wYse
Dance
1
Teachers Note
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Explain what the 5 actions of dance
are
Decide a theme and show various
Stimuli (i.e. poems, pictures, video
clips, or do a flip chart thought
shower on the THEME )
Have some music or percussion
instrument ready to further assist
2
Dance Action Chart
Actions
Action
Words
Combine Actions to
make a motif –
look at different
body parts
TRAVEL
Dart, scamper, tip,
plod, stride, rush,
zoom, zip, dash,
prowl, crawl, skip,
hop, zig-zag etc
Travelling/turning
Darting/spinning
Travelling/jumping
Scamper/leaping
TURN
Swirl, twirl, wind,
whirl, spin, whip,
pivot, coil,
pirouette etc
Turning/jumping
Whirl/explode
Turning/gesture
Wind/sink
Leap, explode, fly,
pounce, toss,
shoot, pop, hop,
bound etc
Jumping/stillness
Toss/freeze
Jumping/travelling
Bound/crawl
JUMP
GESTURE
STILLNESS
Twist, gather,
flop, crumplet,
stretch, surround,
jab, slice, point
etc
Gesture/jumping
Crumple/pop
Gesture/stillness
Slice/hold
Pause, hold, rest,
wait, die, linger,
freeze, sleep etc
Stillness/travelling
Linger/tip
Stillness/jumping
wait/explode
Space
LEVELS
High
Medium
Low
DIRECTIONS
Forwards
Backwards
Diagonally
Sideways
PATHWAYS
On the floor
In the air
Dynamics/
Qualities
WEIGHT
Strong
Light
Heavy
SPEED
Quick
Slow
Sudden
Sustained
RHYTHM
Metric
Non-metric
Relationships
Alone
Class with
teacher
(pr 1, 2)
In twos
(pr 2, 3)
In threes
(pr 3, 4)
Small groups
(pr 5, 6 and 7)
Large groups
(pr 7)
Follow my leader
FLOW
Sustained
Interrupted
Match/Mirroring
Question and
Answer phrases
Working in canon
3
Teachers Note
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Using the various stimuli and music/percussion get the
pupils to experiment with each of the 5 actions of
dance (encourage them to keep to the theme if
possible)
Put the 5 action cards up around the gym with the
action words and examples to allow pupils to get seek
help if they need it.
Get pupils to Show and Share examples of the 5
different actions
Record new moves/names on the Class Notation
Sheets
Join 1 or 2 examples of each of the 5 actions to make a
MOTIF/ROUTINE
Now ask pupils to split into groups or on their own to
make their own routine/motif
4
TRAVEL (action words)
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Dart
Scamper
Tip Toe
Plod
Stride
Rush
Zoom
Zip
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Dash
Prowl
Crawl
Skip
Hop
Zig Zag
Creep etc
5
TRAVEL ACTIONS
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Skip
Side slip
Hop
Jump
Leap
Cross over run
Tip toe
Move backwards
Turning
Bottom slide
Big Step and Little Steps
Sliding or Gliding
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Bear crawl
Crab walk
Centipede walk
Snake slide
Dolphin Wave
Crocodile creep
Bunny jump
Cat spring
Teddy bear roll
Horse Trot
Tumble weed
etc
6
CLASS TRAVEL ACTIONS
(notation sheet)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
7
TURN (action words)
 Swirl
 Coil
 Twirl
 Pirouette
 Wind
 Whip
 Whirl
 Pivot
etc
 Spin
8
TURNING ACTIONS
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Spinning Turn
Pirouette
Pivot turn
Bottom spin (street dance)
Shoulder spin
(breakdancing)
Knee turn
Step Turn
Forward roll
Backwards roll
Egg roll
Log roll
Teddy Bear/Circle Roll
Side Roll from kneeling
(james bond style
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Dish Roll
Dive forward Roll
Walking Bridge
Skilled entrance to roll
(e.g. stillness or leap into
a Fwd roll)
Skilled Exit from Roll (e.g.
