Tag: dance

Traditional country dancing is an exciting way to make PE lessons fun! It puts mathematical concepts such as shapes, patterns, sequences and numbers into practice. Linking movements together also helps with coordination, agility and memorisation. These dances are an excellent demonstration of British values and culture, and come from all over the British Isles.

Working in pairs or groups, the students dance in time to exciting traditional music (recorded, or live for an additional fee). Older students might also enjoy writing their own dances using traditional movements and structures.

Alison can also provide CPD sessions for teachers. In addition to teaching a range of dances, she can suggest suitable music, appropriate warmups, ways of linking country dance to the rest of the curriculum, catering to different abilities and achieving high standards.

Details

Age group: EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3+, teacher training

Length: 30-60 minutes per class; one off days/half days, or a series of workshops

Skills and knowledge developed: creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, history, PE, musicality, maths and geometry

Event type: suitable for British Values workshops, PE lessons, after school clubs, and community events

Provided: instructor, music on CD, small PA system

Requirements: large hall (or a dry playground)

Book now!

Using props, puppets and percussion instruments, this is a broad introduction to music-making with a particular emphasis on singing, aimed to inspire children for years to come.

Alison keeps young minds entertained and stimulated with actions, rhymes, songwriting, harmonising, listening and teamwork.

Details

Age group: foundation, KS1, teacher training

Length: 45 minutes – one off or a series

Skills developed: music, rhythm, singing tone and intonation, harmonising ability, creativity, memorisation, teamwork, knowledge of traditional music, history, poetry, English language

Event type: suitable for music lessons, after school clubs, community events

Provided: instructor, puppets, props, percussion instruments for 12 students, backing tracks/live accompaniment

Requirements: more percussion instruments if needed

Alison currently offers three types of dance workshop. They all demonstrate British values and culture, and you can request a mixture of dance styles for an all-round experience for your students. Follow the links below for more information!

• Maypole dance
• Ceilidh/country dance
• Tudor dance

If you have any other requests or want to make a booking enquiry, please contact Alison.

“The school was buzzing with excitement and joy throughout the day. I am delighted with the childrens’ enthusiasm for this very successful event.” – primary school workshop using maypole and country dancing to learn about British culture, February 2016

“We had a great day and Alison was fantastic!” – teacher at primary school organising Queens’ Birthday celebration day, June 2016

“I really enjoyed helping out at  the workshops and it was great to see so many of the Festival of Plant visitors having such a good time joining in.” – volunteer dancer, University of Cambridge Botanic Gardens ‘Festival of Plants’

At EYFS, KS1 and KS2 level, Maypole dance workshops are an excellent introduction to British values and dance history, combined with physical recreation, teamwork and a lot of fun creating patterns and shapes with brightly-coloured ribbons!

Maypole can be a fun style of dance for KS3+ too! We’ll go for high-speed, high energy versions of some easier dances, and see how complicated we can make things. There can be some crossover with other dance styles too.

Alison can also provide CPD sessions for teachers. In addition to teaching a range of dances, she can suggest suitable music, appropriate warmups and ways of linking maypole dance to the rest of the curriculum, catering to different abilities and achieving high standards.

“I wanted to thank you again for your maypole teaching last week. We had so much positive feedback from pupils and staff and I feel really hopeful that the children will now use the maypole quite regularly during PE, lunch time and school events. The kids all thoroughly enjoyed their lessons – many of them unexpectedly too!! It was lovely to watch a lesson and see how you bought in maths and English into the learning too.”

“Oh my goodness, the children AND the teachers absolutely loved it- they were amazed and chuffed to bits with it, thank you so much! Can we possibly try booking you in for next year as well?”

Details

Age group: EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3+, teacher training

Length: 30-60 minutes per class; one-off days/half days, or a series of workshops

Skills and knowledge developed: creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, history, PE, musicality, maths and geometry

Event type: suitable for British Values workshops, PE lessons, after school clubs, and community events

Provided: maypole with 24 ribbons (unless the school has its own), instructor, music on CD, small PA system

Requirements: large hall with a high ceiling (or a dry playground)

Book now!