Folk Dancing and Music Literacy:
The Alberta Program of Studies for Elementary Music lists Moving as one of its skills for students to learn, and a specific outcome is dedicated to folk dancing. However, this is not the only skill that is touched on through folk dancing. To teach a dance to students, I start with showing them the movements, and often have them count how many beats I've moved. This touches on the rhythm concept. If, for example I demonstrated a 4-beat phrase to the students, and the whole section is 32 beats, we talk about the math in the concept of form. How many times does 4 fit into 32? We discover that it is very common in folk dances for all sections to be of equal length. If section A is 32 beats, then so is section B and other sections. It is helpful to listen to the music we will be dancing to and I give the students things to listen for. They find out the length of the introduction, and listen for when the music changes from one section to another or one phrase to another. They match the movements to the music in their heads or with their fingers before we put music and movement together. This involves using listening skills, as well as the concepts of melody (discovering that music is made up of phrases) and expression (tempo and dynamic changes). One folk dance we did involved students coming up with the movements for Section B, which gave an opportunity for folk dancing to touch on the musical skill of creating as well.
The Alberta Program of Studies for Elementary Music lists Moving as one of its skills for students to learn, and a specific outcome is dedicated to folk dancing. However, this is not the only skill that is touched on through folk dancing. To teach a dance to students, I start with showing them the movements, and often have them count how many beats I've moved. This touches on the rhythm concept. If, for example I demonstrated a 4-beat phrase to the students, and the whole section is 32 beats, we talk about the math in the concept of form. How many times does 4 fit into 32? We discover that it is very common in folk dances for all sections to be of equal length. If section A is 32 beats, then so is section B and other sections. It is helpful to listen to the music we will be dancing to and I give the students things to listen for. They find out the length of the introduction, and listen for when the music changes from one section to another or one phrase to another. They match the movements to the music in their heads or with their fingers before we put music and movement together. This involves using listening skills, as well as the concepts of melody (discovering that music is made up of phrases) and expression (tempo and dynamic changes). One folk dance we did involved students coming up with the movements for Section B, which gave an opportunity for folk dancing to touch on the musical skill of creating as well.
Folk Dancing and Physical Literacy
Teaching movement and dance is a sequential process. Younger students experiment with symmetrical locomotor and non-locomotor movements and spatial relationships in personal space. Older students will progress to more complex, collaborative dances that focus on phrasing and steady beat, and sequence locomotor-and non-locomotor movements in structured formations such as concentric circles and long-way sets.
My Kindergarten students are beginning to demonstrate that they are realizing 4-beat phrases when we play Walk and Stop (walk-walk-walk-stop). They know that I will always say 'stop' on the 4th beat. They are able to do symmetrical non-locomotor movements that are repeated (clap-clap-clap-clap-snap-snap-snap-snap) and they love locomotor movements, particularly jumping.
Grade 2s are able to sequence alternating and symmetrical movements for two movements (e.g. alternating knees 4x, clap 4x). At this point, their ability to master moving to longer phrases is linked to how they feel the 8-beat phrase. These students can do 2-section folk dances in scatter formation. We did try a long-way set dance but they were not ready just yet.
Grade 3s can increase the number of alternating and symmetrical movement in a 8-beat phrase (e.g. alternating kicks 4x, clap 2x, snap 2x). These students are able to perform a number of folk dances in circle, line and scatter formation, and are showing their proficiency in feeling those 8-beat phrases.
My Grade 4 students have worked on a variety of more complicated, collaborative dances involving partners in scatter, line, circle, concentric circle and long-way set formation. They are demonstrating proficiency in moving to 4, 8 and 16 beat phrases involving a variety of alternating and symmetrical movements, and locomotor and non-locomotor movements.
Teaching movement and dance is a sequential process. Younger students experiment with symmetrical locomotor and non-locomotor movements and spatial relationships in personal space. Older students will progress to more complex, collaborative dances that focus on phrasing and steady beat, and sequence locomotor-and non-locomotor movements in structured formations such as concentric circles and long-way sets.
My Kindergarten students are beginning to demonstrate that they are realizing 4-beat phrases when we play Walk and Stop (walk-walk-walk-stop). They know that I will always say 'stop' on the 4th beat. They are able to do symmetrical non-locomotor movements that are repeated (clap-clap-clap-clap-snap-snap-snap-snap) and they love locomotor movements, particularly jumping.
Grade 2s are able to sequence alternating and symmetrical movements for two movements (e.g. alternating knees 4x, clap 4x). At this point, their ability to master moving to longer phrases is linked to how they feel the 8-beat phrase. These students can do 2-section folk dances in scatter formation. We did try a long-way set dance but they were not ready just yet.
Grade 3s can increase the number of alternating and symmetrical movement in a 8-beat phrase (e.g. alternating kicks 4x, clap 2x, snap 2x). These students are able to perform a number of folk dances in circle, line and scatter formation, and are showing their proficiency in feeling those 8-beat phrases.