backwards roll to straddle
or jump)
Cartwheel
Hand Spring
Head Spring
Use another person to
turn with or over or
around
9
CLASS TURNING ACTIONS
(notation sheet)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
10
JUMP (action words)
Leap
Pop
Explode
Hop
Fly
Bound
Pounce
shoot
11
JUMP ACTIONS
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Star jump
Straight jump
Tuck jump
Pike
Straddle
½ turn
¾ turn
Full turn
Highland dancer/stag
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One foot to one foot
HOP
One foot to other foot
LEAP
One foot to Two feet
STRIDE
Two foot to One foot
STRIDE
Two feet to Two feet
JUMP
12
CLASS JUMPING ACTIONS
(notation sheet)
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
13
STILLNESS (action words)
 Pause
 Linger
 Hold
 Freeze
 Rest
 Sleep
 Wait
 Lie,
etc
 Die
14
STILLNESS/BALANCE ACTIONS
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Gymnastic Y position
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X (upright or on side)
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L (standing, sitting or lying) 
K (standing or lying)
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Sealion
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Butterfly
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Stork/Tree
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Swan
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Frog
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Crab
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Spider
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Woodchopper
V sit / V Legs
Dish (front or back)
Bridge
Front Support/Slide
Back Support/Slide
Side Support
Scale
Shoulder Stand
Headstand
Handstand
15
STILLNESS (points of balance)
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Body Parts STILLNESS
Hard
 1 body part
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
body
body
body
body
body
body
body
parts
parts
parts
parts
parts
parts
parts
To
Easy
16
CLASS STILLNESS ACTIONS
(notation sheet)
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
17
GESTURE (action words)
1.
 Twist
2.
 Gather
3.
 Flop
4.
5.
 Crumple
6.
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7.Wave
8.
 Stretch
 Surround
 Jab
 Slice
 point
18
GESTURE ACTIONS
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Handshake
Waving
Punching
Kicking
Crying
Flying arms
Wave Motion
Mimicking a sports
action
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Wobbling like a
jelly fish
Puzzled/confused
Angry arms
Playing the Wii
Falling down
Scared/Fearful
Action
Etc etc etc……..
19
CLASS GESTURE ACTIONS
(notation sheet)
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1.
2.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
20
Teachers Note
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Now that pupils have established moves
to accompany each action and possibly
created a Themed CLASS MOTIF, get
them to investigate ‘Body Parts’
Different body parts can be used to create
even more moves e.g. turn on feet, turn
on knees, turn on bottom, turn on 1 foot
and 2 hands etc
This should help the class to feel
confident filling in the Dance Action
NOTATION SHEETS
21
BODY PARTS used in movement
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Head
Shoulders
Arms
Elbows
Wrists
Hands
Fingers
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Torso
Hips
Legs
Knees
Ankles
Feet
Toes
22
Class Motif (notation sheet)
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1.
2.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
23
Teachers Note
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Once pupils have created a class motif
discuss Relationships of Dance with them.
Can they create a different motif or adapt
the same motif using the different
relationships identified (e.g. work in a
small group, or on their own)
Can get them to do a lucky dip to decide
how they will work (hand in the hat to
pull out the relationship they will have)
24
RELATIONSHIP of movement
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Alone
Class with teacher
leading
Class with pupil
leading
In pairs
In threes
Small groups
Large groups
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Follow my leader
Mirroring
Matching
Question and
answer phrases
Working in cannon
25
Teachers Note
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Now discuss the SPACE of dance
(Where in space can you
perform). Using different levels,
directions and pathways)
You can use the task cards created
to help with this (pg 38 – 43)
26
SPACE of movement
Including;
Levels, Directions and Pathways
27
LEVELS of movement
High
Medium
Low
28
DIRECTIONS of movement
Forwards
Backwards
Diagonally
Sideways
(right
and left)
Up/Down
29
PATHWAYS of movement
Straight
Curved
On the floor
In the air
Zig
Zag
Circular
30
Teachers Note
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Now discuss the other Dynamics of
dance (the how of speed, weight,
rhythm and flow)
This should help create even more
quality to the motif you have
created.
You can use the Secret message
cards to help with this (pg 44 – 52)
31
DYNAMICS of movement
To account for:
Weight, Speed, Rhythm and Flow.
32
WEIGHTof movement
Strong
Light
Heavy
33
SPEED of movement
Quick
Slow
Sudden
Sustained
34
RHYTHM of movement
Metric
Non-metric
35
FLOW of movement
Sustained
Interrupted
36
Task Cards
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Give these work-cards to the pupils and ask them
to make up a motif.
