Ugh! I'm really stuck on stuff to do with my tap/jazz class. The average age is 6 though I also have some 7 year olds.

Right now the jazz portion is much easier than the tap. I am having trouble holding their interest through endless taps, heel digs and shuffles. Any suggestions on making my class fun and productive at the same time. It's an interesting age-they are too big for baby games but they are not old enough to appreciate the learning process. HELP!

Oh goodness...I need answers to your post as well. I feel like I loose a lot of my kids at this age. They think it isn't "fun" anymore and they don't want to work hard and challenge themselves. My combo is Ballet/Tap and I have the same exact issues. Then the kids become behavior problems and it's just all down hill from there!

I have only taught very beginning tap as that isn't my forte but I used to have my class stand in a circle and we would pass the tap step around the circle (toe, heel, shuffle, flap, cramp roll, etc.) Then I would line them up, assign each dancer a number and have them do a stamp in cannon as they called out their number. Then I would rearrange them but had them keep the same number and do the stamp so they had to remember their number and perform the stamp or whatever on their count.
I hope this helps. I know your struggle I've found that I had to keep them constantly moving and going. It can sure wear you out!

Make sure they have seen every corner of the room at the end of the class. You can use the same material you use now, but send them over all diagonals (there are 4 if you let them go reverse too) with it, let them do it with their noses to all sides of the room, in several groups, in pairs facing each other, in circles, in moving lines, ....

And play with the tempo of the music. Let them do the same exercise extremely slow, extremely fast, or use unexpected music.

I make it a point to keep my kids moving at that age, especially in tap. For example we do across the floor with steps that are done at the bar too (ex: march 4x, maxi-ford).

Pick a nursey rhyme they know, ex: Twinkle, twinkle and make an accapella tap dance to it. Get they inovolved to help. They sing and do the step that"sound" like the song.

First of all I start with marches (high knees, I find it helps if you call them soldiers or cadets and create a march song) only walking on our toes for about 1-2 mins. I use this with them echoing "Everybody fall in line (echo), I like tap shoes all the time (echo), making sounds and making noise(echo), tapping is more fun than toys (or tapping is our greatest joy)(echo), then I count 1234 and they shout 5678. I like to keep them on their toes (no pun intended) and change it up. when I do different sections I try to use a good deal of imagery, if I have a child in the class who is autistic I explain everything in very plain terms (exactly what I want with no imagery), rhythmically is best in anycase for this age. Use tools like the song BINGO with specific steps. heel digs would go "heel, heel, heel, G - O" any 1 count sound works. I have much more, this age used to have me crying ater class and now i am beaming. PM if you want more ideas and if you have any to share!!

Awesome replies so far, thanks to all. And karma to all!
My last class was the most successful since I was inspired by your ideas.I bent over backwards to give them imagery. I also downloaded a bunch of songs to fit exactly with the activity.

If anyone is interested...we did high knee marches to "Hi Ho" from Snow White. Then walks on tip toe like Tinkerbell and then ball heel like a fairy that is sneaking through the woods to "When you Wish Upon a Star". We did taps, heel step, and shuffles and shuffle step to "Cotton Eyed Joe", moving from line to line skipping in a circle during transitions. I mixed in some simple dancing to keep everyone happy while throwing the tap steps in. So much better! We discussed our fairy wing colors, our dwarf boot patterns, our square dance skirt ruffles, etc...They were totally mesmerized by that.

My biggest dilemma all year I am sure will be trying to get through to them with fun ideas that proved too thought-provoking. The minute I try to get them involved in something that requires any brainpower (similar to passing a step along, coming up with a step on their own, cadence call) half of them glaze over. The other half tries at least. I hope over the next couple of weeks they will catch on to concentrating a little bit more. It has to be something we practice or it will never happen.

Thanks for saving my butt.

I had the EXACT problem with the same age group.....their dance had to be soooo simple b/c they just couldn't seem to concentrate!- I don't know if it was the time of the class- (5:30-6:45) but it killed me.... it didn't matter what i tried they just wern't into it..thought they would all quit but all but one came back...surprising. They couldn't even make a circle and grapevine around it without me working on it to death.....

I too am looking for tons of games and fun things to pull out of my hat when they get the glazed over look......i HATE the glazed over look!!! Makes me tired and want to go home!

how long is the class? Is it a combo class? Typically I find that that age group is pretty good, they take everything in and work hard. I would say the last ten minutes of class they will start to loose some concentration. I save a really fun dance game for those last few minutes, with the specific understanding that if we do a, b and c then we can play the game. Also if it is a combo class see if you can switch the order every other week. It sometimes is still hard to concentrate for a whole class at this age and they will loose focus towards the end. Alternte is so the get a chance to do the jazz and tap first when they are fresh. Maybe they are just tired?

It is an hour long combo class and we always do tap first since it's easier to deal with the focus problems in jazz. If they have been good, we always end class with circle time (like free dance) where each girl has her count of 8 in the center. If they have been naughty, I threaten them with losing the circle time, which usually works.

The main problem is tap-the first half hour. I can get half of them to focus in tap. The other half simply doesn't seem interested in anything from tapping just their toe to shuffles going front back. They just glaze over and smack their foot on the floor. That's why I'm trying to incorporate lots of movement during the tap portion. Some have shuffle step mastered and want to learn more which is why I feel bad. It's a large class, too, around 13 girls so I am running ragged. I wish everyone would get on the same page focus-wise. I know this age is exhausting.

I am relying on their imagination again this week. How long will those ideas last though?

get a stoplight poster from a teacher store ( i got mine online) due to leaky roof, we just started last week...since i have a stoplight poster in each room with each class having a pocket with their names in them and a pocket next to yellow and red- if they aren't paying attention i say "stoplight!!!" and they all straighten up.... i also am doing incentive charts again this year but in a different way- i put them on the mirror- they get a sticker for paying attention ( hair up, proper attire etc all rolled into one sticker..LOL) if they fill up the chart they will get a surprise.. also if they stay in "green" for a long time i will also give them a "surprise"..seems to be working marvelously with their attentiveness..but it is week two so..i will keep you posted...HAHAHAHAHAHAH

We have our older 6's to young 8's and one Downs on Thursday evenings and when I leave there I am smiling and LOVE that class and the kids and parents all leave with smiles on their faces as well.

Every other week or so, I will walk in with something "special". One night I got out my box of old hats (churchlady hats) and they got to tap with the hat of their choice. Makes for a great photo opt. Last night before their class I was going through a few boxes trying to clean out, and found a ton of old Blues Brothers sunglasses with the studio log on the side that we used several years ago and I walked into class with the glass on and they just hooted! THey all got glasses and tapped with their "Cool Rays". I let them keep their "Cool Rays" because I would have just thrown them in a box and forgot about them or thrown them away.

I am also using the soundtrack from Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place" cut #3 Magic, right now for tap and they love the music and like dancing to it as well as singing to it. When we finish our combos I let the music play a little longer and we all sing to the top of our lungs together! So much fun!

My experience is that they like to roll play while dancing. Act like the character that is singing the song. We start out with just basic steps and before the class is done they are doing some really tough combos and didn't even realize how hard they were working because they enjoyed the music and the adventure.

Good Luck and remember to have fun!!! This is a great age! Enjoy them before they turn into horrible teenagers! : )