The dance classroom is an incubator of creative thinking and artistic action taking. At it’s best, it nurtures students creatively and supports students’ personal energetic engagement in asking questions and finding answers to them. Safe dance practice is crucial to
Read moreA new perspective on dance lesson planning

Recently I was listening to an interview with Jane Horwood, occupational therapist, and author of Sensory Circuits, about assisting children with sensory processing in early stages of learning through physical activities. She observed that teachers are great at picking up
Read moreCreating dance activities to help children listen

Imagine a classroom where all the children are smiling and actively engaged, curious and alert. The teacher is smiling and there is a sense of energy throughout the classroom that is infectious. No one is frazzled. While no classroom is
Read moreChoreography in Primary School Dance

Choreographing, creating, making, or composing is a key component of dance in most interpretations of dance in Primary schools around the world. Children making their own dances, individually, in pairs or in groups is central to them understanding about
Read moreChristmas dance activities for children

Planning for Christmas activities in your classroom need not involve buying or preparing lots of new resources. Children’s bodies are a wonderful resource of their own and Christmas dance activities capture the joyful nature of the season. Christmas dance activities
Read moreDance Games for Upper Primary

Previously on DTI we have suggested some dance games for young children in the classroom and as a part of the orientation phase of a dance lesson. This article suggests some dance games for older Primary students. These games may
Read moreBringing Indigenous Dance into the Primary Classroom

This week is NAIDOC Week 2020 around Australia where Primary teachers have an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our Arts community celebrates their contribution to our sector
Read morePrimary Dance Education in Australia

Last week I was fortunate to be able to spend some time talking to Sue Fox who has recently been nominated for an Australian Dance Award for her contributions to Dance Education. As one of the lead writers of the
Read more6 Simple ideas for toddler Thanksgiving movement songs

This is the time for celebrating Thanksgiving in your toddler classroom or maybe your teaching about Thanksgiving as a celebration from another country. Dance and song are joyous ways to teach your toddlers about being grateful and how people around
Read moreBite-sized dance activities that teach friendship skills

I was recently reminded by some Early childhood teachers about the importance of younger children learning about being a good friend. Using the appropriate tone of voice, facial expressions and the right words are all important parts of both socialization
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