Choreographing a Group Dance
To develop creative choreography and collaborative performance skills through group dance composition.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Expressive Arts & Design
- Learning area: Expressive Arts and Design
- Level: EYFS Reception
Objectives
- Contributes choreographic ideas
- Rehearses with increasing accuracy
- Performs with expression
- Reviews and improves own movement
Materials
- Music selection
- Open movement space
- Video recording capability
- Choreography planning boards
Instructions
Begin with inspiration: share the music first and let children respond freely. 'Listen to this music. How does it make you want to move? Show me.' Their spontaneous movement responses are the raw material of the choreography.
Introduce choreographic vocabulary: 'We're going to choose our movements. Which movements feel right for this music? We need to think about: levels (high/medium/low), speed (fast/slow), pathways (straight/curved), and formation (where we stand).'
Support the group to make decisions: 'We agree the opening should be everyone frozen and then slowly melting down? Show me what that looks like. Shall we start in a circle or a line?' Facilitate without directing.
Practise sections: 'Let's try just the beginning again. Is that what we want? Does anyone want to change anything?' This iterative rehearsal process is genuine choreographic work.
Record rehearsals and watch back: 'Let's watch ourselves — what do we think? Does the slow bit feel slow enough? What shall we change?' Viewing their own movement work is powerful and develops critical analysis.
Perform for an audience — another class, parents, a school assembly. The process of preparing for real performance raises the quality and seriousness of the work enormously.