Dolly has always been one of my favorites and with her recent passing, here is a way to bring her into the music classroom with a dance featuring one of her most popular songs, 9 to 5!
Google Slides HERE.
Be sure to find this book - I love all the Little People, Big Dreams books!
I love using these to get my students into movement and dance formations -I simply hold up the sign and students quietly (or silently) move into position. We practice moving into formations at the beginning of the school year and I use these often to get students quickly to where they need to be for various activities.
UPDATED - I made them with stick figures also so you have a choice of which ones to print & use.
Here's the link to the slide set to print.
I love this song at this time of year as there is SO much that can be done with it- add an ostinato with pie flavors, perform the dance, talk about dance styles, create a new dance, student created B Section, and a game from the wonderful Mrsmainsmusicians on insta!
Grab the full google slides here. Please note this will force a copy.
For the game, I glued my pies to paper plates. This helps them to slide easier as most inexpensive paper plates have a wax coating on them. This also makes them round and pie shaped!
Here are a few slides from the set.
Enjoy!
Hello, friends - first, an exciting announcement! I have a new community full of music educators who are trying to simplify their planning and grow professionally. I welcome you to come join for exclusive video lessons, activities, organization ideas, children's literature lessons, workshops, and one on one mentoring opportunities. We are going to have so much fun learning and growing with each other!
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Diwali is coming soon- November 4. Diwali (or Deepavali as it’s sometimes called) means “row of lights” in Sanskrit. During this festival, people decorate their homes with lights and oil lamps, called diyas. The lights and lamps are said to help the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, find her way into peoples’ homes, bringing prosperity in the year to come. It is also a celebration of good triumphing evil.Diwali is a religious holiday and festival originating in India. People often think of Diwali as a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains. The celebration lasts for five days and marks the start of the Hindu New Year. The exact dates change each year and are determined by the position of the moon but usually fall between October and November.
Check out the Nat Geo page for more interesting facts.
Last year was the first year I incorporated Diwali more fully. I began by talking with some of my families who are Indian. I had some wonderful moms come in and teach me some Dandiya (stick) dances and we created a very simple one for our young students. There is some footwork involved in Dandiya dances but we focus more on performing with the sticks. I also talked with a few of my students who are Indian privately, asking if they wanted to speak or tell us during class about how they celebrated, or if any of them were performing classical Indian dance or song (I have a first grader who takes classical Indian singing lessons!) and invited them to perform.
Then we learned Manju Durairaj's Diwali, Diwali song and sang the chorus together.
We created a simple Dandiya dance on the chorus of the song. All movements are to the beat. Facing a partner tap right sticks together, tap left sticks together, tap own sticks to the right, tap own sticks to the left. Step back with one foot and tap sticks behind back, step same foot forward and both stick face right (like windshield wipers) and tap both partners sticks making a # hashtag, then trade places while turning around in a circle. Of course this can be modified but this is what the Moms at school and I came up with.
I would highly recommend wooden sticks - aluminum ones are available from Amazon but my experience is they break far too easily. Rhythm Sticks or dowels could also be used as long as they are the longer ones (12" or so).
Here is a video of Dandiya Dancing.
And an excellent teaching video to show you the footwork and sticking. The first one is just right for beginners and children.
This is an excellent 30 minute concert made for children from Lincoln Center featuring Grammy nominated artist Falu. I like beginning at 7:47 and end at 15:00 if I am pressed for time as they talk about traditional solfege, then Indian solfege, then sing a song incorporating the solfege.
Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year for Hindu people. Diwali or Divali comes from Deepavali, a Sanskrit word meaning "row of lamps." Small clay lamps filled with oil are lit, signifying the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, hope over despair. The lamps remain lit throughout the night and homes cleaned to welcome the goddess Lakshmi. Noisy firecracker sounds scare away evil spirits. Everyone wears new clothes and share sweets and treats with family and friends.
Then this video filmed just this spring during Covid times (April 2020) with Anoushka Shankar and several students of her father, Ravi Shankar, famed sitar player.
Then I share the refrain of this song, "Diwali" from Manju Durairaj. Manju was born and raised in India. She is an Orff educator, Seesaw guru, and loves to share her culture and music. I read the book Diwali, below, inserting the refrain every 2 pages.
Then it's time to show some excerpts of Indian Garba and Dandiya dances. These are some videos I have used before:
I have a very sweet Mom at school who has been an enormous help in teaching me and helping me develop Dandiya dances for students. So very fortunate to have a culture bearer who loves to help others learn! Thanks to Mrs. Shah for this lovely (and accessible) dance!
A Section (refrain of song): Half note pulse - Clap R, Clap L, Clap both, Clap both. In non-Covid times I would teach it first with clapping a partner but with social distancing we modify it to clap own hands on the right side of our bodies, clap own hands on the left side of our bodies, and clap our hands twice in the middle.
B Section: Half note pulse - Step one foot forward, tap sticks overhead at the same time. Step same foot backward, tap sticks behind backs at the same time. Repeat.
The Dandiya sticks are passed out (I have some a parent brought from India and they are amazing - the kids LOVE them) although I have made them in the past using ribbons and dowels and they work great- rhythm sticks also work well. We perform with the sticks and the "Diwali" song from Manju above.
A Section: Same as above but face partners and the Clap R and Clap L become tap R stick with partner, tap L stick with partner, tap own, tap own.
B Section: Same as above but turn in place at same time.
A Section: Same as Level 2 - tap R stick with partner, tap L stick with partner, both sticks "windshield wiper" to the R (tap partners sticks; this will make a # sign), both sticks "windshield wiper" to the L (tap partners sticks; this will make the opposite # sign).
B Section: Same as above, turn in place one direction for 1st phrase, opposite direction for 2nd phrase.
and we learn a very basic Dandiya dance!
You can also find a lesson from Teaching with Orff featuring a Diwali Dance from Manju here.
If you have time, students would love making these diyas from The Joy of Sharing.
Hope you enjoy!
