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  • This is a great period. I especially enjoyed the jazz, the Duke Ellington songs, and the fox trot (of course). The Charleston was lively too! The Charleston and the one step would probably be the easiest to share with my students, and it would be a fun break to help them refocus, although I wouldn't be able to tie it into the 5th grade social studies curriculum since it only goes up to the westward expansion. However, it is another tool in my pocket and it can help set the stage for future grade, giving a spiral effect, so to speak. It was really eyeopening to see how much the culture changed in just a few short years! I can only imagine how scandalized those parents must have been, although it doesn't seem that extreme compared to today's society. Overall, great period. Not sure how I would use them in my classroom except as a short break and to give students a taste of what they will learn in later grades.
  • The Charleston is a dance that I can recall learning in choir when I was in high school.  This is something that I can see myself incorporating in a unit on the 1920's and Progressive Era - if I find that it is not something previously covered in early educational years, or even at the high school level.  I find that while some kids really appreciate showing off a prior skill, others are quickly bored by it.  I would like to show youtube clips perhaps in lieu of actually dancing the Charleston.   I especially enjoyed the clip demonstrating the more modern Charleston. I would actually like to show a series of 3 clips: original, updated, and a more modern (hip-hop, break dancing, etc) piece to show the similarities and evolution in dance.  

    I really enjoyed analyzing the lyrics to Bill Bailey and think this would make for an interesting individual reading, pair and share, and group discussion to pull out the various potential meanings in the song.  I might also include this as an intro activity to larger assignment on individual song choice lyric analysis.

  • I really liked the Charleston and the video that used modern music.  I think that is a great way to get the kids to buy into the fact that history can be cool!  I specifically remember when I was a teenager and how learning about swing and big band music was interesting.  It was an eye opener to me how music/dance was entertainment in such a different way for people back then.  I'd hope to provide my students with that same type of experience.

  • I have been wanting to teach units on blues and jazz, so a lot of this information will be great for an introduction. I also am glad to know about the good scat example from Ella Fitzgerald on Ain't Got That Swing with Duke Ellington's orchestra.

    I think my students would love to Charleston, especially with the chance to individualize, as they so love to do! The one step is also pretty easy and would be a good one to start dancing with partners. It makes me think of the merengue, as it seems to be a Latin one step. Might be a good way to interject some cultural similarities in the lesson.

    Elizabeth wanted me to mention that during the 1930's with FDR's New Deal, the WPA (Works Progress Administration--but in the South it was referred to as We Piddle Around)--paid people to do community projects (like building roads and bridges, etc) as well as for artists to do public work. One of the things (especially in the Southern Appalachians) was that ethnologists went around collecting primary recordings of traditional music: songs and instruments. A lot of these recordings are archived in the LOC, and state mueums, and can be found on youtube as well.

    I remember my Mom singing Bill Bailey all the time (so, of course, we followed suit), and she taught us the Charleston in our kitchen, telling us stories about her mother dancing it and teaching her. Loved the walk down memory lane! Thanks!

  • Charleston=Awesome! I've seen the Charleston danced before but could NEVER figure out how to make my legs do what my eyes saw. Basically I looked like a flailing chicken (and not the good 1920's kind). I could teach this basic move to my kids to help build their spacial awareness and body movement skills.
    The one-step we learned could be taught as well, but I think I would use it more as a counting/math tool and as a line/group dance rather than partners.
    I, personally, enjoyed hearing the differences between what TRULY was versus what it's PERCIEVED as now. I never realized that the fringe dresses that are associated with the 20's are more of a mockery of the true beaded and thin fabriced flapper dresses. Same with the new/old versions of the foxtrot. It makes me wonder who and when these changes were made.
  • In the gym I think the One-step is a simple partner dance for the elementary students.  The simple eight steps will be easy for the kids to master.  Then adding on the side steps and turns would make it an enjoyable experience.  

    The Charleston was a fun dance that doesn't need to be done with a partner which might be a relief for students. Once I teach the dance and perform it to the traditional "Charleston" music, I would love sharing the video of it being danced in the past with modern music playing.  Then allow my students the opportunity to dance the Charleston to a modern song.

  • My plan is to teach the Charleston during a unit on the time period (6th grade). I think it would be fun for the kids to learn it and let them think it is old fashioned. After they were familiar with it, I would show them the video of the men dancing the Charleston; first with Charleston music playing, and then with the techno music. I think the kids would find it fun and interesting to see how an "old fashioned" dance is very similar to modern dance steps. My prediction is that when we try the Charleston again, they will see it with a new perspective and enjoy it even more. :)
  • I like the idea of self expression - within the dance steps - appearing in dance.  This appeals to me and I think it would be fun for students.  The ones who are a little more shy can do the basic steps and still be dancing, and the more "adventurous" students could take the steps further.

    I really enjoy the Charleston myself.  The honest answer about how I want to use this in the future is to arrange a Talent Show routine with my friend based off the you tube video we watched with the gentlemen who rotated through and it was presented with techno music.  The kids would love to watch us.  

    The music in this period is becoming more familiar.  Dancing is quicker.  It feels like a fun time in history from this perspective.

  •      This era has some very quick dances, meaning your feet are flailing in a controlled manner.  :)  Fast songs are challenging for me, but I survived.  The Charleston was fun, but I found that I hard a challenging time with the side hold.  I felt that the side hold was uncomfortable and hard to move around with.  Even though you said that the hands were becoming a part of the dance, I could only move one of my hands due to the hold.

         The Fox Trot was a fun dance, especially because the steps seem pretty easy and universal.  I felt that I could do pretty much anything with my feet.  It seems like a pretty comfortable dance.

  • The Charleston was easier than I thought- however I wish I could perform it like they did on the video. I love the comparison using older music and contemporary music- students would really relate to that, and if anything would motivate them more to learn the moves.

    The One Step was much different than I had anticipated- probably from watching ballroom dancing shows.  I think I'm more confident about trying to teach this to students, though as with many of these dances, I worry about kids being hesitant to pair up.

    I enjoyed hearing Bill Bailey...mostly because it was Louis Armstrong's voice.  It made it a bit difficult to focus on the lyrics while enjoying his voice.  I found it interesting to hear him sing a song which sounded like it would have been a woman singing to a man.  Though it all made more sense to me when hearing the female version later on. 

    I don't spend a lot of time on this period in my class, but could definitely use the activities for brain breaks, indoor recesses, or community building.

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