Richard Maddock wants to give away one Music for Movement and Imaginations CD to THREE Dance Advantage readers. Leave a comment at this post describing the characteristics of, or what you look for in your favorite CDs for dance class.
young children
Halloween: Costumes, Props and Makeup Inspiration
Halloween time is exciting for children and with a little focus and extra preparation it can open up creative possibilities. It can a starting off point for your students to let their imaginations fly like a magic broomstick soaring around the moon!
Teaching Tap Improvisation: Exercises for Beginners
Begin with a very structured 4/4 song that does not have any strange segues or extra measures. Have all students beat their hands on their legs, clap or snap to the beat. Continue their time keeping, but have them now count out loud – “1..2..3..4”. Be sure you do not have them count “5..6..7..8”. This is a cardinal sin in the music world, as you’ll find out if you dance with live musicians! Explain to your students that each set of four counts is a measure, or a bar. I often use this with my elementary students who are learning addition and/or multiplication.
Why And How To Teach Anatomy Concepts To Children
Since dance is the art of motion, in order to become a proficient dancer one must understand how the body moves from the inside; how the muscles and bones work to leap, turn, kick, stretch and fold. A pretty sophisticated idea for a young dancer. Since learning is a layered experience, introducing the concepts of anatomy now will allow them to build upon this foundation in the future.
Teacher’s Top Three: Little Movers
“If you are a teacher you probably know how hard it is to find great music to use in your classes that are all on the same album. Here are my top 3 picks that have it all. They are creative, inspiring, and leave a don’t-forget-it-at-home impression on me. I am always looking for new music to spice up my classes, so I hope these will help you! I tried to feature a little something for everyone!”
Blog Spotlight: Maria Is Moving, Creating, Educating
I was immediately drawn to the material over at Move. Create. Educate for its emphasis on creative movement for young children and began interacting with Maria, the teacher and blogger behind it all.
