Welcome to the AK-CSS Members Forum! Please sign up to join the discussions.

Replies

  • I found the waltz exercise to be very insightful in dealing with children.  I wouldn't use it during the first few weeks of school, however, it would be a fun way to develop social skills and a good refresher course in manners and respect for each other as a classroom team.  I know my 5th and 6th grade students would be very interested in the social studies aspects of the waltz as well as the opportunity to interact with each other in a "safe" environment.

  • About four years ago, I had a grandparent teach the Waltz to my Kindergarten class and they really enjoyed it.  I was amazed at how quickly they picked it up.  Now that I have tried the steps myself, I feel like I could help my preschool students to learn how to waltz with the basic steps.  I think they would enjoy the Waltz!  I think that one way I could use the first songs is to have them draw pictures of what they think they are hearing (birds, flowers, season, etc.)  It would be fun to see what they draw from the music.

  • Teaching the waltz would be fun to do with a class as we (9th Grade World History) transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque period. It would help in juxtaposing the pomp of 18th century lifestyle with the banal daily life of the common populace.  We teach this time period towards the end of the school year and this would be a great opportunity to take the class outside. So mayhaps one group of students may dance whilst another group of students shovel dirt (followed by a debrief: "How did it feel to shovel while your friends had fun?" etc.) This would be beneficial in working towards social-emotional learning standards.

  • Reflection #1  That was so much fun.  I really liked using different tempos to introduce and practice the waltz.  This would be great fun to teach to my 5th graders just for the sake of the dance and movement, not to mention incorporating it with history.  Pushing the desks back for a movement break during cold, icy winter days would  heat us up and warm up our brains. I appreciated the positive energy of the class participants!


  • Waltz  I so enjoyed re-learning the waltz—I remember being a child, watching it on T.V. and wanting to learn how to dance it myself.  I already teach the concepts of rhythm and counting to my music students, and I look forward to using modern music to teach waltzing.  Also, knowing more of the backstory of the waltz and how scandalous it was when it was first introduced was fascinating to me—I’ve already told my students about things that were scandalous in my grandmother’s day (i.e. playing cards and bowling) and have them howl with laughter, so it will be interesting to share this with them and talk about how society has changed over the years.

  • By its structured, controlled manner, the waltz seems well-suited to its Baroque era. It was a style in which diligent practice invited perfection and ample opportunity for technical showing off.

     

    The “voluptuous intertwining of limbs” was at first a bit much for me, but I adjusted.

     


  • There has been a lot of interesting information so far. This was a new dance for me and a difficult one. It is a pretty conservative dance which goes well with the time period. I like that the dance represents what was going on in that specific time period. As we were talking about this time period I could picture in my head the outfits that they would wear. I could see everyone in a ballroom all dressed up and ready to dance. During this time period I feel that dancing was used as a social tool . Instead of hanging out with their friends and watching television because clearly that didn't exist they hung out and formed relationships through dancing.

    I definitely see how I could use this dance into my classroom. We do not have a music teacher in my village and music has not really been taught in my class. My kids enjoy movement so I think they would like this type of activity. I like setting expectations with the class before you begin. I also think if you as a teacher make a mistake or have difficulty it will allow them to see that dancing is a learning process.  It works on communication and trusting your partner to lead you in the right direction.

  • It is very interesting to see the reflection of social etiquette in the Baroque styles of music and dance.  It was a time to "show off" so instruments were allowed to "show off" through concertos.  Dancers were allowed to "show off" in Minuets.  It is also interesting how types of touch reflected status and relationship and where that has gone in modern times.  I think students could relate to attempts to establish themselves as "cool" or "elite" using flash.  It would be fun to have students identify how they present themselves and why.  It would be fun to have students brainstorm how you know a celebrity or student is "cool" based on their appearance, dance and music now as compared to that of the Baroque period.  It is also intriguing that throughout history new dances often caused social disgust.  This still continues today.

This reply was deleted.