I am not a dance teacher! I have taken ballet and Jazz classes for years, but never taught anything. I was asked to teach a 1/2 hour Creative Movement class for 3 and 4 yr olds - and there are 16 boys and girls (!) in the class (I do have a helper). The class description says that it is an intro. to Ballet and Modern Dance with emphasis on rhythm...ok...so...I have kiddie CD's (wiggles, etc.) but I really don't feel I should be doing follow-the-song hokey-pokey type things for the ENTIRE class.

I was going to start in a circle and do a hello song and maybe some stretching (still in the circle) if I still have their attention...maybe freeze dance...but then I am lost - I really don't know how much to expect this age to do...should I find a playful way to introduce first position and plies, etc.? Is that going to far? Should I keep to things like "jump like frogs" gallop like horses, etc.? Something accross the floor?

I want to stick to the class description and introduce SOME pre-ballet and moder...but there are quite a few boys in the class who yell out "WE HATE BALLET" serioulsly (When I sat in on the class, mostly, they daced along to Wiggles-type songs and did one little "dance"....it got pretty out of control with children wandering off in all directions.

Oh - and I have no props. (although I am sure I will get some eventually!)

I would really appreciate some advice on how to structure the class (actually, ANY advice would be wonderful!) Should I stick to a "normal" sort of dance class structure...i.e. stretch (or Barre), accross the floor, center, routine and a goodbye??

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

my advice for teaching modern and ballet to 3 year olds. Remember that they are 3 and this is the behavior to expect:

talking out of turn
wiggling
not listening
crying
pouting
licking the mirror
trying to hug and touch each other
looking for or at mom or dad

I teach about 15 of these classes each week and I have many comliments because I am kind, I smile at the kids, acknowledge them when they speak , and encourage them to try hard. If they do not listen I do not yell I say firmly that we need to be nice and great listeners, point out the kids that are listening it really helps. If they are really out of control walk them out to mom and explain that they need to be reminded about behaving. Remeber to be patient and to just take a deep breath when they get on your nerves, enjoy the fact that they are three and remember that they are new people who are learning all of the things that we take for grantedfor the first time.

Games
My games focus on listening , waiting your turn, and basic motors skills. Have them stand on a shape on the floor or the bst is a circle, you can see them all and they love circles for some reason:)

3 years olds can:
hop on two feet
most can hop on one foot
walk on their tip toes
balance on one foot for a short time
learn top spot a shape on the wall

most 3 year olds cannnot:
skip
balance in releve on 1 or 2 feet for an expended period

Games
freeze dance

opposite (up down fast slow...)

animal dancing

makeing shapes with their bodies

dancing in small groups while the rest watch

read a poem about nature , movement, etc then have them dance it while you read it.

learn a song and do movement with it (twinkle twinkle, three little ducks, etc...)

hold hands and dance in a circle, make a train or catapillar

obstacle course of any kind

boys dance, then girls dance

props
wands

ribbons

cutout foam shapes to stand on

tutus

scarves



basically keep it fun and simple. use your assistant, split the class in two and take turns playing and have one taecher sit with the kids while the other instructs, just make sure that they dont sit to long. If they get out of control have them all sit, you may have to "guide" some to the floor by the shoulders, and have THEM tell you the rules so that they are really getting it and not daydreaminmg while you talk. Talk in a clear and precise manner. Make everything sound like its extremely fun, get them excited to be there.
Good luck ,email me with any questions
lorimatrazzo@yahoo.com

Thank you for the advice! I did my first class this morning and I came home feeling like it was a huge train wreck! (the assistant assured me it was not!)

I started with circle - hello song and then we did butterfly stretches (although I said they were bats today) That went well...then...I did little movements to Itsy Bitsy Spider...but the only Itsy Bitsy music I had was "Dora"...BIG MISTAKE. They got so excited that they were all up out of the sircle running around like little maniacs...and I was not fammiliar with the CD player so I was very slow with turning it off (and on for that matter!)

I waws planning to do a little dance with them...but ended up scrapping it because it seemed WAY too much for them...so we ended up being "cats" and stretching and leaping and tip toes, etc. - which went well..but not for the entire half hour!! I tried to get them to tiptoe like cats accross the floor one at a time...not a chance I could not, for the life of me, get them to take turns I put out some blue yoga mats that were in the room and tried to get them to leap over them...again...big mess and I could not get them to wait...actually...couldn't get them to even start in the same direction!!I got desparate and put on the Wiggles "Point your fingers and Twist" and pretty much felt like a total failure!!! I would have put on something to freeze dance, but I was scared of taking the two minutes to try and mess with the CD player:-(
Again, thank you for all the great tips! Wish me luck for next week.

you sound like you have a great lesson plan setup up. But you have a huge class, Try to do activities that dont include taking turns, you can do that later when they listen. Heres somthing I forgot: play freeze dance and train them to "fall asleep" when the music stops , have the assisitant play it to so that they can follow along. After a few weeks of this , if they get out of control, turn the music on , then off and they should all lay down and fall asleeep! Its so funny and it works. Good luck I know its hard just keep on trying:)

You do sound like you have a great plan for your classes. They will get the hang of it more and more each week. Your desciption of your classes reminds me of a class of 3-4 year olds I taught about 4 years ago. It was parent observation week and for some reason there were more dads there than moms. Anyway, the class was a disaster. The kids acted like they had never taken my class before. Anyway...I grinned and beared it and after the class was over, several parents came up to me and were complimentary, which was great and much needed. Then I turned to greet my next parent and he just looked at me and said, "It's like herding cats." I busted up laughing. I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. He pretty much nailed it on the head.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It sounds like you have a great foundation. Stick with it and it will get better. One thing that stuck out from your post that I'd like to comment on is having a hard time getting them to go across the floor one at a time. I have my assistant stand by them and keep them from darting across the floor. Constantly reminding them that they need to wait their turn. And then when it is their turn, have them ready for me. I pretty much help each one across the floor. Some like to hold hands, some don't, or I have them start by holding my hand and then I say, now you can do it on your own. You can always have them go across two at a time holding hands or just partnered up.

