year. Changing the class focus around to rehearse one routine only for this purpose is not appropriate for young children, they will quickly get bored and refuse to turn up to class.
An early childhood class is for the children first and foremost not for the parents.
How do you get the children to learn a routine that is fun for the children and demonstrates ability to the viewing audience?
In this section of the class plan you will work on the recital routine, you will start with the chorus and add on about 4 x 8 counts each week (at the very most) and do it only once.
Method:
1. Find a great track that is current or soon to be released (there is nothing better than dancing to the latest chart topper especially for the media savvy older children.) or an old classic or a great fun song from a familiar children’s entertainer great for the 2-5yrs. In Australia we have Justine Clarke, Hi-5, Georgie Parker, Coco’s Lunch, or search Itunes for great kids tracks from overseas; Elizabeth Mitchell, Laurie Berkner, to name but a few. I’m still amazed how many young children love Abba!
2. Choreograph a fun energetic routine that’s not too hard – keep it simple but don’t ‘dumb it down’ too far. Remember the purpose of your class – it’s not to enter them into a competition or win an award with your detailed choreographic skills. Nor will the children be expected to remember the routine perform with out any assistance from the teachers. The skill is in your ability to create something upbeat that is easy to grasp and fun to dance; extracting the ‘joy factor’ and teaching this is another way of looking at this ‘teaching.’
3. In your first week start with the chorus choreography, take a minute or two to teach this section in as fun and confident manner as possible. Be sure to choreograph something for the start of the song as well, but don’t ‘teach’ that to the children today – they will follow you and pick it up when the music starts.
4. Play the music once from the start (all the way through) – Ask the children to follow you – as you demonstrate some choreography in the first verse that they can follow without prior instruction.
5. Chorus – lift your energy and instill confidence in the children as they perform the choreography learnt at the start of this section. (Repeating this each time the chorus is heard).
6. The following verses can be repeating what you did in verse 1, asking the children to skip around the room in one big group and free dancing until the chorus starts again.
7. The last part of the song (in today’s plan) can be everyone holding hands in a circle and then galloping around, stopping when the chorus is heard to repeat steps learnt.
8. Free dancing until the end of the song or if it’s the chorus only until the song’s end keep doing this.
What’s your method for preparing young children for a demonstration, parent viewing or recital? What has worked for you? What hasn’t worked so well in the past?
Posted on January 23, 2011