Dance with Oprah and Move with Michelle!

Are you interested in getting your class on OPRAH??? Here’s your chance!! http://www.oprah.com/ownshow/plug_form.html?plug_id=2216922

Oprah and Dr. Oz are looking for ways to dance yourself to fitness. How absolutely awesome would it be to get YOUR CLASS DANCE on Oprah???? Creating a Class Dance is a TON of fun! Ask your students if they’ve seen some fun dances on YouTube (they have). Challenge them to come up with a dance of their own! YOU will provide them the tools to get started (movement cards) and THEY will provide the “style.”

*To participate fill out the form at the bottom of this page or click here and send us the confirmation email you receive from Oprah to nancy@tandalay.com. Thanks!

Dances can be created in a day, and enjoyed for a lifetime!

STEP ONE: Work as a class to hear the phrasing of the music.

STEP TWO: Explore various dance moves that kids know (sponge-bob, moonwalk, running man, the jerk, etc), then go over the moves in the Tandalay Move Your Body card deck (50 different movement ideas).

STEP THREE: Practice finding the beat and the musical phrase in the music.

STEP FOUR: Put a class dance together as an entire group, demonstrate how to link four moves into a 32-count sequence by performing each move for 8-counts.

STEP FIVE: Divide into groups of four, each person with a movement card or dance move in mind. Play some music and allow some practice time while the groups work on linking their moves into a repeatable 32-count sequence. Each person in the group should contribute 8-counts to the dance. Challenge them to add movement by traveling side to side or forward and back, to touch the ground somewhere in the routine, or to turn the routine to face different directions.

STEP SIX: Allow the groups to perform their routines. Vote on the class favorite for everyone to learn! Use ALL of them throughout the year for PE time, activity time, movement breaks, or celebrations!

STEP SEVEN: Post a video of your class dance to YouTube or SchoolTube and send your application to OPRAH!! Challenge other classes in your school to a dance off! Allow the winning class to teach their dance to the WHOLE SCHOOL!!!! Challenge other schools to do the same!!

STEP EIGHT: Spread the JOY of the DANCE by challenging everyone you know to embrace movement through MUSIC!!

If Oprah chooses you or your school to appear on the Oprah Show you will receive a LIFETIME Site License to Tandalay!!

Class Song

Find a class song.
Play that song for the class and have them feel the tempo and count to the 8-count and 32-count phrases.
Ask for volunteers to suggest moves. Moves might be 2-count or 4-count moves. You may like a move so much that you’d like to do it once to the right and once to the left.
When a volunteer demonstrates a move that the class seems to like, have the whole class practice that move together until they’ve got it down. Of course, you will be the judge of acceptable vs. unacceptable movements.
Keep on taking moves from volunteers, practicing each as you go. Add each move onto the previous one and practice it “from the top” before adding the next one.
Continue adding moves until you have a 16-count or 32-count phrase. (The length of the dance will depend on the level of difficulty and ability of the class.) You may opt to keep it to 8-counts if you are limited on time.
Practice.
Perform. You now have your very own class dance that can be used at open house, pep-rallies, school sporting events, rainy-day recess, a much needed break during tough academic times, birthday celebrations, etc!

Finding the Beat

Put on any of the fitness CD’s recommended by Tandalay. Select one with 120-140 beats per minute for starters. These mixes are designed for a continual 32-count beat, making it perfect for creating routines!
Listen for the downbeat. The stronger beat at the beginning of the musical phrase is the downbeat, usually the beginning of a lyrical or musical phrase. Add movements to the counts progressively, as the class is ready.
PLAY the MUSIC!! When ready…
- Try jumping every time you hear the “1” of the 8-count phrase.
- Then try jumping on the “1” and clapping on the “5”.
- Add a “jack” on 7-8.
- Add a spin on 3-4.
- WooHoo! You just created an 8-count dance routine!!
- 1-jump; 2-hold; 3-4 spin; 5-clap; 6-hold; 7-8 jack!
- REPEAT

Creating a Sequence

Create a sequence of FOUR movements and challenge the students to perform them in sequential order. Feel free to use the Tandalay “Move Your Body” deck for ideas! Kids can draw one card each and then work together to make a routine out of their picks!
Include:
level changes (i.e. a floor touch)
pathways (travel in any direction)
change of direction
When first introducing this activity, YOU (the coach) should design a simple sequence by pulling four random cards from the “Move Your Body” deck and have the class help create the sequence and perform it together.

