If you’re looking for some last-minute ideas for your classroom this Easter, dance could be the answer. Learning about dance, and through dance, with an Easter theme is always fun for Primary school students.
Easter is traditionally a Christian celebration that happens the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. It is an important part of the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Christ and a part of Holy Week.
More recently it has been highjacked by Easter Bunnies, Easter bonnets and Easter egg hunts.
However, in the Primary/Elementary dance class Easter presents an opportunity to teach about other cultures, religions, and celebrations. Throughout the world this time of year also signifies a change of season, in the Northern hemisphere, Spring and in the Southern Hemisphere, Autumn. Dances about the seasons offer children opportunities to explore many ideas about the natural world.
These different approaches to this time of the year are all wonderful themes for dance activities in your classroom or at home.
Easter themes for the dance classroom
Easter around the world
Have students research how different countries celebrate Easter and how these traditions developed. They then create a dance about what they have found and present it to the class.
What grows in an egg?
The symbol of eggs at easter dates back to the 13th century when it was forbidden to eat eggs during Holy Week. The egg is also said to symbolizes the empty tomb and new life emerging from the eggshells.
Unwrapping the chocolate eggs seems to be popular in today’s culture!
Dance Activity
In this dance activity each child has to unwrap their own ‘egg’ to find what’s inside. Starting with a low level curved egg shape they spend a few minutes imaging what will come out of their egg.
What is in your egg? How will your movement show what is inside?
The children’s movement shows what’s hidden inside. It could be a dinosaur, a bird, a platypus, or even the gooey filling in chocolate eggs.
Easter Bunny ‘Follow Me’ Dance
This dance is a series of themed Easter Bunny movements that use the Elements of Dance. The children learn the dance, perform to your favourite Easter song, and then have to find the Dance Element that is featured in each movement.
Like a Dance Elements Hunt!
You may choose to use all these movements or focus on just a few. This will depend on the age and stage of your children.
Bunny Ear Flop
Flop your ears from side to side – wagging your tail. Go slow, slow, quick, quick, quick. (Time- Rhythm)
Easter Egg Juggle
Rock lunges from side to side while juggling easter eggs high in the air. Eyes up! The movements start small and get larger. (Space – dimension – small to large)
Creep and Hide the Easter Eggs
Creep forward slowly for 4 counts and then backwards for 4 counts. The movement must be smooth and
silent. (Dynamics – sustained energy)
Bunny Hops
Jump with feet together from side to side on the spot, hands in ‘bunny position’. Then travel forward using a Zig Zag pathway. (Space – Pathways)
Conceal the Eggs
Star jumps. Arms at a high level when the feet are apart and arms at a low level when the feet are together. (Space – levels)
Easter dances
Both of these videos have some good ideas for quick dance activities in the classroom. The Easter Bunny Rap can be developed into a full dance by the children.
Easter Bunny Dance and Freeze is for younger children.
Upper Primary/Elementary students will enjoy Easter Bunny Rap: Fun Body Percussion.
And finally
Children can have fun with dance and learn more about this wonderful art form. They can explore other learning areas while being creative and active.
No matter your approach to Easter, dance is a fun way to celebrate this special time of the year.
Happy Easter.
