Tree Frog Productionsand Kerri-

Music For Dancers

(Suggestions for educational music and movement experiences)

Description:

Melodic pulses of different speeds layered together; Rhythmic pulses of different speeds layered together. Synthesized keyboard and percussion sounds.

Suggestions:

-Since the music is AB form, explore opposite movement concepts, changing when the music changes: self and general space, big and small, different directions, multi and single focus, sharp and smooth energy, free and bound flow, shaping (non locomotor) and moving (locomotor), dance with upper/lower body, with or without a prop, mirror and shadow with a partner, dance with one body part, then change to a different one.

-The music is layered in pulses (whole, half, quarter and eighth notes). Practice shaping to the slowest, fastest or medium pulse; walk to the different pulses around the space; stomp on the slow pulse, pat your body on the medium pulse, clap your hands on the fast pulse; try playing these different pulses on small percussion instruments or found sounds; 1/2 the group plays the fast pulse, 1/2 of the group plays the slow pulse.

-Move in body percussion or shaping for the A section; play percussion instruments or found sounds for the B section.

-Make up repeated rhythmic patterns (ostinati) to the music and play them with instruments or body percussion.

-For the A section, the leader plays or moves a four or eight pulse phrase; the group echoes it back; the leaders plays or moves a four or eight pulse phrase (question) and the group changes it as they answer back with a phrase of their own; on the B section, walk to a new instrument or space.

Description:

Rhythmic and melodic patterns are layered together and repeated in question/answer phrases. Includes drum breaks. Soprano recorder, xylophones and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Since the music is AB form, see the suggestions for "Pulsation" for additional ideas.

-Dance with a partner, dance away; repeat.

-Practice opposites: up/down, right/left, in/out, etc.

-One partner (or the leader) plays or moves four or eight pulse rhythmic phrase and the other partner (or group) echoes it back; take turns being the leader.

-Clap the patterns of the piece; what is the pattern of the recorder? The marimba? The rhythmic breaks in the percussion ensemble?

-Make up a folk dance for this music with your students. Start simply: walk around the circle for 16 pulses, then go in to the center for four pulses and out for four pulses (repeat). Add percussion instruments or clapped rhythms.

-Improvise on xylophones (wooden barred instruments) in C pentatonic (no F's or B's) with the music; improvise a drumming ensemble on the breaks.

Description:

The same, Elizabethan melody is set in groupings (meter) of three, two and three + two alternately. Recorder, glockenspiel, cello, strings, guitar and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Since the music is ABC form, three different movement concepts or aspects of the same concept: small, medium, big; forward, backward, sideways; curved (A) straight (B) or zigzag (C) pathways; smooth, sharp, smooth and sharp together; waltz, turn, spin or rock for (A), march, hop or run for (B), combine movements for (C), i.e. waltz-run.

-Move with the strong and light patterns for each sections: (A) 3/4 is strong-light-light; (B) 2/4 is strong-light; (C) 5/4 is strong-light-light-strong-light.

-Play body percussion or a small percussion instrument on the strong beats of each section.

-Create a hand clap pattern with a partner that "fits" for each section; create a hand clap pattern with a partner for (A) and (B) and dance away to find a new partner on (C).

-Play metal instruments (triangles) on (A); play wood instruments (woodblocks) on (B); play skin instruments (hand drums) on (C).

Description:

Music using low pitches (iguana), medium pitches (duck) and high pitches (butterfly) are played separately and together. Contra bassoon, clarinet, harp and piano.

Suggestions:

Move big on (A), move medium on (B), move small on (C), pick your favorite on (D); repeat sequence throughout the song; try the same idea using different directions, levels or pathways.

-For (A) move like an iguana (low and slow), for (B) move like a duck (middle and moderate), for (C) move like a butterfly (high and fast), on (D) pick your favorite animal.

-Practice moving in a strong-light-light pattern to the music; create rhythms with body percussion or small percussion instruments that fit in a 3/4 pattern; create a repeated pattern in 3/4 to do with a partner or small group;

-Try out a variety of locomotor and nonlocomotor movements to the music: waltz, swing, turn, twirl, roll, sway, etc.

-For (A) move with strong weight, for (B) move with medium weight, for (C) move with light weight, for (D) move using different weight; try the same idea using sharp and smooth energy.

-In trios, create negative shape play: for (A), two people freeze in a shape and the third dances around them, piercing the "holes" in their shape; for (B), change the dancer; for (C), change the dancer; on (D), dance away to find a new trio.

