A Child's Book for Learning 16 Rhythmic Dance Steps by Susan Kramer

sitemaps at susankramer.com: Ballet | Dolls & Costumes | Rhythmic Dance | Spirituality | Books

A Child's Book for Learning
16 Rhythmic Dance Steps

Susan Kramer

translations
[Dutch]—[French]—[German]—[Spanish]

Dancing steps to practice, learn
adding clapping as you go
putting them in '9 Little Dances'
composed for you below ...

Rhythmic Dances For School Age Kids
by Susan Kramer

Rhythmic Dances For All Kids by Susan Kramer

In 100 pages, 16 rhythmic dance steps illustrated and described,
plus 9 little dances, 18 - ABA and other sequencing combinations, and 4 advanced group dances -
for learning kinesthetically about math sets, sequencing, and language phrasing and rhythms.
Can be adapted for special needs children.

I. Key for Clapping Rhythms
II.16 Rhythmic Dance Steps
1) Walking
2) Running
3) Marching
4) Galloping
5) Sliding
6) Hopping
7) Jumping
8) Leaping
9) Pedaling
10) Prancing
11) Toe Pointing
12) Skipping
13) Waltzing
14) Minuet
15) Schottische
16) Polka
III. For Practice - 9 Little Dances
IV. Links

I. Key for Clapping Rhythms

tum = a beat that is accented
ta = a short beat
& = a brief pause or change in action Example:

walk: tum, tum, tum, tum
gallop: ta tum, ta tum, ta tum, ta tum
walk, walk, walk, walk & gallop, gallop, gallop, gallop
tum, tum, tum, tum & ta tum, ta tum, ta tum, ta tum

II. 16 Rhythmic Dance Steps

1)Walking
Kathy, almost 5, low level walks; giant steps; arms in opposition.
Continuous steps alternating feet.
Arms swing in opposition:
when right leg is in front, left arm is in front.
Tempos, directions, levels innumerable.
Clap: tum, tum, tum, tum

2) Running
Running by Kathy, almost 5.
Even quick steps varying in length and dynamic energy.
Each foot pushes off to the other foot.
Arms swing in opposition:
when right leg is in front, left arm is in front.
Many directions and levels.
Clap quickly:
ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta

Brisk even steps.
Supporting leg remains straight.
Working knee bends with thigh raised parallel to floor.
Many directions and patterns possible.
Arms swing in opposition, one forward, one back,
(arm of the front leg swings back).
Rhythmic loping movements
leading with the same foot forward throughout.
Front foot steps forward
and back foot pulls up to front foot with a shuffle.
Arms in opposition, (as described in marching).
Many variations of basic step
of keeping knees slightly bent
while feet slide along the floor.
One foot leads, the other slides to meet it,
and then the opposite foot leads.
Arm position varies:
Hands on waist; arms outstretched to sides;
arms in opposition for big slides.
Always done on one foot with a very brief pause between.
Hops are usually in a series.
For balance; hands on waist or arms outstretched to sides.
Done with both feet leaving floor and landing in unison.
In take-off, knees bend and feet press into floor
to give power to push off.
In landing, feet come down to floor in gradual succession.
First balls of feet, (half toe position), then heels,
then knees bend to absorb the shock of landing.
Arms outstretched to sides for balance.
Large springs from one foot to the next, to the next, etc.
In succession from push off of the foot that just landed.
As foot lands that knee bends
to provide power for foot pushing off.
Legs and feet are stretched while in mid-leap.
Arms swing up to shoulder height in opposition for balance.
Standing with feet parallel,
one foot pushes forward onto ball of foot, (half toe),
stretching instep, then lowers
while other foot simultaneously
pushes up to ball of foot.
Feet remain parallel, almost touching, along inside edges.
Hands on waist or arms outstretched to sides for balance.
Slow tempo, then quicker
As in Pedaling—but active foot raises
off floor slightly, toe pointed.
Once step sequence is mastered
a bounce is added by bending the knee
of the supporting leg with each change of leg.
Left leg, right leg, left leg etc.
Hands on waist or arms outstretched for balance.
Practiced in place or moving forward or backward.
Standing in place, supporting leg remains still
while active foot points
so that tip of toe lightly taps floor counts 1, 2, 3.
Count 4 brings active foot back alongside
supporting foot.
Alternate pointing foot for each 4 count set.
Arms outstretched to sides for balance.
Series of step-hops changing lead foot after hop.
One knee is raised, thigh parallel to floor.
Arms swing from shoulders, one forward, one back,
in opposition to knee that is raised in front.
Set of 3 walking steps alternating feet.
One count per step.
Count one is emphasized by
bending that knee slightly as it steps.
Arms outstretched to side for balance.
Pattern of 3 steps with the 4th count a toe point.
Begin each set with the foot of the toe that points.
Arms outstretched to side.
Series of 3 walking steps
with the 4th count being a hop
on the same foot
that took step number three.
Place hands on waist for balance.
Two gallops in sequence,
with the lead foot being changed at the beginning
of the following set of two gallops.
Arms swing in opposition.



Dance (6)
polka, & polka,
& skip, skip, skip, skip,
& polka, & polka,
& skip, skip, skip, skip, &...
Dance (7)
schottische, & schottische,
& polka, & polka, &...
Dance (8)
& polka, & polka,
& skip, skip, skip, skip,
& polka, & polka &...

Susan Kramer, M.A. is an international author of more than 50 collections and 150 articles on rhythmic movement, modern dance, ballet, music, philosophy, social issues, yoga and practical spirituality for children, teens, adults and those challenged, with some Dutch, French, German and Spanish translations. Susan and her husband, Stan Schaap- http://www.powertoshare.com reside in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.