This is the second instalment of my unique dance games blog post. Games have a unique and important place in dance classes, regardless of student’s age. My adult students enjoy games as much as my 3 year olds do. In the older age group, I use less games but it doesn’t make them any less of an important teaching tool. Games like freeze dance are great but I do find students outgrow this popular game. Here are 3 unique game ideas that I use in my classes.
BLIND FOLD PICK UP
Minimum students: 2
Age Range: 8+
Equipment needed: blind fold, objects to pick up – I use beanbags
How to play: Students partner up (or work in small groups). Blind fold one person. Place objects spread around the room. The un-blindfolded partner then gives directions to the blindfolded one to guide them around the room to pick up the objects. They need to use verbal directions in any way they see fit. They are not allowed to touch their partner for any reason. Students can be very specific with their instructions (eg. take 3 steps forwards, turn to your left, take 2 steps and then bend down to pick up) or quite broad (walk, stop, turn, stop, walk, stop, pick up). I have also had students clap or say ‘follow my voice’ to guide their partner. I let students be as creative as they like. For safety, if anyone yells “STOP” all blindfolded people freeze and wait for further instructions. This may be because someone is about to crash. Continue until all the objects are collected and then swap who is blindfolded.
Extensions of Rules: I run multiple partners at a time. You can do this by getting partners A to pick up red beanbags and partners B to pick up green ones or make it a race to see who can pick up the most with their partners. I also as the teacher sometimes blindfold myself and have the students work together to guide me around the room. This shows that you trust them as much as you need them to trust you. They love this.
If students struggle with right and left, you can place a hair tie or ribbon on one hand to help them identify by feel which one is which.
What it teaches: This game is a great way to build trust between students. I often choose the partners and put students together who need to develop a stronger relationship. It also teaches students to judge distance (how many steps it will take their partner to get there). Students also learn to give directions to each other. This can be tricky as the person may be facing a different direction to them and they need to work out the blindfolded person’s left and right verses their own. It also helps students gain confidence in their bodies and their movement without relying on sight.
BODY BUILDING
Minimum students: 4
Age Range: 5+
Equipment needed: None
How to play: The students can work together as a whole class or split into smaller groups. The teacher calls out various objects or situations or words and the students need to work together to create that shape with their bodies. For example, spell the word ‘dog’, make an aeroplane, make up a bedroom (so would need to make bed, table, lamp etc.). See variations below.
Extensions of rules: You can give students a time limit to create each shape. I often start with 30 seconds and reduce slowly to 5 seconds as they get used to it. You can allow talking or not. Sometimes I let them start off talking then challenge them to stop. You can extend this game further by getting the shapes to move (eg. car can drive along, swing can swing, machine with moving parts).
What it teaches: This game is an excellent way to help students see themselves and their classmates as a single organism. This is so important in relation to formations and synchronicity in dance routines. It is great teambuilding. If you do the version with no talking, it also helps them to build non-verbal communication skills. Problem solving and body awareness as well as basic physics (eg gravity) also come in to play.
GROUND TOUCH
Minimum students: 1
Age Range: 5+
Equipment needed: Music
How to play: Students can dance around the room however they like. When the music stops, the teacher calls out 2 numbers, the first number is the number of people in the group, the second is how many body parts are allowed to touch the group. For example, the teacher might call out “4 people, 10 body parts”. The students need to do this as soon as possible. Once the teacher checks the students are correct, play the music again and repeat.
Extensions of Rules: Although I play this game without anyone going ‘out’, it could be played by calling uneven group numbers and any child not in a group sits out until the next round. I like to include everyone however. You can also get the whole class to achieve the instruction together. As the students get better at this game, I add various rules such as “4 people, 4 body parts but only 3 can be feet” or “5 people, 10 body parts but one person can’t touch the ground”. Depending on the instructions I plan to give, I sometimes play this game on matting (especially for my acrobatics classes in which I encourage lifting).
What it teaches: This game encourages free expression during the free dance portion. It helps student’s problem solve and learn to work together. It is also great for basic mathematics and counting skills. It encourages creativity. I sometimes give an instruction that I am not sure is even possible and see what they come up with, they often surprise me. It helps students build strength and body awareness.
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