My Grade 4 students have worked on a variety of more complicated, collaborative dances involving partners in scatter, line, circle, concentric circle and long-way set formation. They are demonstrating proficiency in moving to 4, 8 and 16 beat phrases involving a variety of alternating and symmetrical movements, and locomotor and non-locomotor movements.
Folk Dancing and Social-Emotional Well-Being:
Folk dancing has existed for centuries, and has long been a way to bring people together to celebrate and express joy. In folk dancing, students are collaborating with eachother, especially in partner dances. We have rules for this– no awkward partners. This means students always greet eachother, help their partner follow instructions if necessary, and thank their partner at the end of the dance. We have movement expectations – stay in your own space, stay in control of yourself, listen without talking. These are important social skills that will always benefit students. Dancing is inclusive. All students are welcome and all students participate. The movements we learn are transferrable from one dance to another, and it gives students who may not excel in other physical activity or more competitive environments a chance to shine. Whole-group activities give people a sense of community and belonging. No one is better than the other because they are all doing the same thing. This sense of community is so important, especially in the pandemic world we live in today. These students have been working on things like no awkward partners as long as they’ve been taking music at MMH, but still, it is obvious that they are comfortable being partners with anyone in their class, working together to ensure a great experience for all.
A challenge I had to face during my project is the fact that as much as I’d love to, I simply couldn't do this with all my classes. Some of my classes require high levels of management and moving around is something they just cannot handle most of the time. This led me to conclude that although folk dancing can indeed promote student social-emotional well-being, students must collectively be at a certain point in their social-emotional learning to be able to handle these kinds of activities.
Folk dancing has existed for centuries, and has long been a way to bring people together to celebrate and express joy. In folk dancing, students are collaborating with eachother, especially in partner dances. We have rules for this– no awkward partners. This means students always greet eachother, help their partner follow instructions if necessary, and thank their partner at the end of the dance. We have movement expectations – stay in your own space, stay in control of yourself, listen without talking. These are important social skills that will always benefit students. Dancing is inclusive. All students are welcome and all students participate. The movements we learn are transferrable from one dance to another, and it gives students who may not excel in other physical activity or more competitive environments a chance to shine. Whole-group activities give people a sense of community and belonging. No one is better than the other because they are all doing the same thing. This sense of community is so important, especially in the pandemic world we live in today. These students have been working on things like no awkward partners as long as they’ve been taking music at MMH, but still, it is obvious that they are comfortable being partners with anyone in their class, working together to ensure a great experience for all.
A challenge I had to face during my project is the fact that as much as I’d love to, I simply couldn't do this with all my classes. Some of my classes require high levels of management and moving around is something they just cannot handle most of the time. This led me to conclude that although folk dancing can indeed promote student social-emotional well-being, students must collectively be at a certain point in their social-emotional learning to be able to handle these kinds of activities.
"Dancing teaches inclusion and cooperation; everyone is part of the dance and everyone helps make it work. No one competes with anyone else. To become part of a dance circle or line requires not only cooperation, but acceptance of one another" (Kraus, 2002).
References:
Adelson, M. (2017). Folk dancing for little folks. Teaching Music, 24(3), 55. Retrieved from
https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.uleth.ca/trade- journals/folk-dancing-little-folks/docview/1973006309/se-2?accountid=12063
Kraus, A. M. (2002). Do-Si-Do and away you go. Teaching Pre K - 8, 32(6), 54-55. Retrieved from
https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.uleth.ca/trade-journals/do-si-away-you-go/docview/231927916/se-2?accountid=12063
Further Reading:
Folk dances for Elementary Schools: https://dynamicmusicroom.com/folk-dances-for-elementary-students/
Benefits of Dance for Children: https://dancelondonstudio.com/5-ways-children-benefit-from-dance-classes/
Benefits for Movement for Children: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/move-body-grow-brain-donna-wilson
Benefits of Music and Movement: https://www.educationalplaycare.com/blog/benefits-of-music-and-movement/
Adelson, M. (2017). Folk dancing for little folks. Teaching Music, 24(3), 55. Retrieved from
https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.uleth.ca/trade- journals/folk-dancing-little-folks/docview/1973006309/se-2?accountid=12063
Kraus, A. M. (2002). Do-Si-Do and away you go. Teaching Pre K - 8, 32(6), 54-55. Retrieved from
https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.uleth.ca/trade-journals/do-si-away-you-go/docview/231927916/se-2?accountid=12063
Further Reading:
Folk dances for Elementary Schools: https://dynamicmusicroom.com/folk-dances-for-elementary-students/
Benefits of Dance for Children: https://dancelondonstudio.com/5-ways-children-benefit-from-dance-classes/
Benefits for Movement for Children: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/move-body-grow-brain-donna-wilson
Benefits of Music and Movement: https://www.educationalplaycare.com/blog/benefits-of-music-and-movement/