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An Invitation To Move
People have danced since the beginning of time, using music and movement to tell stories, to commemorate events, to celebrate ritual, and to express feelings. Dancing is also a great form of exercise that encourages body awareness and physical fitness, and is a noncompetitive activity that people of all ages can enjoy.
The ability to dance lies within—there is no wrong way to dance, and there are hundreds of steps and styles and rhythms. You can make up your own. Below are some suggestions to get you and your child dancing. Put on your favorite music and let your little one lead you to the floor.
Costume Box—Children are inspired by dressing up. Fill a box or a drawer with dress-up clothes. Collect items from garage sales or thrift shops. Actual dance costumes, complete with glitter and sequins, often end up in second-hand shops.
Magic Veils—Different lengths of tulle in bright or pastel colors will delight the young dancer. Tulle is inexpensive and comes in a rainbow of colors. You can scrunch it, twist it, layer it, and roll it. It makes an instant cape, skirt, tutu, bridal veil, set of wings, or turban. And it’s lightweight enough to dance in, even for new walkers.
Music—Collect different types of music and let it reflect your mood. Flamenco is wonderful when you want to stamp your feet. Lyrical ballet pieces are nice for transitions or for slowing down. Brazilian sambas can spice things up. During the winter, we dance to a lot of Latin rhythms to dispel the cold and to remind us of summer heat.
Props—Collect props to inspire different types of dancing. Be mysterious behind a handheld fan. Use your wrists and arms to make the fan twist in front of your face or over your head. Two wooden spoons make noisy castanets. Thread jingle bells on a ribbon and wear them around ankle or wrist. Fill a tin box with beans to make a maraca. Dance to the beat of a real drum or one made from a cylindrical oatmeal box.
Nursery Rhymes—Dancing often tells stories. Bounce on a ball to tell the story of Humpty-Dumpty. Jump over a candlestick. Skip up a hill and come tumbling down. Use music in the background, or just the sound of your voices. Don’t forget traditional children’s dances such as “Ring Around the Rosy,” “London Bridge,” and “I’m a Little Teapot.”
Rainbow Sticks—Make your own Rainbow Sticks by securing a long piece of ribbon to a wooden dowel. (You can glue it, tie it, or tape it. I drilled a hole in the end of the stick, threaded the ribbon through the hole, and knotted it.) Grasping the wooden part, use big movements to make the ribbon dance. These are fun to take outside on a windy day.
Mirroring—Put on music and face your child. You are the mirror. Spend a few minutes mimicking, as if you were a mirror image, your child’s choreography. Then, if your child understands the concept, switch roles.
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