I'm working with 5 year olds who understand and can do shuffles but are having a hard time doing them quickly. Also, they are having difficulty doing fast flaps? Rather then say go faster what are some ways to teach this? My goal is to be able to do running flaps? Any advice will help! Thanks

They are five. Many five year olds still have trouble skipping. I think you're pushing them too hard. Increase the speed gradually. Do "walking flaps" instead of "running flaps". Concentrate on the technique - getting a solid foundation - before worrying about speed.

Helen

I teach my students that faster is not better...faster is just faster. I would work on clean even sounds and proper rhythm before moving on to doing them faster. The speed and balance comes with them getting older and getting used to comanding more control from their body. Their center is so weak (that is why their little tummies stick out and they have a more pronounced curve in their back), their core is not ready to support their limbs for all kinds of movement yet. That is part of the reason they are having trouble.

My five year olds can go a little bit faster, but we haven't done running flaps yet. I agree with doing walking flaps first. I do explain how to pick up speed though. I tell them to stay off of their heels, relax their ankles and make their steps smaller if they wish to go faster. I do stress that faster is not always better. It's more important to stay with the music and together as a group.

I'll agree with all of the above, but are they using their leg in a back to front motion or are they using a loose ankle? I've found that if they pick their leg up like a flamingo and shake it down, they have better success with flaps, plus you don't have to retrain them as they get older to go faster. Same with shuffles, I teach a loose ankle shuffle where they throw the foot like a slap but it "bounces" off the floor. That way instead of trying to fit brush-back-hop-step in for an Irish, it's only throw(shuffle)-hop-step. But at five, unless they're a super serious lot of girls who compete, take your time with them. No harm in giving them stuff to look forward to learning later.

5 year olds and running flaps are usually a hot mess. At this age most dancers can't stay on the balls of their feet while bending their knees and maintaining their balance. A lot of children this age also have a hard time isolating the ball tap so shuffles and flaps end up using the whole foot (heel tap included). I would suggest starting with walking flaps. I do teach running flaps to that age but only my competitive kids that age and it most likely will not be used in their dance this year.

When I get to running flaps, they have to be "Frankenstein". Most kids just kick their feet infront of them way to far and drag their feet/ run when they do running flaps in the beginning stages. So they have to be Frankenstein and put their hands directly infront of themselves with their hands pointing down (like a zombie). My rule is they're not allowed to let their toes pass their fingers. As they get better, they take away the arms. It works pretty well and the kids get very excited when they don't have to be Frankenstein anymore!

I also don't teach flaps this young - I won't even consider it until they have a firm base in weight transference/tap steps/timing. As for shuffles, if they're going front-then-back and vaguely in time, then you're already doing very well

I have not taught flaps at this age (not in our syllabus until the next level) but when I teach shuffles, I stress that the movement comes from their hip instead of their knee (the classic 5 year old shuffle from back to front). When they finally understand what it means to have the movement come from the hip, its easy for them to get quicker.

Thanks for all your replies. I guess its not necessarily that they need to do shuffles and flaps faster (I know that their balance and strength isn't there yet) its more or less not so big...or smaller going with the timing... I'm seeing huge shuffles and big walking flaps! I'll try out the loose ankle idea keeping their feet underneath them rather in front of themselves and build to the walking flaps! THanks!