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Teach movement and still shapes in a game of freeze dance

This is an excerpt from Teaching Children Dance-3rd Edition by Theresa Purcell Cone & Stephen Cone.

Freeze Dance

This dance uses locomotor movements or wheelchair movement and still shapes. It can be used in inclusive and self-contained classes. While the music is playing, the children travel through the space using different directions and tempos. When the music stops, they freeze in a still shape. You or the students can decide on the movements for traveling in the space and the type of shapes.
Organization
Students move randomly in the space.
Dance Description
Inform the children that when the music is on, they will move in the dance space, and when the music stops, they will freeze in a shape. Call out a locomotor movement and a direction or tempo, such as “Walk forward slowly.” If that is too many concepts for children to comprehend, call only the locomotor movement and add a demonstration. Then stop the music and tell everyone to freeze. A type of frozen shape is called: a round shape or a wide shape or a low shape, among many others. Support the verbal instructions with a printed sign for each locomotor movement and each type of shape. Continue the move-and-freeze pattern several times and then you can add moving with a partner or freezing connected to another student. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing can watch the other children, and you can use a visual stop signal to indicate the music has stopped. Children who are blind or have a visual impairment can hear the music and move in the space while the other children watch to make sure they are not bumping into the child. This dance is also appropriate for children using manual or power wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches. They can use all or parts of the body to make the shapes. Use the paraeducator or peer helper with children when needed to reinforce the directions and cue words.

Learn more about Teaching Children Dance, Third Edition.

More Excerpts From Teaching Children Dance 3rd Edition

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