Teaching children country dancing...

Subject: Teaching children country dancing...
From: running.hare
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 06:14 AM

Knowing I'm a folkie and do a bit of dancing I've been asked if I might teach country dancing next term to the primary children (6~12) as an indoor PE lesson.

I'd like to do it - it would be nice to work a bit with the older children (I teach 2~6 year olds) but I'm not sure if could do it.
I've never called a dance, and although I danced alot at feastivals ths summer & used to dance regularly as a child I'm not sure how good I'd be teachng
Any advice would be appriciated, ideas for simple dances - sutible music etc...
I'd want to prep the lessons before the start of term so as not to add to my termtime work load

Thanks all

Lizabee

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 07:11 AM

What about attending some dance classes and talking to the teachers? You're not stealing their pupils, presumably, since most of the classes are for adults, so they'd probably be happy to help.

I don't know about any dancing except Irish set dances and céilí dances - and not much about them! - but I had an "ah!" moment when I realised that all set dances were based on a cross, or if you prefer, a compass. If the teachers had actually drawn a cross on the floor so I'd known where to dance to as a beginner (you land on a point of the imaginary cross after each figure) it would have been immensely easier for me.

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: MaineDog
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 07:39 AM

check these out:

http://www.cds-boston.org/

http://www.rscds.org/

David Kaynor also has a good book on beginning contradances.

One important thing that we have observed is that kids need faster dance tempi than full-sized adults, so a variable speed player is a good idea if you don't have a live band.

MD

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 10:17 AM

Where are you based? Here in Surrey UK we have a Cildren's folk Dance day every year which involves Primary school kids from about 15 schools. I do the programme planning, teach the teachers and then MC on the day itself.We have a booklet of about 12 dances with a CD sent out each year.

PM me if I can help

Sarah

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: running.hare
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 01:38 PM

Thanks all for input - all usefull

I'm in Oxford UK

Any other advice?

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: GUEST,Sheila
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 03:56 PM

There is a excellent collection of CDs with directions from Martha Chrisman Riley called "English Country Dances for Children", Riverside Productions, P. O. Box 26, Delphi, Indiana 46923-0026, USA.

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 04:08 PM

See also English Folk Dance and Song Society: educational resources

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Pete_Standing
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 04:16 PM

Lizabee

I'm doing some country dancing with cubs in Oxford tomorrow night - I've also done it at my daughters school (5-11 yrs). PM me if want you want to look in or have a chat.

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Dead Horse
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 04:10 AM

DONT DO IT!
It will only lead to Morris Dancing, getting drunk on real ale AND the growing of beards!

It could influence the boys as well.

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Jess A
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 04:45 AM

dance suggestions:
for something nice & simple how about 'Snowball' (longways set for 5 couples, starts off with the top couple doing r & l hand turn, next couple join in to make r & l hand star, next couple join in for circle l & r, next couple join in for lines forward & back x2, bottom couple gallop to top & cast round to bottom on their own, top couple gallop to bottom, all swing)

dances with clapping sequences, kids usually like these

something like three around three with one line leading round the other or weaving in and out of the other

for a bit of a challenge if they cope with the easy stuff, how about 'Wring out the dishrag' (sicillian circle with a figure in it where you hold hands in a circle of 4 and turn the circle inside out & back to where you started without letting go, a bit like a rapper figure. If you don't know the dance yourself though best to get somebody who does to demonstrate it for you before trying to teach it... but in my experience kids pick it up a lot quicker than adults and *love* it...)

music suggestions - if you can't get hold of a live musician then I'd suggest cds from the lively end of the english ceilidh circuit, to educate the kids that folk music & country dancing need not be twee or old fashioned... ok so I'm advertising here but how about our new Hekety album 'Furze Cat' (visit www.hekety.co.uk or pm me for details of how to get one)...
... or (ok ok I've stopped advertising now!) something from Whapweasel...

Jess

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: greg stephens
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 05:18 AM

Their has been much controversy over the years about the sin against the Holy Ghost, for which there is no forgiveness. The problem is, we know it exists, but it's difficult getting an authoritative answer on exactly what it is.
   In fact, this infomation should be more widely available: teaching children country dancing is in fact the sin against the Holy Ghost.

