Folk Dances Beyond the Circle Dances for Upper Elementary Music Presented By BethAnn Hepburn Sponsored by Music Is Elementary Erie Canal Sashay the Donut Waves of Tory Mexican Mixer Sashay The Donut American Folk Dance New England Dance Masters: or any other jig or reel Formation - double circle, partners facing Section I with partner 8 beats - do-si-do partners are in opposite circles 8 beats - do-si-do (return) 8 beats - right hand turn 8 beats - left hand turn 8 beats - two hand turn Section II Sashay the Donut The head couple sashays through the alley with each couple falling in behind. When the each couple returns to their starting place, they drop hands and open up allowing the following couples to come through. The next time (after a repeat of section I), the last couple acts as the head couple.
Folk Dance Progression: Forms and Skills Suggested Teaching Sequence Formation Individual, Scattered, Moving, (Locomotor) Still (nonlocomotor) Pairs, 3 s 4 s Nonlocomotor Changing places Lines, moving Circle open or closed, still or moving, direction changes Music, or Dance Element reaction to cues individual movement change places Mirror, clapping games,echo play, body percussion movement improvisations Stop and go Change leaders, Imitation w/o instruments, Reaction games One or none in the middle, changing partners, special awareness around, feet with beat! Goals and concepts Body awareness, spatial sense, Relationship of self to others Bilateral, and unilateral Cooperation with partner, coordination with partner, Simultaneous imitation Bilateral Alternating, crossing midline Use of space, reaction to cues, responsibility of leading & improvising, foot patterns increase with difficulty over time Community, focus, rules, and sequences, metric awareness & form lines facing, body facing changes, directions changes Stepping with music on beat, move as a group, changing leaders use of space, musical phrase and sequences
Double circle, Pairs moving, Partner changes Phrase length & irregular changes Weavings, if single circle Uneven steps/metric changes Precision of beat, and rhythmic sequences Sets, corner & partner Phrase length, complex: ex ABBCCD Multiple skills, sequences and partners & corners, locomotion in relation to place Changing Group form Sophisticated steps and sequences formality Dalcroze Eurhythmics Quick Reaction Exercises Quick reaction exercises are a great tool to prepare phrase lengths for folk dances. Replacement exercises can also be utilized: Disappearing Beat Starting with duple, play the disappearing beat game in 8 beat phrases. Begin by counting Eight beats Repeat and speak 1-7 and clap on 8 Repeat process until you get to one, ending up with clapping all 8 beats Try again, this time adding locomotion, changing direction after claps, on each new beat one. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 clap & change direction 2 3 4 5 6 clap clap clap clap clap 5 4 3 2 change Reverse the cycle Clap on ONE then walk 2-8 Clap on One, Two then walk 3-8 ect.
More Complex: Formation changes Waves of Tory Irish Folk Dance Sanna Longden Formation: two long ways sets, with a small space between, and Two head couples on opposite ends. Lines join hands, in two three, touch back two three touch (1-8) Head toward the next line again, but group 1 goes under (2-16) Repeat, group two goes under & everyone ends back at home (17-32) Head couples sashay all the way through the entire set (through the other group), & back home Peel the banana & top couples make a bridge at the foot All others file underneath the foot couple, changes sides and begins the Waves, going under the set behind to start the pattern, returning back down the set, change sides at the end both times. Helpful Hints Color coding the formations is very helpful for the visual learner, and also to help students with a sense of spacing, and getting back to the right place for dances with body facing changes or formation changes. Poly spots are great for marking partners, the head couple, sets, or concentric circles in upper grades, or creating a circle with the k-1 students. Colored painters tape also works well on tile floors. Example: long ways set with head couple marked: Eric Canal Song Two-part choral score with folk dance: Crooked River Choral Project. arr.: Cyndee Giebler This combines the Waves from the Waves of Tory & double dance set formations 4 person sets arranged as a concentric circle. A Section with Four Person Sets 8 Beats do si do partner right pass 8 Beats do si do partner return left 8 Beats do si do corner right pass 8 Beats do si do corner return left Right hand star 8 beats Left hand star 7 beats beat 8 change facing one set CW on CCW B Section Concentric Circles with partner Each partner set changes opposite directions to travel CW & CCW. Pass over under with hands joined.
Mexican Mixer Mexico Rhythmically Moving #3 Formation: Concentric Circle Pairs in skaters hold Section I Beats 1-8Concentric Circle Pairs in skaters hold CCW **Still CCW forward forward forward turn Back Back Back back CCW **Still CCW forward forward forward Back Back Back back Pairs traveling CCW Pairs in skaters holdpairs in skaters holdpairs in skaters hold turn In skater s hold for A Section II Inside circle faces outward Outside Circle faces inward holding hands with opposite circle Step into the space, out of the space Turn with your partner Step into the space, out of the space Your neighbor is your partner