-Practice sequences of on and off balance; use props or partners to vary the work.

Description:

Ascending and descending scales of different modes and speeds are combined with various accompaniments. Synthesized keyboards, harp and strings.

Suggestions:

-See ideas for other AB form songs on this CD.

-As the music goes up, grow; as the music comes down, shrink; play with different ways of expanding and contracting from your center (core-distal connectivity).

-Travel forward on the ascending scale, backward on the descending scale, then freeze on the pause; try different directions, pathways and levels.

-Rise and fall with the melody of each scale.

-Each scale is repeated three times: slow, medium, fast. Practice moving at different speeds.

-Start out in bound flow (shape) and gradually melt into free flow movement; repeat the sequence in reverse, with the change of pitch and speed of each scale.

-Mirror with a partner for the first modal scale sequence, change the leaders for the second one; try the same thing with shadowing; in a trio, one person could lead the mirroring for the slow scale, the second for the medium scale and the third for the fast scale.

-Practice locomotor and nonlocomotor movements in different combinations to the music.

Description:

Various intervals are combined in melodies and harmonies alternating between the Lydian and Mixolydian modes. Lydian: 2nds, 4ths, 6ths and octaves; Mixolydian: 3rds, 5ths and 7ths. Synthesized keyboards, harp, strings and percussion.

Suggestions:

-See other ideas for AB form songs on this CD.

-Explore opposites through music: free and bound flow; strong and light weight; sharp and smooth energy, self and general space, single and multi focus, off balance/on balance, etc.

-Dance with a prop for (A), dance without a prop for (B).

-Move strong and light in regards to each grouping (meter); play rhythmic patterns for each section with body percussion or instruments; practice playing pulses of different speeds with the music; walk to the pulse and play your instrument in a pattern.

-Sit behind your partner and tap the pulse on her shoulders; when the music changes, change positions.

-For the first section (2nds) move a small body part (finger); with each additional section, move a larger body part until you are dancing with your whole body on the last section.

Description:

The same melodic motive is used to create three contrasting pieces of music: The Clown, Montuno and Medieval. Glockenspiel, celesta, strings, recorders, marimba, small percussion, harpsichord and harp.

Suggestions:

-See ideas for other ABC form songs on this CD.

-Half of the group moves with nonlocomotor movement while the other half freezes on (A); When the music changes, the freezers move with locomotor movement and the movers freeze (B); on (C), both groups dance using locomotor and nonlocomotor movement.

-Choose three different aspects of a concept to practice with the three sections of the music: high,
middle, low levels; zigzag, straight and curved pathways; small, medium and big size; forward, backward and sideways directions, etc.

-Create a movement motive that you can repeat. Change the way you dance your motive for each contrasting section of music.

-Pat the pulse of each section on your body; walk around the room to the pulses; play the pulses
on a variety of percussion instruments.

-Make a shape on the strong pulses of each section; add a sound with vocals or instruments.

-Play pulses or patterns on a variety of percussion instruments or with body percussion: snaps or triangles (A), claps or woods/shakers (B), pats or hand drums (C); repeat the sequence.

-With a partner, move or play a four or eight pulse phrase and have your partner echo or contrast you.

-Choose three hats, one for each section and dance in a characterization for each section; choose three props and dance similarly.

Description:

Question/answer and echo phrases are repeated with melody and rhythm instruments over a South American style drum ensemble. Panflutes, recorder, drums and small percussion.

Suggestions:

-See ideas for other ABC form songs on this CD.

-Half of the class makes shapes to the pulse of the music while the other half freezes (A); half of of the group does locomotor movement while the other half freezes (B); on (C), combine the shapers and the locomotor movers.

-Choose locomotor movements that fit with the strong-light pattern of this music in two: walk, run, hop, step-touch, grapevine, etc.

-One partner moves sharply for the first phrase, the other moves smoothly on the second phrase; try the same sequence using strong and light weight or other opposites.

-Play Question/Answer with a partner using body percussion or instruments; with younger students, play the game with teacher and group.

-Mirror and shadow with or without objects.

-Practice playing or moving to pulses of different speeds in the music; make shapes on the pulses fast, medium or slow; create rhythmic patterns and play them with the music.

-Recorder students can easily learn this piece which uses the following notes: C, D, E, G, A, c, d (Sheet music available from Tree Frog Productions). Improvise using these notes.

-Make up a hand drum rhythm to accompany the melody.

Description:

A melody in canon, repeated accompaniment patterns and echo phrases are combined and varied. Piano, flute, guitar and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Great for stretching, yoga practice and dance technique exercises.

