Notes:
• Option to mix class cohorts or do as a whole key stage collaboration task for the purpose of a final sharing project
• This lesson plan may be divided into a series of sessions – with teachers focussing on one or two of the dance skills each time, or all of them, depending upon the ability level of your cohort.

Lesson Objectives:

• To learn a segment of the dance from the show The Little Match Girl
• To be able to develop this into a performance using key dance skills

Suitable for pupils working at:

Key stage one and two levels

Preparatory tasks prior to delivery:

• Check you have access to the supporting dance tutorial. Teachers may wish to learn this prior to the lesson to deliver to students themselves, or have the option of displaying the tutorial for students to learn interactively with the video
• Check you have access to the production film
• Ensure you have access to a space suitable for dance such as a studio, gymnasium or main hall
• Check you have access to the supporting PowerPoint

Task One:

Share the storyline for the scene ‘Celebration of Christmas’ with the students on slide two of the PowerPoint. Then watch this scene again in the film, starting at 04:05 and watch up to 06:30. Discuss with students what they see within the scene and what they notice about the dance performance. Get them to consider style, energy, facial expressions, characterisation and how the performers interact with the audience.

Task Two:

Either use the video tutorial to teach students the dance repertoire or deliver this yourself.
Students working at key stage one level will then rehearse this to become a short performance piece. Students working at key stage two level can move on to task three.

Task Three (Suitable for students working at key stage two level):

May be split over several sessions, each session focusing on a different set of dance skills, or each skill set is given to a different group to develop a smaller piece and they can all be amalgamated to create one performance:

In this task students can develop an original piece of movement. They can develop this choreography using RADS dance skills (relationships, actions, dynamics and space). Their stimulus for the choreography will be ‘a family celebration’.

*Note: The definition of key words and terminology is provided on the supporting PowerPoint.

Part One

Display slide three of the PowerPoint for students. Teach them about the action skills: a turn, a jump and gesture. You may wish to ask students to give practical examples of these skills.

Action skills:

Gesture – A movement that expresses an idea or feeling. Example – a clap or point.

A turn – Moving the body in a circular motion. Example – moving 180 degrees to change direction.

A jump – Going up into the air by pushing off a surface. Example – a tuck jump.

In their groups of three ask them to begin developing their own piece of a family putting up decorations for a celebration with one another – using one or more of the action skills.

Part Two

Display slide four of the PowerPoint for students. Teach them about the relationship skills: contact, unison and mirroring. Again, you may wish to get students to give practical examples of these skills.

Definitions:

Contact – a point of connection between two or more dancers such as a hand, arm or foot. Example – a counterbalance holding hands.

Unison – dancers performing the same movement at the same time. Example – pick a small phrase for the repertoire and get two students to perform this in time with one another.

Mirroring – to do the same movement at exactly the same time facing one another as if the other dancer is their reflection in a mirror. Example – facing one another, one dancer raising the left arm to point to the sky, whist the other raises their right to point to the sky at the same time.

In their groups of three ask them to continue developing their choreography with the idea of a family celebration with the exchange of gifts using one or more of the relationship skills.

Part Three

Display slide five of the PowerPoint for students. Teach them about the space skills: levels, direct and indirect travelling, and patterns. Again, you may wish to get students to give practical examples of these skills.

Definitions:

Levels – the bodies distance to the ground: low, medium or high. Examples – a floor slide or a jump.

Direct or indirect traveling – moving from one place to another directly or indirectly. Examples – directly travelling in a straight line or indirectly zig-zagging across the space.

Patterns – tracing a design in the air, floor or space using the body. Examples – creating a wave movement from the right arm to the left arm or tracing circle on the floor with the right foot.

Continuing in their groups of three, ask them to further develop their choreography with the idea of a family coming together for a celebratory feast, using one or more of the spatial skills.

Part Four

Display slide six of the PowerPoint for students. Teach them about the dynamic skills: fast and slow. You may wish to get students to give practical examples of these skills.

Dynamic skills:

Fast – moving quickly to the music. Example – travelling with a sense of urgency like the hare.

Slow – moving gradually to the music. Example – moving across the room at a gradual pace like the tortoise.

Concluding their choreographic task to create a performance piece in their groups of three, ask students to finish their choreography with the idea of the excitement of a celebration, using one or more of the dynamic skills.

Part Five

Ask students to rehearse their performance piece ready for the final project performance. When rehearsing, ask students to think about their performance skills and, use of facial expressions and body language to help convey the story.