Sequence Challenges

Allow each student to pull one random card from the Tandalay “Move Your Body” deck.
Divide into groups of four and have each group design their own movement sequence using the moves on their cards.
It works really well to use each move for 8-counts, creating a 32-count final dance. Creative kids might mix and match their moves to create their own unique style.
Encourage them to end up with a 32-count repeatable sequence, with each student contributing their card’s movement for 8 counts of the routine.
Note: some movements will take 2 or 4 counts to perform, while others only take 1 count. A jog for example is one count each step, and a jumping jack takes 2 counts. Count the moves carefully to create your 32-count move.
Write down the final combination so that the group can practice them again during the next class session.
Even more fun: have the groups come up with a name for themselves! We’ll be practicing and performing these routines next session.

Perform Group Routines

Allow the teams to demonstrate their Movement Routines (shhh – don’t tell ‘em they’re dancing!)
TWO OPTIONS: have the groups remain in their random places while each group performs from where they stand (less intimidating); or have the class gather together with a “stage area” in the front (can be very scary!).
Clap and cheer after EVERY group!!!!

Creating a Class Dance

Say: “We’ve performed a lot of movements this week. Does anyone have a favorite move they’d like to share?”
Allow some volunteers to show some movements. Have the class perform the movement with him/her following the demo.
Repeat.
As a class, let’s vote on our favorite THREE or FOUR moves from this week.
Give some extra options and ideas for various types of movements.
Vote.
Using the three or four moves as voted on above, create a CLASS DANCE.
Take ONE of the moves and perform it for FOUR or EIGHT counts. For example, 2 jacks = 4 counts.
Take the next move and do the same. So now you have an 8-count or a 12-count movement sequence.
Add the third move. When your counts add up to 16, stop. If you have room for the fourth move without complicating the sequence too much, add it. If you’ve reached the 16 counts with 3 moves, stop there.
For example, your final routine might be: 2 jumping jacks (counts 1-4); wiggle and shake with arms in the air (counts 5-8); side shuffle to the right 4 counts; side shuffle to the left 4 counts (counts 8-16). That’s a fun one – feel free to use it!!
MODIFICATION OPTION: We’ve also used the “Tiger Slide” to substitute for the Electric Slide and simplified it for ourselves. We like to do it this way: grapevine 4 counts right, grape 4 counts left, march back 4 counts, then do a jumping jack to the front, turn 1/4 turn to the left and do your second jack. Repeat facing the side. Repeat again to the back, to the other side, then back to the front.
“FAVORITE” OPTION: If there is a clear “favorite” during the class group performances, ask if the class would like to adopt that routine as their class dance. Allow the team who created that routine to teach it to the class. Remind them to face the same direction (AWAY from) as the class when they teach the sequence.

Performing the Dance!

Practice the new dance without music.
Add the music and go!!!!! Yay!!! Use the same CD you’ve been using, or feel free to select one of your own. Have your class vote on their favorite song to perform their dance to. It will create a feeling of ownership, pride, and class unity! Use the dance inside or outside the classroom. Performing your class dance is a GREAT way to allow kids to get their wiggles out or their energy up when the class is overly restless, draggin’ tail, or simply in need of a change of pace!!!
You now have your very own class dance that can be used at open house, pep-rallies, school sporting events, rainy-day recess, a much needed break during tough academic times, birthday celebrations, etc!