-Practice breathing, spinal roll downs and other relaxation techniques.

-Mirror with a partner (A); shadow with a partner (B).

-Create a dance of 32 pulses to the music; perform the sequence in a four part canon with the music.

-Dance with scarves, ribbons or streamers. Create weaving patterns with a small group.

-Great music for the BrainDance!

Description:

In a tribute to the great American composer, Aaron Copland, a theme is repeated (tutti) between folk melodies on solo instruments. Xylophones, recorder, percussion, timpani and solo instruments.

Suggestions:

-See ideas for AB form songs on this CD.

-Dance with your whole body (A); dance with one body part (B) (C) (D) (E) etc.

-Dance with a partner for (A); dance alone on (B) (C) (D) etc.

-March around the space and play a percussion instrument on the steady pulse (A); put your
instrument down and dance freely through the space to a new instrument (B) (C) (D) (E) etc.

-Create a dance combination (16 pulses) and repeat it (A); freely improvise on (B) (C) (D) etc.; Make up a body percussion section for (A); improvise rhythms for (B) (C) (D) (E) etc.

-Sing the folk melodies with your group; play the melodies on the recorder; teach your class the orchestration (from Inspirations).

-Make up words to the melody for (A) with your group.

Description:

The same theme is re-orchestrated and played at three different speeds. Synthesized keyboards, guitar and percussion.

Suggestions:

-See ideas from other ABC form songs on this CD.

-Move at a medium pace (A), move at a slow pace (B), move at a fast pace (C).

-Play the medium pulse (A) on a hand drum, the slow pulse (B), the fast pulse (C).

-Dance with different weight or energy corresponding to (A) (B) and (C).

-Play the pulse or patterns of each section with a different percussion instrument: woods (A), metals (B), shakers (C).

-Create a 48-count movement or rhythmic sequence; play it at the three different paces.

Description:

The main theme is played soft and loud, alternating between soft and loud sections based on rhythms from familiar nursery rhymes. Piano, cello, bass, glockenspiel, harp and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Dance opposites for the soft and loud sections: light & strong, bound & free, sharp & smooth.

-Dance small on the soft sections, big on the loud sections.

-Sing the song with your students; play the orchestration (available from Tree Frog Productions).

-Play the steady pulse on your body; play it on a percussion instrument.

-Play the rhythmic patterns on your body; play them on a percussion instrument.

-Tap a pulse, slow, medium or fast on your partners shoulders; when the music changes, trade roles. Move the pulses into your feet.

-Nonlocomotor movement for the quiet sections; locomotor movement for the loud sections.

Description:

A staccato section (short, quick) of music alternates with a legato section (smooth, sustained) of music. Marimba, xylophone, strings, piano, recorder, flute and percussion.

Suggestions:

-See ideas from other AB form songs on this CD.

-Move in opposites: sharp & smooth, light & strong, bound & free, small & big, etc.

-Nonlocomotor movement for (A), locomotor movement for (B).

-Play or clap the quarter note (walk walk) pulse; play or clap the eighth note (running) pulse.

-Pat or play the strong-light-light grouping (meter) of the song on your body or a hand drum.

-Play wood instruments on the pulse or patterns (A); play metals instruments on the pulse or patterns (B).

-Learn the melody on the soprano recorder; sing the words to the song with your students (available from Tree Frog Productions).

Description:

A light, magical melody in Lydian mode alternates with a melody in Ionian mode (C major). Glockenspiel, piano and strings.

Suggestions:

-See ideas from other AB form songs on this CD.

-Practice the strong-light-light-strong-light grouping on your body; play the strong pulses on a hand drum.

-Create a dance about a seed growing into a flower, dying and returning to the earth.

-Dance with bound flow (A); dance with free flow (B); move high (A) and low (B).

-Move with light weight (A) and strong weight (B); dance with scarves (A) and without scarves (B).

-Improvise on glockenspiel for (A), triangles or shakers for (B).

-Create a dance story about a magical fairy (originally written for The Velveteen Rabbit).

Description:

Layers of repeated rhythmic patterns (ostinati) are created with snaps, claps, pats and stomps (body percussion).

Suggestions:

-Great for the BrainDance!

-Practice playing or moving pulses of different paces with the music; layer pulses, each group playing a different one simultaneously (whole, half, quarter, eighth).

-Improvise rhythmic patterns over the music using snaps, claps, pats and stomps.

-Create a chanted poem using the rhythms of the piece; chant ostinati (repeated patterns) against your poem to create an accompaniment.

