Thursday, June 25, 2009

Kindermusik: The Benefits of Folk Dancing & Ensemble Development









Lesson Focus - Folk Dancing:

Dance traditions are passed down through generations of diverse cultures to celebrate important occasions and to provide diversion from everyday life. The benefits of folk dancing are many.  Folk dancing requires rhythmic competence, challenges you to be aware of your body in relation to the larger physical space, and requires keeping a sequence of moves in your memory.  In addition, it foster a sense of community.  Today’s lesson included two opportunities for folk dancing:  choreographed in a simple line dance, “Donkey Riding” contained simple steps.  The “Paw Paw Patch,” which represents a more complicated set of movements, comes from the traditional American folk dance repertoire.

 Today we did several folk dances, including "Bwana Awabariki" with lummi sticks (see pictures above).  This tied in very well with our tale today, called "Where do Stories Come From?"

We also enjoyed ensemble development with Gathering Drums and Resonator Bars & Glockenspiels.  We practiced different rhythms on the drums and then practiced steady beat on the bars to the melody of "Go Well and Safely."  

Thank you for sharing your children with me for Tell Me A Tale camp this summer!  I wish your families and well and safe rest of the summer and look forward to being with you again this fall.

Kindermusik is a music and movement program that promotes your child's development not just for 7 years, but for life!  We look forward to sharing Kindermusik with the families in the Pittsburgh area for years to come.  Come and see what we're all about!

Free Preview Class available.  (412) 344-0535.  www.KathysMusic.com

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