It is the time of year when we have decorated our studios or walked into our teaching spaces and found that the very nice hall committee have done it for us. It is also a very busy time with some dance teachers planning many parties for their various groups of students. The teaching of dancing is often a community minded social business and there is much to plan over the holiday season.
At my own dance club we decided this year to have not only the party night in the school but also to go overnight on a luxury cruise liner. We will go to Tilbury overnight, with Cruise and Maritime cruises and enjoy a welcome drink, dinner, cabaret show, overnight stay and breakfast. The cost of this is not enormous and for me it will be great as I will be able to spend time with my students without worrying about playlists, tables, and food. It will also provide everyone with an idea about cruising and types of cabins and maybe later we will enjoy a cruise together. As someone who spent a lot of years teaching on cruise ships this will be like coming home for me and will really be a special treat for us all.
For those who are busy sorting out their children’s parties I offer the following games and ideas:
Reindeers, Elves and Father Christmas
The children dance and when the music stops they adopt the pose (shown to them beforehand) of Father Christmas, an Elf or Reindeer. If their character is picked, then they have to leave the floor. For the purpose of inclusion I always
divide the floor so children can still dance when they have been eliminated.
Traditional Four Corners
When the music stops the children have to go to a corner. We usually have The North Pole (with the Polar Bears) , Greenland (where Father Christmas lives), South Pole (with the Penguins) and Iceland where there are igloos (not the one that sells mince pies and frozen food).
We play a lot of games based on films such as Frozen and you will all no doubt be dancing Baby Shark so many times it will feel preferable to be actually eaten by one!
Ice , Cream, Freeze, Melt
Ice being one end of the floor, Cream being the other, Freeze meaning be a statue and melt meaning get to the floor as fast as you can. Call them out in quick succession.
Pass the parcel
Works just as well for adults dancing a quickstep as for youngsters in a circle.
For adults I like to put a quiz on their tables with results later.
It is fascinating to me that not much has changed since my brother Keith and I used to go dancing together at the Burton Dance School, High Street, Hemel Hempstead.
People young and old need to have a laugh and have fun.
Enjoy the festive season, be generous and share your ideas. A personalized Christmas card thanking your customers goes a long way.
Just think when you are finally finished and sit down you can relax with the people who will care for you as you drift off to sleep trying to forget
Baby Shark Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo ………………………….
Comments