Diane Louise Jordan finds out about forces, with dances inspired by springs.
1. Zingy springy springs!
First the children think about everyday things that push, pull and stretch. Then the first focus is on springs as they ‘compress’ (squash down) and then ‘release’ their energy. In groups, the children become a ‘box of springs’ and bounce around the space, then experiment with being old-fashioned clockwork toys, winding-up, travelling, slowing down and stopping. Finally they relax as expanding elastic bands!
Resources
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Download the audio for this dance session as an mp3 file.
Teacher's Notes
Guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit with your group (pdf)
Movement focus
Action: Stretching arms, upper body and legs; hunching low.
Dynamics: Slow and squashed down; sudden jumps; waiting to release energy; jerky, mechanical, clockwork movements; varying speed of movement.
Space: Travelling with stretches; safe landings in a new space; bouncing around the space; exploring pathways.
Relationships: Avoiding collisions; hunching in a tight group; half-class giving feedback to other half; group co-operation and choreography; varying start-and-stop times between performers.
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