The Olympics and Dance Is this email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser .
Post Olympic Depression !
I have been inspired by the Olympics in many ways. Ive tried to be a little healthier, and have increased my fitness regime .I have felt very patriotic and have adorned our house with red/white and blue flowering hanging baskets!. The message from the Opening ceremony which has inspired me most was that of technology, I loved the Digital Age theme , using the graphic digital equalizer images across the seat display pads. ,the phone txt message relaying across the audience and then into the dance routines . I have been spending a lot of time on my web site , I have learnt how to upload content to the site
!, so over the next few weeks you will see more lesson plans, and articles. I have also added secure folders. I will upload photo's and videos to these folders , these folders can only be accessed via a password that I will give to the corresponding school and photo folder. This will be fantastic way of allowing pupils , teachers and parents to see what goes on during a Dance Lady session , which can then be linked to individual school websites.
These are a few of my memorable moments from the Opening ceremony.
The traditional English Scence, with the 3 Maypoles ! I was ecstatic ! I love teaching

Maypole Dancing !., One of the lady drummers is profoundly deaf and has been since birth, she feels the beat through her feet. I loved the Industrial Age Imagery, the repetitive actions, frantic and chaotic energy, building into the crescendo of the Olympic rings forged in steel, then followed by the stillness to reflect those fallen in the wars., I remember the way the nurses nodded their heads to the heart beat rhythm to add movement to the clock ticking.
My friend Jane Chinery was a performer in the opening ceremony this is her account.
·
Hi, Well what can I say, dancing in the Olympic opening ceremony has to be one of the best days of my life. Performing in the opening ceremony was absolutely amazing. After months of hard work, late nights and endless rehearsals, I did it....danced in front of the world at London's showcase of what Great Britain and London are all about.
I looked up to see 80,000 people in the stadium as I entered the stage and have to say was numb from the excitement and sheer scale of what I was involved in.
I was so overwhelmed by all the good luck messages from my pupils, their parents and my adult class members. Their support was unbelievable.
We spent 125 hours rehearsing from April 2012 until the day of the show on 27 July. We rehearsed at 3 Mills film studios, an open space in Dagenham and of course the now world famous Olympic Stadium in Stratford.
I met soldiers, volunteers, games makers, nurses, students, athletes, dancers, choreographers....and every one of them made the experience SO very very special.

Jane Chinery
Paying tribute to the Olympic Games, I am comparing elements of Fitness and
Sporting Activities to the fundamentals of Dance
TIMING
The athletes we see have perfectly timed the last 4 years of their training, ready to co inside with the 2012 Olympics. Every single training session, competition and pre event have built up towards the possibly one single shot at an Olympic medal. Timing is everything; this is also true for Dance. The mass movement choreography we saw during the Beijing Olympics was phenomenal. The best thing about timing and Dance is that it’s never too late to start Dancing!
SYNCHRONICITY
Rowing is all about the same direction. That's why rowing teams work to perfect synchronicity. As we watched during the London 2012 Opening Ceremony some times in
Dance we use mass movement performing the exact same sequences perfectly mirroring
-- imitating -- each other's every precise movement stroke after stroke.
BALANCE AND PRECISION
Pippa Funnel has described the equestrian Olympic event of Dressage as “like Ballet on a horse “Rider and horse have to feel each single movement and flow with the motion.
Horse and rider have to become one within movement. Dance also reflects these qualities, as performers we are trying to become one with the movement and through the movements put music into actions. Dance uses sight, hearing and touch all impact upon balance and precision.
RHYTHM
We see rhythm in every Olympic event. The body of the athlete has to reflect the rhythm of the activity. The sprinter has to find the pace or rhythm immediately, the marathon runner can settle into that movement gradually. The disciplines of the various athletics use rhythm to perform the activity, watch how the hurdler knows exactly the number of strides or steps between hurdles. The discuss and shot putters use a rhythmical swinging movement pattern coupled with precise timing. Likewise, Body Rhythm is one of the tools

children use to develop well-coordinated, whole-body movement. But surprisingly, it's also fundamental to language acquisition Pattern, beat, and rhythm of your voice and the other voices around give them a sense of how language comes together,
POWER, STRENGTH & ENDURANCE
All forms of Dance whether its Ballet, Street Dance or Contemporary require elements of the physical attributes and athletic ism's’ Arms and legs are working to their maximum potential, kept in control by the core muscles of the torso. While the feet provide the leverage the whole body needs for propulsion. In short, every muscle in the body is engaged
This is exactly what’s happening with the young dancer as they pull, push, lift, carries, climbs, runs, jumps, leaps twist during dance chirography they engage all of their muscles at different times in different ways, helping him develop overall fitness -- the perfect recipe for young years physical development.
FLEXIBILITY.
The events of Synchronized swimming and Rhythmic gymnastics reflect dance within the
Olympics. The highly choreographed and executed routines demand exceptional levels of flexibility and agility. As dancer s we use Flexibility to perform movement’s .Agility and movement skills are then transferable to a mulit skill/multi sport ability
MOVEMENT SKILLS.
Fundamental movement skills and game skills are learnt through Effort Awareness,
Spatial Awareness and Body Awareness, all of which are integral within Dance. Every single sporting action we have seen during the Olympics is a complex action of traveling, stabilizing and object controls. Movement skills are developed through sequence. Dance choreography and skills progress via sequence; children are then able to learn sequence at their own level.
If children feel good about what their bodies can do they become empowered and motivated to make health enhancing decisions and choices in favor of physical activity and healthy lifestyle and this in its self is part of the Olympic Legacy

Don't delay! I am av liable for bookings now !. I can be booked for curriculum sessions, after school clubs or One off sessions. What are your topics ? I can provide sessions on
Egyptians!. Forces and Machinery, Rain Forest, Space, You name it , I ve covered it !. I provide Health and Fitness Sessions covering Fitness and Health activities and Healthy
Eating, I can deliver Cheer leading and Zumbatomic sessions email or call me for more details caroline@thedancelady.com
or , 07734207650. In the July newsletter I discussed the genius idea Sambourne School have used combining the swimming sessions with a
Dance/Fitness session in the same facility therefore reducing costs and making the most of the bus transport, Is this something that you could use at your school ?.
Enjoy whats left of the holidays !!
Caroline the Dance Lady x