On Sat, May 18, 2013, Sue Robishaw wrote: My mother used to teach some basic folk dancing in elementary school, the only thing I remember her doing was Virginia Reel, so something around that level of complexity should be fine (4th/5th grade). -- Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/ <*> <*> <*> Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html

Hi Sue, I did a wonderfully fun artist-in-residency project for two days with a local elementary school last spring, working with a few folks from our house band (fiddle, guitar and accordion), though a single fiddle would have been fine - I've done that with school groups too. It's a small school so we doubled up grades: k-1, 2-3, 4-5 and I got to work with each group for almost an hour and a half each day, then on the evening of the second day there was a school-wide festival, which included a short dance featuring the dances I had taught the kids, and our full band came to play. The idea was that the kids would spread themselves out and help their parents/aunts/uncles/grandparents and older siblings to learn the dances. It was a complete blast. I ended up choosing Virginia Reel, Haste to the Wedding, and Simple Square, plus I taught them all to waltz. There's hardly a cuter sight than kindergarteners waltzing with each other, and they REALLY got into it, many of them becoming quite accomplished! For waltzing, I completely played down the boy/girl thing and just said to choose anyone (including teachers!), and switched partners often, but I did teach the ballroom position as an option, after mastering just holding two hands. The other three dances were all accessible to the full range of K-5, especially because I encouraged them to dance with people from other grades, or their family members, at the big evening dance. I, too, really recommend the New England Dancing Masters series, books and CDs. We have a kids/family dance every month and I've found those to be hugely useful. The three books/CDs I use by far the most are Chimes of Dunkirk, Listen to the Mockingbird, and Sashay the Donut as I prefer these to the games. I just called the dance, Sashay the Donut, Friday night, in fact, to a group including wee 4 year olds and a somewhat disabled grandparent and they were all beaming - it just took a little longer! Good luck and, mainly, have fun! Delia On May 18, 2013, at 4:03 PM, Sue Robishaw wrote: <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Delia Clark PO Box 45 Taftsville, VT 05073 802-457-2075 deliaclark8(a)gmail.com