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 06:40 PM

I suppose contacting the Education Officer at EFDSS is just too easy to bother with.

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: running.hare
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 07:17 AM

Thanks to everyone who has contributed positive advise, I'd deffinately like to do it now and feel much more comfident.
Yes I did consider ringing up C.Sharp house, but wanted to get some advise from my friends while I was still unsure whether I would do it.

DeadHorse: Your a big tease, Loved you reply - Laughter realy is the best medicine.

Now to follow up my PM's

Lizabee

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Rozza
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 12:21 PM

I've used the BBC series on Folk Dance- with John Kirkpatrick playing, for many years with lower and upper KS2 children and as long as they're not forced into boy/girl pairs they get on well and enjoy the experience. One of my recent pupils was so worn out he re-christened the activity as "cross-country dancing", which reminds me of those lovely Bill Tidy "Cloggies" cartoons". Good Luck anyway.

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: running.hare
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 05:04 PM

Well I've agreed to do it
8 or nine weekly sessions of aprox 1hr each starting 10th Jan, with aprox 22 kids between 6 & 12 yrs old.
Games sashes to denote red/blue in each pair
and many generouse offers of help I think it'll be great
Thanks every1 Mudcaters to the rescue once more.

Lizabee

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: IanC
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 06:44 AM

Look up John Tether on the internet. He did the BBC series, which grades up from very simple to quite complicated. I'm certain he published his stuff in book form too.

The programs were good and had excellent music too.

:-)

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: running.hare
Date: 25 Jan 05 - 03:24 PM

Well I'm 3 weeks in they (well most of them) love circassion Circle, Up the sides and down the middle was a disarster! but we made good headway with Soldiers Joy yeasterday.

All in all I'm rather pleased.

Thanks to all who contributed and suported me I#ll try and keep you posted (internet acsess permiting.)

~Lizabee

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Blowzabella
Date: 25 Jan 05 - 04:18 PM

Lizabee - what a lovely, lively thread you started. It made me remember my country dancing lessons at school - Dashing White Sargeant etc - then, the comment about 'cross country dancing' made me I think on to my next experience...

I was 21 or so and having a busy BankHoliday weekend. In one weekend, my friend and I had a go at joining a Morris group (no names), joined a medieval re-enactment society and learned how to fight with swords AND went to a ceilidh! It was the ceilidh that did for us - the basket, in particular!

I'm now 43 - haven't done much more in the dance field (bits and bats) but the love of folk music (and its become more traditional as the years have gone by and i've peeled back the layers) has continued and got stronger.

All thanks to my initial introduction at school....

No real point or merit in this post - just what I was thinking at the time, you understand....

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: LadyJean
Date: 26 Jan 05 - 01:31 AM

I have family in Northern Kentucky. One of my cousins told me about a two room school, some years ago, located in a community that was largely Baptist, which meant dancing was a no no.
The teacher discovered English country dancing, and decided the children should learn it. So, he taught the eighth graders a couple of country dances, but he called them "round games". The granduation program was a make believe wedding, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen came on stage playing round games.
After which all the parents demanded that their children too learn to play round games.
The favorite was Flowers of Edinburgh, done at double speed. They called it "The Blue Racer".

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Compton
Date: 26 Jan 05 - 06:40 PM

Just a thought...Not sure if calling iy "Country Dancing" in this day and age....though an alternative doesn't spring exactly to mind...Folk Dancing, anyone??

Subject: RE: Teaching children country dancing...
From: Joybell
Date: 26 Jan 05 - 06:40 PM

Great to hear about your dancing, Lizabee. I've been teaching country dancing to kids for about 30 years on and off. I started the way you have and learned as I went. Always get a thrill out of it. You're well on your way now but it's still worth taking a look at "Play-Party". Because Play-Party games/dances are self-accompanied and self-paced they give you lots of scope. They range from very, very easy to quite complicated. Also there's room for improvisation. You can slip all the country dance steps and moves into them. Children enjoy the singing too. Cheers, Joy