Syllabus suggestions for teaching elementary age students

[baileymae]

Hi all, I was approached by my childrens elementary school principal to teach a little bit of ballroom dance to the kids. Now for a little bit of background....I lived for and competed in swing and ballroom dance as a kid and young adult, but got married to a non dancer and haven't danced since. I live in an extremely small town where most of these children will never be exposed to the joy of any kind of dance, much less ballroom, so the thinking is that any exposure is better than none. I was taught to dance by some of the best dancers out there, went to the BYU dance camps several times, and even had the opportunity to teach a couple of workshops, but never to children, unfortunately.

I was just wondering if anyone out there might know of any websites or even videos for that matter that might have a program that I could teach to 2nd-5th graders, really on a once a week 30-40 minute session kind of basis. I would even appreciate some suggested dances and teaching techniqes that would be easy for that age to pick up. I would love to bring in something like Dancing Classrooms, but there is no way this small little school district could put on something like that....we only have an elementary, a junior high, and a high school....with a senior class of around 55, in our school district.

So far, I was thinking of teaching them swing, waltz, and foxtrot...would love to add a latin dance in there, but didn't know if that would be too much for them...

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks a bunch:D

[latingal]

Welcome to DF baileymae!

We have some wonderful pros and experienced ams here on our boards. Hopefully they will be able to give you some suggestions that might help in your new endeavor!

[baileymae]

Thanks for the welcome, I can't wait for any suggestions they might have!!:D

[hustleNflow]

Good to have you here, baileymae! :D

I highly recommend renting the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom, which is about how the New York public school system instituted a program for 5th graders to learn and compete in a variety of ballroom dances. It's truly a testament to just what kids can be capable of if given the proper instruction...you might find it helpful in giving you a feel for what you'll be dealing with, and also some steps that might be appropo :cool:

And there is always youtube...you can search the names of a few basic steps an usually find several videos explaining how to do them. Hope this helps!

[nucat78]

May I suggest starting with a basic merengue? Pretty easy to learn side-together, side-together and the music is very upbeat.

Then move on to a ballroom box step? They can use that in waltz, rumba, and foxtrot.

Then maybe end with a 4-count hustle. Rockstep-walk-walk is pretty easy to pick up and they'll probably be able to use a hustle for years to come at weddings and such.

[Indiana_Jay]

Check out the Web site for American Ballroom Theatre's "Dancing Classrooms" program: http://www.americanballroomtheater.com/ (mods: it's a nonprofit org.)

They're the people who run the NYC program which is documented in the the movie, "Mad Hot Ballroom."

I think they're pretty much the experts when it comes to ballroom in elementary schools.

[Angel HI]

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks a bunch

Welcome to the DF. I just happen to be in a program called Artist-in-Schools in 4 states around the US. I have a program w/ w/o syllabus that I can send you. I will PM you with further information.

IJ's reference to ABT is great, also.

[Warren J. Dew]

So far, I was thinking of teaching them swing, waltz, and foxtrot...would love to add a latin dance in there, but didn't know if that would be too much for them...

I think those are good choices to start with, assuming you mean an east coast swing. I would consider adding a square rumba, since they'll already be learning the box step for the waltz.

[tanya_the_dancer]

I think kids respond to latin better. A few years ago my son's PE teacher (who was my former neighbor, so she knew me personally) did a unit on dance and I volunteered to help her with ballroom portion. I asked my son what dance he thinks would be better out of waltz, tango, foxtrot, chacha, rumba, swing and he said chacha or swing (or tango, but he likes tango music for some reason), because the music is more fun. So I showed them some simple chacha moves like crossover breaks. That was a good choice, since the PE space in his school was really limited. Also I discovered from that experience that 5th graders can be really uncomfortable about touching another person, especially of opposite sex, and you can sorta kinda do chacha with "arms extended in front, you're 3 feet away from your partner" hold. Underarm turn was an iffy proposition with them, too, since all girls were taller than boys, sometimes by more than a foot. I think what I showed them was basic into cross-over breaks ending with double turn. It was a fun experience, I'd do it again, but his subsequent PE teacher did not care much for dance, I think.

