Skip to main content
Dance Specialist Mrs. Bowen » Home

Home

 

Posts

Movement Matters!

Movement Matters!

The Body is the Brain’s First Teacher

And the Lesson Plan is Movement

 

Movement is at the forefront of early childhood development. All learning begins with the body and is linked to movement. Movement multiplies physical capacity and magnifies sensory perception, opening critical pathways in a child’s brain needed to reach their full developmental potential. From crawling to standing, walking to jumping, every move a young child makes leads to learning.

In movement class at Reagan Academy, we practice the eight basic locomotor movements: walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, galloping, sliding, and leaping. Movement is so critically important, it is one of the functions the brain automates in the early years of a child’s life. Automaticity, movement without having to think about it, creates efficiencies in the brain and frees up processing power for more complex thinking, reasoning, and imagination. When movement becomes automated, the child’s mind will be free to think.

Each child develops uniquely, according to the needs of their own individual brain. Developing locomotor skills in a different order, or skipping a step, is not necessarily cause for concern, so long as the child continues to show signs of progress. Repetition aligns the body and brain. It creates muscle memory and automates movement. This is why we practice the eight basic locomotor skills at school. We encourage your support by having your student practice these movements at home. This will help enhance their automaticity and expand their progress, growth, and learning experience.

You’re Invited by Ballet West!!

Utah is home to the professional ballet company, Ballet West. The founder was Willam Christensen, who staged the first full-length version of the ballet in the United States (premiering in San Francisco before he brought it to Salt Lake).

THIS YEAR, Ballet West will perform on KSL-TV so people can watch from their own homes--for FREE! This is an opportunity that may never happen again, so let your family know about it!!

Dates: Dec. 24th, 25th 2020 and Jan. 1st, 2021

Time: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Place: KSL-TV or the KSL app

Dance For the Sun

Create a dance for the sun using Improvisation and Choreography

Improvisation - Playing with movement structures and concepts.  Make it up as you go.

Improvisation movement structures and concepts that will bring interest and creativity to your movement choices:

Directions (Right, Left, Forward, Backward, Up, Down)

Levels (Low, Medium, High)

Speed (Slow, Medium, Fast)

Size (Small, Medium, Large)

Focus (Single focus, Multi focus, External, Internal)

Pathway (Straight, Curved, Zig Zag)

Balance (Off Balance, On Balance)

Weight (Strong, Light)

Body Parts (Arms, Legs, Spine, Head, Elbow, Knee)

Energy (Smooth, Sharp)

Note:  The sun gives us energy.  Can I use my energy like the sun?

 

Choreography- Planning and arranging movement into a form with intent.  Same each time

There are two places in this dance for choreography:

  1. Some words describe yoga poses and will guide you through the movement that takes you to each pose. Notice the repeated sequence that guides you through the choreography.
  2. The chorus repeats encouraging words.  Below are choreography suggestions.  You may choose to choreograph your own movement.

I can do it!   (Reach both hands and arms away from you and then bring them in to touch your shoulders)

You can do it!  (Reverse the above movement to reach both hands and arms out and away from yourself to stretch to those in front of you.)

We can do it!  (Bring both arms down to body sides and then reach them high to the sky.)

A sun salutation!  (With arms reaching high turn around with legs skipping to make one rotation.)

Create Your Dance for the Sun with a Beginning, Middle and End.

     1. Beginning Shape - Start with a beginning shape that lifts up towards the sun.  You can add your eyes focusing upward.

 

     2. Improvisation – As the singer says “ Sun salutation, dance for the sun,    repeated four times, dance the way that you want to or improvise your            movement. This repeats two times.

 

     3. Choreography – Follow your choices of choreography as the chorus encourages, “I can do it, you can do it, we can do it, sun salutation”.

 

     4. Choreography – Follow directions to find yoga poses.  This repeats two times.

 

     5. Improvisation – As the singer says “ Sun salutation, dance for the sun, repeated four times, dance the way that you want to or improvise your movement. This repeats two times.

 

     6. Ending Shape – Chose a shape to end your dance.  Try to make it on a different level, with different lines and designs than your beginning shape.  Still focus upward to the sun.

 

Reflect and Share - Take a minute to pay attention to your body.  What do you notice now that you have done a dance?  Share your thoughts and opinions with someone.

Questions you might ask yourself:

Is there a change in my breath?

Do I notice a change in the temperature of my skin?

Do I notice a change in my heartbeat, or my energy level?

 

What was my favorite part of this dance?
 

Did I like the choreography where I followed set choices?

Did I like to make up my dancing with improvisation? 

 

 

Hello Sun! A Yoga Sun Salutation to Start Your Day

  • Greet the day with Hello Sun!, a bright and inviting picture book that will guide you through a morning sun salutation yoga flow. 
  • Beginning and ending with Mountain Pose, you can follow along with ten classic postures to help you wake, stretch and breathe.
  • This is a heartwarming introduction to the wonders of yoga and helps get you ready for a happy, mindful day.  Click Here Hello Sun!

Activity for Breath Awareness to restore Mind and Body

 
As you take time to create a mindful moment for breathing, focus on the following:
 
1. As the artist is singing "just breathe", notice the feeling of the natural rhythm of your breath as it rises and falls.  Make sure you are in a comfortable position and if you can, close your eyes.
  • Bring the breath in through the nose as if you are smelling a flower.
  • Release the breath out through the mouth as if you were blowing out a candle.
2. As the artist sings "oh let it go, let it all go" try to let go of your fears, anxieties or anything that is worrying or troubling you, or not setting well with you.  
 
3. As the artist sings, "just be"  try to pay attention without judgement, but with care, to your mind, heart and body.  (This is mindfulness)  Think of how it feels to be who you are. Practice knowing that you are important, unique and have contributions to make in this world by just being yourself.
 
Return to this practice once a day or as often as you find yourself needing a mindful moment of breath.
 
This kind of focus takes practice.  With practice you can get stronger.

Back to School with Art Integration

Hello Reagan Academy Families and Friends!
 
I am looking forward to another year of art integration at Reagan Academy! I will miss seeing your faces at back to school night but send my best wishes to each of you, and can't wait for classes to begin!
 
Visit my classroom virtually
 
Keep moving!
Mrs. Bowen