-Transfer pulses and patterns of the piece to hand drums, congas or small percussion.

-Choreograph the piece using Stomp instruments: brooms, sticks, pans, garbage cans, etc.

-Works well for dance technique, feet exercises, aerobics.

Description:

Continuous, repeated layers of different voices including singing (vowels), vocal percussion (consonants), toning, over toning, humming, speech, whispers, chanting and baby laughter.

Suggestions:

-Great for BrainDance!

-Use for relaxation, yoga practice, stretching and breathing or feet exercises.

-One dancer starts moving; one dancer layers in with each addition of a vocal line.

-Create a body percussion accompaniment for the piece using ostinati (repeated patterns).

-Play or move the pulses of the piece: fast, medium and slow.

-Sing the parts or add other vocal lines using speech, sound effects and toning.

Description:

A pentatonic theme, combining wood, metal and skin percussion instruments alternates with ensemble sections from each percussion family (B = metals, C = woods, D = skins).

Suggestions:

-Great for BrainDance!

-Play all instruments together (A); (B) play metals, (C) play woods/shakers, (D) play drums.

-Dance together with your trio (A); solos (B) (C) and (D).

-Play or move to the pulse of the music; change your level or direction when the music changes.

-Play rhythmic patterns on your body or percussion instrument; change for each section.

-Explore different weight and energy for each section: (B) light, (C) medium, (D) strong, (A) all three.

-(A) travel through the space to find a partner; (B) mirror with your partner, (C) shadow with your partner, (D) shape with your partner.

-Practice opposites with each change of the music: high and low, locomotor and nonlocomotor, free and bound flow, with or without prop, multi and single focus, big and small, etc.

Description:

Jazzy music combining wind, string and percussion instruments including clarinet, tenor sax, horns, honky-tonk piano and violins.

Suggestions:

-Great for jazz technique, foot exercises, dance warm-up.

-Walk to the pulse; snap on the off-beat.

-Play shape museum. Make a shape, your partner dances away to copy someone else's shape. If someone copies your shape, you dance away to copy someone else. Vary the game.

-Practice working with props: balls, canes, instruments, hats, etc.

-Create rhythmic footwork sections and choreography for the piece.

Description:

Lively, Caribbean music combining layers of rhythmic and melodic patterns. Instruments include marimba, xylophone, guitar, acoustic bass, recorder and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Practice BrainDance patterns.

-Teacher moves for 8 pulses; the group echoes her movements; repeat; try with a partner.

-Practice the mambo dance step; try other two or four count steps with the music.

-Choose a locomotor movement (walking); when the music repeats change it to a new one.

-Play the different pulses of the piece; play the rhythmic patterns of the piece; improvise your own patterns on small percussion.

-Sing the song and learn the orchestration (available from Tree Frog Productions).

-Dance using opposities in 8-count phrases: high for 8 counts, low for 8 counts; try other combinations: forward/backward, fast/slow, strong/light, sharp/smooth, etc.

-With a partner, dance with a prop (ball); partner one dances with the ball for 16 counts, then tosses it to the other partner who dances with it for 16 counts.

-Create a percussion ensemble based on the rhythmic patterns of the piece: use congas, bongos, claves, maracas, cowbells and guiros.

-Excellent for practicing combinations, dance technique or aerobic exercises.

Description:

Sections with parallel harmonies (in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths and 6ths) alternate with sections of polyphonic harmony. Harp, glockenspiel, synthesized keyboards, harpsichord and bass.

Suggestions:

-See ideas for other AB form song on this CD.

-Blind mirroring with a partner (A), negative shape play with a partner (B).

-Explore opposites: smooth & sharp energy, free & bound flow, single and multi focus.

-Dance smoothly with scarves (A); shaping with scarves (B).

-Practice playing the pulses of the piece with body percussion or small instruments; change the pace of the pulses, fast, medium, slow.

-Create a clapping routine with a partner for the (B) section; improvise movement around the space for the (A) section.

-Great for BrainDance, stretching, and timed, rhythmic exercises.

-Play metals instruments for (A); play woods or hand drums for (B).

-Teacher leads mirroring with the group for (A); free improvisation to a new space for (B).

Description:

Funky, hip-hop style music with a repeated bass line accompaniment pattern. Synthesized keyboards, clavinet and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Create a hip-hop style choreography for the piece with your students.

-Great for BrainDance!

-Practice timed, rhythmic exercises, dance technique and aerobics.