[BlueBambue]

I too think latin would go over better with kids.

[Warren J. Dew]

I think kids respond to latin better. A few years ago my son's PE teacher (who was my former neighbor, so she knew me personally) did a unit on dance and I volunteered to help her with ballroom portion. I asked my son what dance he thinks would be better out of waltz, tango, foxtrot, chacha, rumba, swing and he said chacha or swing (or tango, but he likes tango music for some reason), because the music is more fun.

I'm not sure how strongly we can draw a conclusion based on one kid. I think it's likely to depend on the kid, and providing some variety will help involve more of the kids in the class.

[tanya_the_dancer]

I'm not sure how strongly we can draw a conclusion based on one kid. I think it's likely to depend on the kid, and providing some variety will help involve more of the kids in the class.

I still think kids would not respond to typical foxtrots or waltzes (i.e. older jazz, big-band songs). They do cover some of that in music program here, especially since some of these musicians were from our state, and according to the teahcer, the kids prefer faster music from that period (think swing).

[baileymae]

Thank you all so much for all of your suggestions...if you have any more, please keep them coming!!

Has anyone ever worked with the "Dancing Classrooms" program?? I wonder if I could get a syllabus from them?

Ech, the struggles of a dancer who is married to a non-dancer(whom I might add is completely eager to learn, but we have just not had the time:()...I think I still know all of my competition routines, and whenever I hear the music from those routines I'm going thru it all in my head....and now am so desperate to have the opportunity to dance again, and show some little guys and girls how much fun it is, that I'm jumping headfirst into semi unknown territory...

Thanks again for all of the suggestions...I'm taking all sorts of notes :)

[tangotime]

I still think kids would not respond to typical foxtrots or waltzes



Partially true. In the UK (where kids classes are huge ) , the general trend is Waltz basics and Cha for the very young .

It also depends on the age group . The attention span of younger ones ( 4-8 yrs ) is limited, so classes are very often a max of 40 mins . When new dances are introduced, a basic swing ( Jive ) and or Rumba .
F/t is NEVER taught to that age group.Its a great age to get them into the Intern. style if you are so inclined .

[Lioness]

Also, seeing as it's through a school, some of the kids are likely to be thinking along the lines of, 'ballroom dancing, erg.'
So make the dances fun, give them reason to love dancing. If the kid wants to dance after a lesson, they're going to want to get right into the dance itself, not spend a long time on trying to get the little bits of a step right.
We had a group come to my primary school in my last year there, and the first dances they taught were the Progressive Jive and Military Two Step.
Not sure if they are known in America, but they're simple and fun.

[Angel HI]

Has anyone ever worked with the "Dancing Classrooms" program?? I wonder if I could get a syllabus from them?

Indirectly, but yes. Received the PM. Syllabus on the way.

[tangotime]

Progressive Jive and Military Two Step.
Not sure if they are known in America, but they're simple and fun.



No exposure to most sequence style dances ( from an English style syllabus or Austr. )

I have friends in a SW city that taught "Old Time" to all their students as an addition to their B/room . Usually a Sq. Tango and a Veleta, to begin .
Also noteworthy.. from day one, they taught nothing but Intern. style to their kids classes and Adult ... very successful ( still going after 30 yrs )

[Chris Stratton]

I still think kids would not respond to typical foxtrots or waltzes (i.e. older jazz, big-band songs). They do cover some of that in music program here, especially since some of these musicians were from our state, and according to the teahcer, the kids prefer faster music from that period (think swing).

Would not totally disagree, however I think if one wants to use the "older" styles, the key could be to find a track that's been used well in a movie that the kids will relate to. And fortunately, movie soundtracks are a major source of contemporary dance able music.

The real problem may not be the music though, but the body-quietness of the smooth dances in their basic form. You could grab something like "This business of love" and show the clip from "The Mask" and it would probably be cool but part of what makes it cool in that context is all the can't-hold-still body actions that you explicitly don't want when trying to explain a basic traveling dance.

