2.2 Dance: warming up  (Page 22/6)

Arts and culture

Grade 5

Expression and communication

Module 7

Dance

The aim of this module is to make you aware of the different spaces available to you, e.g. inside and outside, in the classroom, on stage, on grass, etc., and how these spaces can affect and influence the making of your dance.

Activity 1

To prepare for the activities by warming up properly

[lo 4.1]

Before you can begin creating your dances your body must be properly warmed up to prevent injury and to prepare you for the activities to follow.

The warm up can be done to music. Choose music you feel comfortable with that is not too fast.

Stand with your feet a hip width apart, arms down at sides.

Raise arms above your head, while inhaling through your nose.

Exhale though the mouth, drop your arms and bend your knees at the same time, while exhaling through your mouth.

Repeat four times.

Limber from side to side, tapping your feet alternately.

Lift right arm straight above your head, alternate with left arm while limbering (repeat eight times).

Keep limbering movement and lift right arm across the upper body. Alternate with left arm (repeat eight times).

Bend and straighten your knees. Lift arms and hold horizontally out to sides (repeat eight times).

Place hands on hips. Keep knees bent. Lift toes alternately (repeat eight times).

Retaining position, lift heels alternately (repeat eight times).

Lunge from side to side keeping feet flat on the floor (repeat eight times).

Lunge to the right and hold for four beats.

Lunge to the left and hold for four beats.

Remain in plié position (knees bent, feet and knees facing outward). Put hands on knees, contract back (like a cat) and release (repeat eight times).

Straighten knees and bend upper body forward.

Bend knees and lift upper body up again (repeat eight times).

Walk/march on the spot, move arms up and down (repeat eight times).

Walk/march on the spot without using the arms.

You are free to combine any or all of these exercises.

Your warm up should take at least three minutesand no longer than ten minutes.

You should breathe normally throughout the warm up.

Activity 2

To do a dance that is suitable for a specific space:

The sport dance

[lo 4.1]

You must warm up properly before you start this dance.

This dance is to be done outside on the playing field. Because of the size of the space available to you, you do not have to use music for this dance.

Choose a sporting activity, e.g. rugby, tennis, netball, athletics, cricket, soccer.

Run, stop and freeze in various sports actions.

Develop each stopping and starting action.

Use each action to move from space to space (i.e. use the space available to you) as if you are really playing the sport, e.g. dodging, darting, hitting, throwing.

Exaggerate your movements (make them bigger than normal).

Move in slow motion.

Add strong and fast or gentle and slow movements.

Make gradual or sudden changes of speed using your range of actions.

Create your own rhythm for your movements.

Take the movements from some of the other learners’ sports and combine them to form a dance combination.