-Shaping for (A), locomotor movement around the space for (B), improvise with snaps for (D). Each time (D) is repeated, change the body percussion (claps, pats, stomps).

-Create rhythms with a small group with Stomp type instruments: pans, brooms, buckets, garbage cans, etc.

-Pat the pulse of the piece on your shoulders; find the slow pulse; find the fast pulse. Play this pulse on a percussion instrument. Layer the pulses with other groups.

-Choose a prop and dance with it at different levels for each section of music.

-Create a drum ensemble improvisation on (C).

Description:

Lively music in 3/4 time, in three contrasting sections. Guitar, piano, glockenspiel, recorder, xylophones and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Dance with a partner in self space (A), shape with your partner (B), dance away from your partner to find a new one (C).

-Dance big (A), small (B) and medium (C); try the same idea using high, low, middle; forward/
backward, right/left, up/down; curved, straight, zigzag pathways;

-Waltz for (A), body percussion dance for (B), pulse shaping for (C).

-Dance with a prop (A), dance around your prop (B), dance away to find a new prop (C).

-Locomotor movement (A), shape and freeze (B), nonlocomotor movement (C).

-Tap the pulse of the music on your shoulders; play it on a percussion instrument.

-Play the strong-light-light pattern on a hand drum; find movements that fit with this grouping: sway, swing, waltz, rock, turn, spin, etc.

-Improvise rhythmic patterns on (B) with body or unpitched percussion instruments; improvise vocal sounds on (B).

-Play shakers for (A), drums for (B) and metals for (C).

-Sing the song and learn the orchestration (available in "The Body, The Voice, The Drum")

Description:

Lively, instrumental music with a Latin feel in 4/4 time. Xylophones, recorder, guitar and small percussion.

Suggestions:

-Move or play question and answer phrases: one person moves for four or eight counts, and her partner copies. When the music repeats, change the leader. Try the same thing using small percussion instruments.

-Play the pulse of the piece on your body or instrument; play a slow, medium and fast pulse. Layer the pulses, each group playing a different one.

-Learn to play the orchestration (available in "The Body, The Voice, The Drum").

-Practice BrainDance fundamental patterns, do foot exercises and other warm-ups.

-Play mirror and shadow with a partner; explore other opposites like high/low, changing directions, big/small, changing speeds, near/far, on/off balance, locomotor/nonlocomotor.

-Dance with one body part for eight or sixteen counts; change to a new body part.

-Play Sixteen Counts with a partner, dancing away for eight, then coming back together for eight.

-Do a shape dance to the music: whole, half or quarter note values.

Description:

Gentle, vocal music in 4/4 time. Each section is performed separately, and then together. Harp and glockenspiel accompaniment.

Suggestions:

-Learn the song and orchestration (available in "The Children's Corner").

-Tap the pulse of the music on your shoulders or on your partners shoulders; switch when the music changes.

-Create a dance-story for the piece about children playing inside while it rains, and then coming out to play when the sun returns.

-Use shakers, rainsticks and fingertips on hand drums to create rain sounds (A); use metal sounds to call back the sun (B).

-Great for breathing, relaxation, stretching and warm-ups.

-Create choreography with your students for each phrase of the text.

-Half of the group dances like the rain with scarves (A) while the other half freezes; when the music changes, the rain stops and the sun dancers dance with streamers (B).

-Mime different childhood games in small groups.

-Move in self space (nonlocomotor) for (A), move in general space (locomotor) for (B). Combine when the two sections are layered together.

Description:

Flowing instrumental music in 3/4 time. Recorder, piano, guitar, synthesizers and small percussion.

Suggestions:

-Great for practicing swinging, swaying, turning and spinning.

-Use for dance technique, foot and arm exercises, stretching and breathing.

-Play shape museum; copy or change the shape you see, then dance away.

-Create sequences around weight sharing, counterbalances and lifts.

-Practice mirroring with a partner; when the music repeats, shadow with your partner.

-Play the strong pulse of the music on your body or with small percussion. Tap the slow, medium and fast pulses on your lap.

-Improvise with a prop the first time through the music, dance away from your prop in general space as the music repeats, dance with a new prop the third time.

Description:

Funky, music with a hip-hop/rap twist in 4/4 time. Clavinet, bass, horns and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Learn the song and body percussion dance (available in "The Body, The Voice, The Drum").

-Pat the pulse on your body or play it on an instrument; try different paces of pulse, slow, fast and medium. Walk these pulses or find other ways to travel.

-Create a Seuss machine with a large group using your bodies; creating interacting parts, sounds, pulses and rhythmic patterns for your machine.