[dancepro]

Hi all, I was approached by my childrens elementary school principal to teach a little bit of ballroom dance to the kids. Now for a little bit of background....I lived for and competed in swing and ballroom dance as a kid and young adult, but got married to a non dancer and haven't danced since. I live in an extremely small town where most of these children will never be exposed to the joy of any kind of dance, much less ballroom, so the thinking is that any exposure is better than none. I was taught to dance by some of the best dancers out there, went to the BYU dance camps several times, and even had the opportunity to teach a couple of workshops, but never to children, unfortunately.

I was just wondering if anyone out there might know of any websites or even videos for that matter that might have a program that I could teach to 2nd-5th graders, really on a once a week 30-40 minute session kind of basis. I would even appreciate some suggested dances and teaching techniqes that would be easy for that age to pick up. I would love to bring in something like Dancing Classrooms, but there is no way this small little school district could put on something like that....we only have an elementary, a junior high, and a high school....with a senior class of around 55, in our school district.

So far, I was thinking of teaching them swing, waltz, and foxtrot...would love to add a latin dance in there, but didn't know if that would be too much for them...

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks a bunch:D

Welcome to DF. You have got a PM coming on ideas for training kids.

Dancepro

[kathyt cupcake]

I think at the 2nd-5th graders level there's a lot of the opposite sex has cooties kind of thing going on. One suggestion from one of the teachers here is to start them out with playing hand games- like those slightly complicated clapping things to get them used to having any kind of hand to hand contact between the boys & girls. I'm sure other ppl have more suggestions on classroom management b/c that's what elementary school is all about.

[Angel HI]

I think at the 2nd-5th graders level there's a lot of the opposite sex has cooties kind of thing going on.

Understanding what you're saying, it has been my experience over the years that this occurs later at the 7e grade level. 2 - 5 seem to actually handle it quite well.

[nucat78]

Re: teaching waltz to kids. Don't forget that they can waltz to more "fun" music like Cajun and country and western. They're not limited to "old fogies" stuff like "Moon River". And I tango'd to "Thriller" with an instructor once.

[Indiana_Jay]

I still think kids would not respond to typical foxtrots or waltzes (i.e. older jazz, big-band songs). They do cover some of that in music program here, especially since some of these musicians were from our state, and according to the teahcer, the kids prefer faster music from that period (think swing).

I would have assumed the same thing, until I saw the documentary film. It appears the New York program has considerable success teaching fifth-grade students (ages 10-11) foxtrot and tango as well as swing, merengue and rumba.

It also appears the New York program has success in getting students over any hesitation to touch members of the opposite sex. Perhaps 10 and 11 is just the right age?

I read that the in the film, students are shown dancing only to music to which the filmmaker could economically obtain rights (e.g. Peggy Lee's "Fever"). We can't tell from the film what music is used for foxtrot and tango when cameras are not rolling. The use of such old standards as "Fever," however, does not appear to deter the students.

[tanya_the_dancer]

I would have assumed the same thing, until I saw the documentary film. It appears the New York program has considerable success teaching fifth-grade students (ages 10-11) foxtrot and tango as well as swing, merengue and rumba.

It also appears the New York program has success in getting students over any hesitation to touch members of the opposite sex. Perhaps 10 and 11 is just the right age?

I read that the in the film, students are shown dancing only to music to which the filmmaker could economically obtain rights (e.g. Peggy Lee's "Fever"). We can't tell from the film what music is used for foxtrot and tango when cameras are not rolling. The use of such old standards as "Fever," however, does not appear to deter the students.

Well, in that program, they had some time to get the kids over their hang-ups. We don't know how long it actually took them to get over it. I only had 1 hour to do my thing when I did it with my son's classmates. As a matter of fact, I didn't expect to meet that much resistance from them.

[tangotime]

I would have assumed the same thing, until I saw the documentary film. It appears the New York program has considerable success teaching fifth-grade students (ages 10-11) foxtrot and tango as well as swing, merengue and rumba.




You need to put this in context. BEFORE all that took place, you may be sure that only 2 dances were introduced, probably swing and merengue... they were the " hook ".

[Larinda McRaven]

Well the easy way to answer the question is to ASK the people that were there.