Get the performing pupil/s to read out their Task
Card
Show and share the motif with rest of the class or
another group
Observing pupils could give ‘x’ factor points for all
the elements achieved
EACH CARD HAS A DEVELOPMENT QUALILTIY
SUCH AS A CHANGE IN SPACE OR DYMNAMIC.
Once children have achieved the first part they
may add the development.
37
Task Card A
Can you make up a motif/phrase that
includes:
 1 gesture
 2 stillness
 3 jumps
 NOW ADD………….
 2 travels – to include a DIAGONAL
DIRECTION
 1 turn
A possible 7 ‘x’ factor points to be gained
38
Task Card B
Can you make up a motif/phrase that
includes:
 2 travels
 A jump
 A stillness
 And a turn
NOW ADD………
 a STRAIGHT and CIRCULAR PATHWAY
A possible 7 ‘x’ factor points to be gained
39
Task Card C
Can you make up a motif/phrase that
includes:
 A gesture
 A jump
 A stillness
 And a travel
NOW ADD………….
 QUICK and SUSTAINED SPEED
A possible 6 ‘x’ factor points to be gained
40
Task Card D
Can you make up a motif/phrase that
includes:
 2 forms of travel
 2 forms of turning
 2 types of gesture
NOW ADD……………
DIFFERENT LEVELS by including:
 A HIGH jump
 A LOW stillness
A possible 8 ‘x’ factor points to be gained
41
Task Card E
Can you make up a motif/phrase that
includes:
 3 forms of travel
 2 forms of jumping
 1 type of Stillness
NOW ADD……..
 Perform two times, first time as above,
second time add
 a LOW LEVEL gesture
 a SLOW turn
A possible 14 ‘x’ factor points to be gained
42
Task Card F
Can you make up a motif/phrase that
includes:
 A travel
 A turn
 2 types of gesture
NOW ADD…………
- perform this first then repeat but include
a
 Change of Direction
 Change of level
 Change of Speed
A possible 11 ‘x’ factor points to be gained
43
Secret Message Cards
These consist of 8 different cards which can be given to as
many groups as you wish. They help pupils identify
Relationships of movement and actions used to build
sequences.
Each group has to devise a motif based on the secret
message given to them. Important not to let other
groups see their card.
Once complete they perform in front of another group. The
observing group have to identify the relationships used
throughout and what the 4, 5 or 6 actions were based on
i.e travel, turn, stillness. In addition groups could try to
identify some of the descriptive words used to create the
moves.
Once all groups have performed their code, add easily
recognisable theme music from films or videos and see
how the interpretation of the moves changes (i.e. hawian,
james bond, star wars, jaws, thriller by MJ, the wedding
march, swan lake etc)
44
Secret Message Card 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Start in a group (Stillness)
Slowly fade and die (gesture)
Begin to slither crawl then walk
(travel)
Dart and weave (travel)
Turn and join (turn)
Freeze at different levels
(stillness)
45
Secret Message Card 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Start on your own
Suddenly Explode and quickly
bound
Pause then coil
Explode one at a time and
leap
Slowly walk
Finish in a star shape
46
Secret Message Card 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Start off back to back
Make a sudden turn to face
each other
Retreat Slowly
Mingle and dodge as you
can
Crumble one at a time
47
Secret Message Card 4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Start off facing each other
Travel in a straight line
Shrink to the floor one by
one
Twist together
Spring into shape and
freeze
48
Secret Message Card 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
Start off in a small group
Scatter and Freeze
Creep one at a time into a
line
Follow the leader and
collapse
49
Secret Message Card 6
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Start off back to back
Make a sudden turn to face
each other
Retreat slowly
Mingle and dodge as quickly
as you can
Crumble one at a time
50
Secret Message Card 7
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Start off in a straight line
Follow the leader bouncing
and zig zagging
Spin away from each other
one at a time and freeze
Creep together very slowly
Explode and hold it
51
Secret Message Card 8
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Start off in a circle
Make a square
Turn and shrink
Retreat and rise
Form a line
Dash to a finish position
52