4.1 Warming up the body

• if the dance is composed mainly of curves and flowing lines, the ground plan should be in curves and circles;
• if the dance is composed mainly of curves and flowing lines, the ground plan should be in curves and circles.
• Experiment with the movements made in Exercise 2 and explore direction, levels (low, middle and high), symmetry and asymmetry while working on different ground plans.
• Choose a ballad or a popular up-tempo song with a definite 4/4 beat for this exercise.

4. Improvisation

• You are free to move in any way you please, but must adhere to the following:

• choose music to suit the moods of the exercises
• travel (moving from one place to another)
• turn (to move around an axis )
• elevation (to move to a higher level)
• gesture (motion of the hands, head or body to express or emphasise an idea or emotion)
• weight transference (to change body weight from one point to another)
• levels (middle, high, low)
• symmetry and asymmetry
• pace, pulse and phrasing
• force (yielding to and resisting gravity)
• active and passive movement

The Forest Fire:

• Some of you have to visualise yourselves as gazelles happily grazing in a forest.
• A little flame (another learner) leaps up in one group, then another, until the whole forest is ablaze (learners depicting flames), and the terrified gazelles try to escape.
• As the fire gradually dies down the gazelles leap away to safety.

The Smooth and Rough Sea:

• You are to be bobbing corks, floating planks or swimmers.
• The sea is smooth, the corks, planks or swimmers, float happily on top.
• The sea becomes rough and angry, but cannot defeat the corks, planks.
• If swimmers are used, they can either triumph or sink.

Activity 3:

To create and present dance sequences: right to choose and disability in dance

[lo 1.3]

• Take a look again at the information on human rights in the drama module.

1. Right to Choose

• Divide up into groups of six to eight.
• Choose the theme of your dance from the rights of the child.
• Improvise a dance taking into consideration the following requirements:

• music to suit the mood of the chosen theme;
• the five basic body activities (refer to Grade 6 Module 4: Dance);
• choreographic design concepts (refer to Activity 2.2).

• Rehearse your dance.
• Perform your dance to the other groups.

2. Disability in Dance

• Divide up into three groups:

• Group A: Sitting on chairs (paraplegics).
• Group B: Standing (as in A but able to stand).
• Group C : Walking ( those who can manage to walk – they may have no arms, or only one, and their legs perhaps in callipers, but some have quite good leg movements, and can even run and kick).

• Place yourselves in two groups, one on each side of the room, so that you can see the effect of what the group opposite is doing.
• Group A: each group to consist of a line sitting on chairs.
• Group B: a line standing behind the chairs.
• Group C: a circle that moves around those sitting and standing.
• Experiment with arm and body movements, taking note of the following:

• gesture with full range of motion;
• levels (middle, high low);
• weight transference;

• direction (front, behind, beside, under);
• symmetry and asymmetry;
• resisting and yielding to gravity;
• active and passive movement;
• isolation and combination of body parts (arms, head, torso);
  • Group A and B can do the same arm and body movements.
  • It is effective if the movements are reversed or you can do two different exercises at the same time to make a pattern.
  • Croup C must experiment with walking, foot and leg movements taking the five basic body activities into consideration.
  • Those who are able can also run and hop.
  • Those who are left standing should clap their hands in time, grouped at each end of the sitting line.
  • Group C must also experiment with floor patterns and grouping, taking Groups A&B into consideration.
  • Choreograph a dance to music of your choice.
  • Perform the dance.