Hello All,
I am looking for some activity ideas to use scarfs in my Pre-Ballet and Creative Movement classes.
We have a bunch of soft flowy scarves in the "closet" and I have heard others mention using them.
Do you have certain dances/songs that you use them for?
Do you have any ideas you don't mind sharing?
Thanks!
Miss Becca

Dance
- with a scarf
- around a scarf
- like a scarf
- improvise what you can do with your scarf
- use your scarf as a costume and dance in a way that fits your 'costume'
- when miss claps in her hands you all put your scarf down and dance without your scarf, when miss claps twice you return to your scarf and dance with your scarf again
- throw your scarf in the air and dance while your scarf flows down
- freeze dance, when you are 'wrong' you get a scarf, the one with the less scarfs in the end wins.

Music: anything flowy, easy listening, classical.

I use 6 little ducks with the scarves practicing ballet hold (thumb and middle finger) and walk like a duck, I also use the scarves as bee wings for releve walks and runs to I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee. I've also seen them used as bird wings, butterfly wings etc...

We use one of the Hap Palmer songs "Teddy Bear Playtime" and use scarves instead of teddybears, because you throw them up and catch them, etc. Some other songs are song with bean bag lyrics, I think it's by Greg and Steve.

Oh, there is also a cd or two that are activities for using with scarves, I think you can find them at the Kimbo website.

Try placing the scarf at the back of their ballet skirts or elastic waist band and let them be kangaroo's and of course what do kangaroo's do - Jump! Get them to jump with their feet together (use your finger as a brush and "glue" the feet together so they do not come apart) or

Let them be ponies of any colour with the scarf as the tail, "rainbow colour" usully wins and they can do pony gallops or jumps or

Place it down the front of the leotard/tee shirt and get them to lean forward and they become Elephants or

Simply run around the room making sure the scarfs are moving or

Place two if you have enough at the back as fairy's wings and run in a circle on their demi point or

Have them run in a circle waving the scarf and stop the music suddenly and have them stop with the music and make a statue using the scarf a a prop.

Hope that helps?

Cheers

Mr_B

a scarf tunnell is always fun!!!

have 2 girls hold one scarf from both ends. line all the pairs of girls up and have them hold them above their head.

the first pair of girls lower their scarves, hold hands and run through the tunnel and then return w/ scarves over head at the other end of the line

each pair takes their turn running through the tunnel and then adding to the other end to rebuild the tunnel for the next group

lots o fun

I use scarves for the above ideas as well as:
A made up game using music from Aladdin- start out sitting on "magic carpets" and then stand up and float them around. Go all around the world on your carpet and once you get there do certain dance steps before getting back on!!

I have several good scarf songs I use. Shake you scarf (i tumes) Magic Scarf ? Not sure about the actual name....I have had this song so long. Hap Palmer! It was on the album can cockatoos count by two. A favorite!

I have a kimbo c-d called "musical scarves and activities" that will give you ideas. I use scarves as wings--fairy, butterfly, birds. They work well as fishy fins--under the sea music. I also use them to strengthen arms doing figure eights and circles. During gallops, as a lasso.

I had small silky scarves from Oriental Trading, but the kids could step on them and slip - they were as slick as a banana peel on my vinyl floor. So I use feather boas instead, although I keep reminding the babies not to pluck out the feathers. I let them dance around on their own (after I show them some ideas) to the Music Works/Stepping Tones CD song: "Powder Puff."

I use a Hoctor CD called the Woman in the Shoe - It has a song called Dainty Little Snowflake - We use the scarves as snowflakes doing port de bras, flutter, make it snow on your toe, Arabesque and make it snow to the right, the left, turning, make standing up snow angels (Echappe) and repeat. Always a favorite.

I let my kids do "interpretive" dance at the end of class with scarves. It also works as a bride because if they don't do all their songs they dont get to dance with the scarves!

I love using scarves. I have the kids explore the space with the scarves. I think the visual is so important. We wave the scarves in high level above our heads, on the floor in low level, under us, under our arms (to discover space) and around our bodies. We move them fast and slow. I also REALLY encourage you to have them cross their mid-line. I give each student two scarves, one in each hand and we circle one towards our body and then the other. It is fun, pretty and helps with connecting the left and right side of the body and the left and right side of the brain.

After that, I am sure they will show you what they can do. I always where some kind of sweater with a pocket so when we are all done they can put the scarves to sleep in my pocket. It lets them have a chance to say "goodbye" instead of me taking it away from them.

let me know how it goes!

Stacey

When I first started teaching creative movement I had a cassette tape that had the song "scarf dance". The tape has long since died and I've had a hard time finding it so I just play some classical music in the background and say the words from the "scarf dance". It actually works out better when I say it cause I can control how long or short it can be. It goes as follows: My scarf and I go to many places. First I grab the ends of my scarf and flip it over my head and my scarf becomes a light fluffy cloud. I tip toe around the room allowing my scarf to flow over my head. Sometimes I let it float up and down and all around me. Then I tie my scarf around my neck (just holding it there is easier then actually tying it) and I become a cowboy or cowgirl galloping over the prairie. Next I drape my scarf over my shoulders and it becomes a cape and I am a king or queen. I walk with my toes pointed and my head held high so my crown stays right where it belongs, on top of my head. Next I cradle my baby doll inside my scarf. I rock her gently back and forth. When she gets sleepy I put her to bed. (once everyone is quietly "sleeping" I loudly say this next part) Who wants to be a pirate? (then the kids say "arrr" or "we do") Then go find me some gold! I use my scarf as a bag and carry my treasure to and fro marching all the way. (I encourage the children to bring the gold to me and place it in the "big bag") I then take all the gold I found and grind it up into stardust. My scarf is now a shooting star flying high into the sky. I fly with my scarf as high as the moon and jump from star to star. And as the stars get tired they rain down into a rainbow river (here I have all the children place their scarves in a straight line then we practice leaping over it) -The end Hope this helps! I would love to know that other people are carrying on the tradition of the scarf dance