LBelle had a bunch of really good ideas. Some I'm going to definitely use myself. My little ones have been tough the last couple of weeks. Not sure why. Another thread.

Good luck and keep up the good work. You are doing just fine. I, too, can't stand when the CD player & I don't get along. You might think about burning a CD that is in the order of what you want. I did that recently and it worked great.

It sounds like you have tons of good ideas and are just unlucky with a bit of a hyper class! Don't worry though, they very quickly get the idea and are very "trainable"! Praise any kids to the max who do what you ask and take things in small small steps and in a few weeks you're sure to have them a bit more controlled.

My little ones usually have a hard time about going across the floor one at a time, either they are a bit too shy or else they don't understand about waiting your turn and going in order each time, but they soon get the idea if you are firm but nice and the slightly older ones also get quite good at making sure everyone does it right! I stand with them and tell them when they can go/tap them on the shoulder when it's their turn. They all know how to get in line and wait their turn now, and no-one was too bossy about it either!
Doing other things taking turns also helps reinforce this, like when we clap rhythms round the circle, or when I ask them things to hide from (for stretching) or even when they all try to tell me things at once, I'm always very clear about one at a time and who'll be next.

At first i was trying to make them go one at a time across the floor, but it wasn't working very well lol. So i said everyone grab a partner, and for some reason they love holding another child's hand and lining up 2 by 2. They learned how to do the steps together with their partner and it made them more comfortable and now they are all best friends, because i keep switching their partners each week lol hope this helps

I love this age group!
Hang in there, most likely they have not been in a "structured" setting and are still learning social skills such as lining up, taking turns, sharing, etc. etc. All of this takes time and I think is half the learning experience for this age group.
Use props, I love hula hoops, bean bags, and the parachute.
There are great cds available that have actions for each.
Think of dance concepts and focus on one or two each week.
Kids like repetition and the more familiar they are with the class, the better they will act.
I keep my classes structured the same every week.
I place large starts cut out of foam in a circle and when the kids come in, they know they have to go to a "star spot".
We then do some fast warming up dances, (I do a Jump and Count song and Body Warm up song from Greg and Steve) Starting with a fast song helps get the wiggles out. Stretching is next (sitting on the floor) including ticking our toes, butterfly legs, making cookies (stretching in a straddle), snake stretches and mad/happy cat stretches. They really like the snake stretch (laying on stomach and lifting chest up by pushing hands down and hissing like a snake
Then we do things across the floor. My helper stands with them and they line up at the starting star spot. She sends them one at a time across the floor towards me. WE do star leaps, star jumps, battements and skips. Then we do a few group dances where we hold hand in a circle. Next is either the parachute or hula hoops and then the end is usually a freeze dance and I have them balance on one foot when they freeze.
Hope this helps.
Feel free to PM me if you want other ideas.
This year I put together a cd of the songs I wanted to use in order I would be using them so I would not have to change cds as much, it really helped.

Thank you!!!! What great ideas! I really needed the encouragement
I was given a second class today and it went MUCH better - huh...half the size and only three boys no wonder! I am going to just hang in there and keep smiling next class and pretty much hope for the best...I really need to find a friend with a CD burner - I love the idea of putting all my music in order; it is a very large room and takes forever to go way over to the corner to change the music...and the kids always follow me and I feel like I am starting from the beginning of the class again!

I really feel a little lost...but I think everyone is right, when we have a set class down and the kids know what to expect next, I think it will be much better and I won't have that feeling of chaos!
Thanks again! I really love reading all the great tips!

also, for a combined gender class.....
across the floor one week do gallops With and without a hobby horse...dollar genral $5....the next week, review that and also add chasse ( a gallop turned sideways 'cause a belly button likes to see in the mirror) next week review and add partners holding both hands chasses but belly buttons like to stay facing..in other words no pulling or dragging your friend) the next week possibly (because all the horse talk reminded you of the circus) do pas de chat ..."a lion jump" with lion claws in front of you.
This way the girls get what they need for a beginning ballerina but the boys don't notice the ballet aspect of it. When it seems terrible just think of me and how one of my 3 year old went #2 in her pants for me last friday...!..:(

P.S. For my worst ever classes I have to memorize the songs i want to use and just talk them or quietly sing them. They are much more interested in the voice with a face. Also you can immediatley give a hand stamp if there's only one or two kids behaving at a particular moment.

Lbelle yes i could not have put your comment better

for moves in creative move ment at a higher level we do modern plies doing just the parelle plies and leting our upper bodies goo and for younger kinds we practice the bowl of jelly!

We make a circle and i walk aroudn it and am *the bowl* and everyone inside must shake while im moving but when the bowl stops the jelly stops...its great for attention and movenment

dancingtoes