Age-Appropriate Music

[liz_jo]

I am helping a dance team with a clinic they are hosting for elementary school kids, and am looking for age-appropriate music for them to dance to. We are thinking jazz/hip-hop, fun stuff for little kids. If anyone has any ideas, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a ton!!!!! :D

[HothouseSalsero]

I was thinking of suggesting this song to someone I know who sometimes does jazz dance choreography for young kids: Common's "I Am Music," which successfully mixes old time jazz sounds with house types rhythms and hip-hop. Jill Scott on guest vocals (though Common also raps on the track, the weakest part as far as I'm concerned).

[HothouseSalsero]

In general, you might want to consider the nu-soul*/alternative/"conscious" end of hip-hop, though even then there's no guarantee the lyrics are going to be age appropriate. I don't follow hip-hop much at all anymore so I can't give many specific suggestions. Maybe Lauryn Hill?

Here's amg's "map" (so to speak) of alternative hip-hop: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70311191639190936&sql=C2899

(Of course, realistically, most kids will already have heard the more sexually explicit and gangsta oriented type stuff, but there's no need to have them on stage dancing to it.)


*I know nu-soul is not a subcategory of hip-hop at all, but there's a group of hip-hop artists who work with nu-soul artists pretty regularly.

[HothouseSalsero]

And here's a link to the lyrics for that Common song. There are a few iffy lines, but by rap standards its pretty clean and not all that controversial:

http://www.anysonglyrics.com/lyrics/c/common/iammusic.htm

I'm pushing this because I think it would be a fun song to use in the sort of context you are describing, and it's not something most people will have heard. (Probably no commercial airplay.)

[Vince A]

liz_jo,
I just went through this about 4 months ago - teaching basic dance movements to 7th and 8th graders!

Over several sessions, I experimented with various types of music. I tried jazz, hip hop, pop, C&W, etc.

Wanna know which one received the greatest response to and the one that the kids really responded to and danced to??? Like you say, finding "clean" hip hop is tough, so . . .

You got . . . Brittney Spears! They know the music. They want to dance to it! You be surprised! Try it! Even the boys will dance to her music.

Most of her music is clean, in fact our church allows most of her music at the youth dances that are held!

[borikensalsero]

I'm thinking that Barney is still popular. :tongue:

[pygmalion]

Only with two-year-olds. :tongue: :lol:

Or, as much as I hate cheesy song covers, you might try kids bop. There are, I think, five or six CD's out there of a group of mostly kids doing covers of popular songs, including hip hop. But all bad language is edited out. Meaning, new, clean up lyrics have been written where necessary.

Example: Usher "You remind me"

Original lyrics: ... she was sexing everyone but me
Kids Bop lyric: She was sassing everyone and me.

Cleaned up, and big time.

[HothouseSalsero]

Jen's advice might be the most practical.

[liz_jo]

Thanks a lot everyone! I was thinking about the Kidz Bop stuff, but didn't know if it would get a good response from the kids. But I think I'll try that and the other suggestions.
Thanks again!!!

[pygmalion]

Kids Bop might be a little young for your crowd, depending. I do volunteer work with a group of six and seven year olds who love it. If your kids are a little older, they might find it lame. But the lyrics of a lot of the popular dance music out there are just horrendous. Even with the bleeps, you can still hear what's being said. It's bad.

[pygmalion]

Another thought -- The Uh-oh song by Lumidee. Kids love that, and I'm pretty sure there are no bad words at all. Or that song by the Black Eyed Peas -- what's it called? Something about love. I'll look it up. I have the CD. Or the song I Know I can -- a rap that was out about a year ago. That one has very positive lyrics, with one curse word, which might be near enough to the end that you can end your routine before that.


I'll keep thinking.

[pygmalion]

Okay, here is the complete info.

The Uh-oh song is actually called "I'll Never Leave You" by Lumidee
The Black Eyed Peas Song is "Where is the Love?"
"I Know I Can" is by Nas

[dancersdreamland]

You may want to try Disney music. Some of the songs can be very upbeat and easy to choreograph to, while still be appropriate for younger ages and fun with adults as well. Plus, they're likely songs the dance team and clinic attendees would know.

Please let us know how it turns how. All the best!

[pygmalion]

Yeah, ddl. I saw a commercial for a new Disney CD which has big name artists doing traditional Disney songs. I'll keep an eye open for that commercial, and post the info when I see it again.

[pygmalion]

I just saw it again. The CD's are Disney Mania and Disney Mania 2. The first one is big name singers doing covers of old Disney songs. The second is new, original songs by Disney sponsored artists, like Hillary Duff, Raven, etc.
$24.98 for both CD's. I'll PM you the 800 number. :D

[liz_jo]

Thanks a ton to everyone. We will be working on the routine soon and i really appreciate all of your help!

[pygmalion]

Oops! I forgot that PM. I'm sending it now.