-Add body percussion to the poem section (C). Substitute rhyming words with body percussion.

-Walk to the pulse in different directions (A), find a partner (B), opposite shape play with your partner (up/down, right/left, forward/backward) (C).

-Dance, emphasizing a certain body part (head) (A), dance with your whole body (B), dance, emphasizing a different body part; repeat.

-Use the music to practice moving with different kinds of energy (sharp/smooth), weight (strong/light) and flow (free/bound).

Description:

Continuous, free rhythm, ambient music, with a sustained bass. Synthesizers.

Suggestions:

-Great for BrainDance, relaxation, breathing, stretching and yoga practice.

-Start as a small seed, cuddled around the core and slowly emerge and grow, moving more and more fully as the music continues.

-Alternate between bound and free flow movement.

-Improvise with triangels, chimes and recorders in Phrygian mode on E.

-Use for mirroring, shadowing and blind mirroring.

-Balance a chopstick between your palm and your partners palm and dance together slowly
without dropping the chopstick; vary the activity by using opposite hands, two chopsticks and exploring the space fully.

-Play Magic Scarf; one partner improvises, moving a small scarf about her self space while her partner dances, copying the scarf. Switch roles.

-Choose a movement theme, like water to ice, or a concept, like near/far, and improvise a dance around that theme or concept.

-Practice vocal toning and overtoning, inner humming and open vowels while in a meditative position.

Description:

Upbeat, 50's style vocal music in 4/4 Bossa Nova time.

Suggestions:

-Choreography the piece with your students.

-Learn the song (available from Tree Frog Productions).

-Play the pulses on your body or a percussion instrument, slow, medium and fast.

-Create a rhythmic ostinato (repeated pattern) and clap it against the music; when the music changes, change to someone else's pattern.

-Play percussion accompaniment with the song: congas, shakers, claves, cowbell, etc.

-Great for rhythmic exercises, dance technique, four count sequences.

Description:

Delicate instrumental music, based on phrases that echo and repeat in 4/4 time.

Suggestions:

-Use for mirroring and shadowing.

-Play Question/Answer Echo Phrases with a partner, using 8 count phrases.

-Play the pulse on your body or on a woodblock or triangle; try different pulses, slow, medium and fast.

-Play the rhythmic patterns of the piece; make up a complimentary pattern of your own and play it with the music.

-Move the pulse in your feet; move the patterns in your feet.

-Experiment with opposites: strong and light weight, big and small size, free and bound flow.

-Choose a lightweight prop (scarves, fabric, streamers) and improvise with it around a concept.

-Good for breathing and gentle stretching exercises.

Description:

Wacky, circus style music in Lydian mode and 3/4 time.

Suggestions:

-Play the pulses of the piece on your body or a percussion instrument; walk the pulse around the space.

-Emphasize the strong-light-light grouping with movement or hand drum.

-Practice swinging, swaying, turning, rocking or spinning.

-Great for feet, leg, head and arm exercises that involve circles.

-Create a mime for a three-ring circus or carnival.

-Mirror your partner for 24 counts; change leaders for the next 24 counts; repeat, shadowing.

-Divide the class into three groups: woods, metals and hand drums; each group creates a repeated rhythmic pattern (ostinato) and plays it with the music. When the music changes, trade instruments with someone in your group.

-Choose a fun prop (ball, ribbon stick, hat) and improvise with it to the music; try the same activity with a partner, working together with one prop.

Description:

Slow, sustained pulses of music in 4/4 time. Synthesizers.

Suggestions:

-Great for breath, relaxation, stretching and yoga practice.

-Walk gently about the space on the half note pulse; move faster on the quarter note pulse; spin or turn quickly on the eighth note pulse; repeat the sequence as the music repeats.

-Practice expanding and contracting, growing and shrinking, rising and falling.

-Create a dance with a partner focusing on free and bound flow.

-Dance in slow motion with a prop (ball, scarf, etc.); use different kinds of energy, strong and light.

-Create a dance improvising on metals (triangles, chimes, finger cymbals).

-Tap the pulse on your shoulders or play it softly on an instrument; slow, medium, fast.

-Use for mirroring and shadowing.

Description:

Fast, frantic instrumental music in 4/4 time. Xylophones, harpsichord and vibraslap.

Suggestions:

-Great for pulse activities, in eight count phrases.

-Play the pulse on your body or with a percussion instrument: slow, medium, fast.

-Use as a quick, aerobic warm-up piece.

