Hi Linda,

I each elementary music. I would be more than happy to help you with this if you still need it. My recommendations.....

1. Teaching the form is great but the little ones will have the hardest time with it and lose interest QUICKLY. 

2. If this school event is like mine was, it’ll be an hour and a half of babysitting while parents sit on the side playing on their phones or talking. Maybe you’ll have better luck with this. 

3. Actual contras are really hard for elementary aged kids as a whole. And I’ve been teaching them to my kids for years. They have a hard time with the progressions and they will not do a ballroom swing. 

4. Several folks have suggested Heel Toe Polka. Great choice!  Also Sasha!  My kids can’t get enough Sasha!  Scatter mixers are your friend!  I get back to my classroom tomorrow and I can send you some options if you’d like them. The Vowel Mixer, La Bastraingue, Circle waltz Mixer, Chimes of Dunkirk, Gallopede are all good choices. If you have a large group of kinders, there’s a dance called Kindergarten Reel that you can do with everyone but it’s accessible for Kindergarten. 

5. You’ll be calling most of the night. They don’t have the muscle memory that contra dancers have. They need so much more guidance. 

I wish you the best of luck!  If you have any questions, I would love to guide you in dealing with folk dancing and kiddos. Feel free to email me directly!

Rebecca

Sent from my iPad

On Aug 17, 2019, at 8:57 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Linda,

Chimes of Dunkirk is a great dance for tying the music to the dance.

Also Heel & Toe Polka.

Is there a dance that changes from 2/4 or 4/4 to 6/8?  I know I've danced one but I cannot recall it.  

I might suggest talking about the types of music we use in traditional dance and maybe talk about a particular tune and its origins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZgcvDRZI5Q

Peace,

Rich

On Sat, Aug 17, 2019 at 12:40 AM Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Although I've been calling forever and I know things, I'm not currently inspired to do this and am asking for help.

Been hired to lead a dance for a music school -- ages 5 and up to teens and their parents and my contact asked if I could lead "dances that encourage really paying attention to beat counts….throw in some music education in addition to fun."

So I'll do my standard ONS dances for this group to recorded music that has very good beat counts and distinct phrasing.  That's not the problem.  The problem is "throw in some music education."  I don't need a dissertation, just bits and pieces.  The dance is only 1-1/2 hours long followed by ice cream.

I've got a job that keeps me pretty busy and am training for a new job that's taking up a lot of my time and I just can't think anymore.

Any suggestions?

--

Looking forward,

Linda S. Mrosko

102 Mitchell Drive

Temple, Texas 76501

(903) 292-3713 (Cell)

contradancetx.com

www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* (Dance buttons, t-shirts, & more)

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