2.2 Atrs and culture: danse to research a dance ritual  (Page 2/2)

• Keep legs open and knees bent, and lift feet alternately (repeat eight times).
• Bring feet together and walk on the spot (eight counts).
• Combine walking on the spot with opening and closing legs (eight counts).
• Walk on the spot. Lift arms up and down (repeat eight times).
• Walk on the spot. Repeat breathing exercise.

The warm up should take at least three minutes and no more than five minutes.

You should be breathing normally throughout the warm-up.

Activity 3:

To establish mutual trust with a dance partner

[lo 4.1]

In order for you to do your dance successfully, trust needs to be established between you and your partner.

Your partner must be the same height as you are.

 Face your partner and hold both his/her hands. Place your feet as close to your partner’s feet as possible and pull back with all your weight.

 Hold this position for a while.

 Stand next to your partner and face forwards. Hold one hand. Place feet together and pull away from each other.

 Change hands while turning to face the backwards.

 One of the partners stands with his/her back to the other partner. Take turns in falling backwards and being caught by your partner.

 Combine these trust exercises into a sequence.

 Explore simple arm movements.

 Explore turning.

Note: This exercise is to be done without vocalisation, as you are to concentrate on balance and timing.

Activity 4:

To explain and demonstrate the wedding dance

[lo 4.1]

The previous trust activity acts as preparation for the Wedding Dance. This dance will be done with partners.

Use the information about a wedding ritual you have researched, and do the following:

 Demonstrate your chosen wedding ritual to the rest of the class.

 Choose from all the dances demonstrate one wedding ritual.

 Step in lines and circles as in a procession.

 Introduce opening/closing, swaying and turning actions to represent togetherness.

 Work on motifs based on bowing, lifting, reaching, lowering, crouching, opening, closing, turning, kneeling, involving moving in unison, leading and following.

 Share ideas and build up a ceremonial wedding dance made up of slow step patterns, clear body shapes and exaggerated gestures.

 Choose ritualistic pieces of music with regular rhythms from several cultures.

 Discuss the differences in spiritual expression between them.

 Explore the emotion involved in a wedding ceremony.

 Explore props and costumes used for a wedding ceremony.

Activity 5:

To cool down and stretch after dance exercises

[lo 4.1]

It is important for the muscles used during the exercise to be stretched or you will have “stiff” muscles for about three days.

Choose music with a slow tempo.

 Lie on you back on the floor, arms above your head and legs straight.

 Lengthen your body by reaching with your arms and pointing your toes. Hold stretch for eight counts and release.

 Bring arms to your sides.

 Bend your knees, keeping your feet on the floor.

 Bring one leg onto your chest. Hold the leg with both hands and pull toward your body. (Hold for eight counts) .

 Straighten the bent knee and pull leg towards your head (do not force the stretch). Hold for eight counts.

 Change legs.

 Bring both legs into your body and hug your legs. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the floor. Hold for eight counts.

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 Drop knees to the left side. Keep upper body and shoulders on the floor, with arms stretched to the sides.

 Change to right-hand side.

 Return legs to centre position. Sit up, with knees bent and hands on knees. Straighten your back. Pull your body forward between your knees, keeping your hands on your knees.

 Slowly get up onto your feet by lifting your buttocks off the floor.

 Slowly curl upwards, keeping knees bent. Head comes up last.

 Shake all moveable parts of the body.

All stretches should be held for eight counts/beats.

The cool-down should not be shorter than three minutesor longer than five minutes.

All stretches should be done slowly to avoid injury.

Assessment