-With a partner, create a dance of shapes and fast movement: one freezes while the other dances around fast, then switch with each 16 counts.

-Practice locomotor movements to the strong-light grouping.

-Create patterns to accompany the piece.

-With a trio or small group, make up a dance using hats or other props.

-Make up body percussion ostinati (repeated patterns) to the music.

-Travel forward through the space and change your direction at the end of each phrase.

Description:

Slow, flowing vocal music in 4/4 time. Vibraphone, xylophone, piano, recorder, glockenspiel, Native drum and small percussion.

Suggestions:

-Create a dance of walking in a circle or free space (A), do a shaping dance in different directions (B).

-Add hand drums and other percussion to your dance.

-Learn the song and orchestration (available in "Inspirations").

-Use large pieces of fabric (spandex) to create a blanket dance to the music.

-Tap the pulses of the music on your body.

-Use the music for breathing, relaxation, stretching or dance technique.

-Explore opposite aspects of different concepts through movement: self and general space, single and multi focus, free and bound flow, mirroring and shadowing, locomotor and nonlocomotor.

Description:

Upbeat, West African singing game in 4/4 time.

Suggestions:

-Learn the song, hand clapping game and orchestration. (Sheet music available in "The Body, The Voice, The Drum").

-Great for pulse exercises with body percussion, instruments or movement.

-Create a folk dance with your students: walk in a circle for 16 counts, turn and walk the opposite direction for 16 counts; 4 steps in, 4 steps out, 4 steps in, 4 steps out. Change these steps or add arm movements.

-Create repeated rhythmic patterns (ostinati) that fit with the music.

-See ideas for other AB form songs on this CD or Music For Dancers.

-Play Question/Answer Phrases with a partner using movement or instruments (A); travel away to find a new partner (B).

-Play 16 counts with a partner (A); dance away to find a new partner (B).

-Create a percussion ensemble based on the rhythmic patterns of the piece: use congas, hand drums, bells, shakers and claves.

Description:

Moderately flowing music in 3/4 time. Guitar, piano, recorder and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Create a combination using movements that fit in the strong-light-light grouping: waltz, sway, swing, turn, spin, circle rotations, etc.

-Play the strong-light-light pattern on a hand drum using fingertips and thumb.

-Great for breathing, relaxation, fundamental work, and stretching.

-Play Question/Answer Phrases with a partner using 12 or 24 count phrases.

-Use for mirroring and shadowing or a prop dance.

Description:

Slowly flowing, canonic music in a minor mode in 4/4 time. Guitar, piano, strings and bass hand drum..

Suggestions:

-Great for breathing, relaxation, fundamental work and stretching.

-Use for mirroring and shadowing with a partner or group.

-Play Echo Phrases with a partner; move for eight counts and your partner copies you for eight counts; switch roles.

-Learn the song and orchestration (available in "Inspirations").

-Create a movement sequence for each of the four phrases of the text and perform them in canon; improvise movement during the vocal improvisation.

-Walk to the pulses of the song; walk in different directions or integrate other concepts to vary the walking.

-Use for work with weight: counterbalances, weight sharings, lifts, etc.

-Create an accompaniment using repeated rhythmic patterns (ostinati) and percussion: chimes, finger cymbals, triangles, hand drums, shakers.

-Choreograph a dance of weaving using light weight fabric, scarves or streamers.

Description:

Playful music with character in a delightful 3/4 waltz style. String bass, woodblock, cabasa, harp, bell, clavinet, temple blocks, vibraphone, recorder and snare drum.

Suggestions:

-Learn the orchestration and dance (available in "Inspirations").

-Practice movements in the strong-light-light grouping: swinging, swaying, rocking, turning, spinning,waltzing, etc. Draw circles of different sizes with arms, legs and head to the music.

-Move like the character of the first instrument introduced; as each new instrument is added, change your movement.

-Create a dance of toys or childhood games.

-Choreograph a dance using a ball in a small group; try the same thing using different props.

-Play the strong pulse (1) on a hand drum; play the light pulses (2,3) on a woodblock.

-Improvise rhythms in body percussion or on instruments to the pulse, patterns and grouping of the piece.

-Travel across the space in a certain way: wobbling, off balance, shaping, etc.; when the music repeats, change the way you are moving.

-Begin mirroring with a partner; when the music changes (repeats), switch the leader; repeat the activity with shadowing.

Description:

Gentle vocal music with two interwoven melodies and a speech section in 4/4 time. Bass metallophone, xylophone, glockenspiel, recorder, tambourine, shakers, chimes and bongos.

Suggestions:

-Learn the song and orchestration (available in "The Children's Corner")

-Create a dance about the fall leaves: used colored scarves on the speaking part, develop simple choreography to go with each phrase of the lyrics. Students can start the dance as leaves on a tree, then dance away, then return.

-Tap the pulse on your partner's shoulders while sitting behind her; when the music changes, turn and switch roles; try different pulses, slow, medium and fast.

-Move in self space during the singing (A); move in general space during the speaking (B); explore other opposites to this music: bound and free flow, straight and curved pathways, strong and light weight, smooth and sharp energy, on and off balance, fast and slow.

-Mirror with a partner (A); shadow with a partner (B).

-Improvise the sounds of fall leaves with your voice, body or percussion instruments (B).

-Play pulses and patterns to create repeated rhythms that fit with the song.

-Play Echo Phrases with a partner; one partner moves for 4 slow pulses, the other repeats the movement.

-Create a combination and practice using the music: choose movements that are strong-light, like walking, step-touch, grapevine, etc.

Description:

Slow, sustained, ethereal vocal music in a four part round in 4/4 time. Synthesizer, guitar, harp, piano and strings.

Suggestions:

-Great for Braindance, breathing, relaxation, fundamental work, yoga practice and stretching.

-Use for mirroring, shadowing and partner dancing with props or using aspects of weight.

-Use as a cool down: walking slow, stopping, shaping and starting.

-Learn the song and orchestration (available in "Inspirations").

-Use your hands to indicate the pitch of the melody: raise them when the melody goes higher, lower them when the melody goes lower.

-Improvise using a prop around the concept of balance: balance on the prop, balance the prop on your body, balance without the prop, fall of balance to balance again with the prop; add a partner to vary the activity.

Description:

A driving percussion piece with vocals on the last repeat in 4/4 time. Congas, bass drum, bells, shakers, etc.

Suggestions:

-Learn the words and percussion (available in "Inspirations").

-Pat the pulse of the piece; change to a slower or faster pulse; play your pulse on a percussion instrument; share your pulse with a partner; play a different pulse from the one your partner plays.

-Divide the class into four groups, each playing a different pulse value: whole, half, quarter and eighth.

-Create a Question/Answer improvisation: leader plays a four, eight or sixteen pulse phrase, the group answers with a new rhythm.

-Use the basic rhythm pattern blocks of the piece to create an improvisation in a drum circle.

-Use the music for foot exercises, dance technique, combinations and other timed work.

-Pulse your body in self space (16) (A);move around the space with a pulse (16), then change your direction (16) (B); create a pulse with a partner (16) (C); shape with your partner on the pulse (16) (D); repeat the sequence.

-Do a directions dance: up/down (A), forward/backward (B), right/left (C), changing directions (D); repeat the sequence; try it using other concepts (pathways, levels, size).

Description:

Soft, flowing music with two interwoven vocal parts in 4/4 time. Guitar, piano, glockenspiel and small percussion.

Suggestions:

-Great for breathing, relaxation and stretching.

-Use for mirroring and shadowing with a partner or group.

-Create a dance of walking, in different directions and speeds.

-Tap the pulse on your shoulders; share the pulse with a partner.

-Play a triangle wherever you hear a rest in the melody (usually the end of each phrase).

-Learn the song and orchestration (available in "Inspirations").

-Use as a center dance piece with the story Harold And The Purple Crayon.

-Nonlocomotor (self space) movement (A), locomotor (general space) movement (B).

-Dance with light weight (A), create counter balances with a partner (B); repeat using focus.

Description:

Funky, hip-hop style music with a repeated bass line accompaniment pattern. Synthesized keyboards, clavinet and percussion.

Suggestions:

-Learn the song and orchestration (available in "Inspirations").

-Travel through general space (A), shape and freeze (B), improvise with body percussion(C).

-Play the pulse with body percussion or instruments; walk to the pulse around the space; change the pace of the pulses (slow, medium, fast).

-Shadow with a partner (A), mirror with a partner (B), travel around the space to find a new partner (C).

-Play the pulse on a percussion instrument (A), improvise with your instrument (B), play a pattern on your instrument (C); repeat the sequence while traveling through the space.

-Travel through the space and change directions at the end of each 16 pulse phrase.

-See ideas for other AB or ABC form songs on this CD.


8-12 Sticky Finger Suite (7:00)	Form: Five contrasting pieces

8. Ma-ching (1:37)

Form: ABC repeated Grouping: 4/4 Pace: Moderate