This is the fifth and final lesson plan (so far) in my preschool hip hop syllabus! If you’re a teacher and you made it this far… congratulations! This is a very challenging, and rewarding class to take on. Give yourself a pat on the back for taking this opportunity and making a real impact on your students dance education.
For the last lesson, our focus is on learning pivot turns, and reviewing all the skills we’ve worked on this year.
Teaching Pivot Turns
As always, I recommend using dots (if you have them) as a “home base” reference point when teaching pivot turns.
When we are first learning pivots I’ll actually stand in the back of room so that way the class can still see me when we turn around and step to the back.
- Have the class start with the feet together, hands on hips.
- Step forward, towards the mirror.
- Do a half-turn so you face the back of the room, but you do not move your feet! This is where students struggle – they like to pick their feet up during the turn, which causes them to lose their place. Sometimes I will explain the pivot turn as more of a pivot “swivel,” so they don’t think that we are picking up one foot and doing a typical turn or spin.
- Now step forward, to the back wall.
- Turn back to the front of the room
- Jump your feet back together.
Skills to Review
- Grapevines
- Top Rocks
- 3 Step Turns
- Snakes
- Slides
- Bounces
| Activity | Description | Notes |
| Attendance/Question | What is your favorite animal? | Encourage students to listen to one another’s responses to create a welcoming learning environment |
| Cardio Warm Up | Jumping jacks | Choose a hype/energetic song to get energy pumping for class. |
| Run in place | ||
| Jumps: Jumping over and behind your dot with your feet together. Jump left to right, over the dot | ||
| Dance Warm Up | Pat knees to the beat of the song | Purpose: get in the groove of dancing mentally and physically! Starting class with rhythm-work is a great exercise to get their minds working. |
| Once the class finds the rhythm, switch to step claps (2 eights) | ||
| hip shakes (2 eights) | ||
| Snakes (2 eights) | ||
| Bouncing (emphasis on the chest) (2 eights) | ||
| Criss-cross jumps (2 eights) | ||
| Grapevines | Review the skill with everyone altogether | Review skill from Lesson Plan #3. Goal is for them to do it independently |
| 4 slow/half time, then try 4 quick/double time | ||
| repeat right and left sides | ||
| Pivot Turns | Start standing in the back of the room (behind the class) facing the mirror | Standing in the back of the room is the best method the kids can see you the whole time you’re moving through the steps |
| Step forward and turn to the back (students should be facing you) | ||
| Finish pivot turn to the front | ||
| Snakes & Bounces | Practice snaking left to right | Introducing simple grooves – Change up arms and tempo throughout. Focus on keeping knees bent, and using their chest in both movements |
| Snake down to the floor, then back up high | ||
| Practice different versions of bounces. Single, doubles. Different arms. Keep knees bent and use your chest | ||
| Strut Walk | Lay out 1 dot at the end of the room and have students line up on other end | Encourage them to shake their hips, find the rhythm of the song, and overall deliver some style and confidence as they go across the floor |
| Students will “strut” to the dot and strike 3 poses | ||
| Strut back to the line | ||
| Can repeat with students “strutting” sideways or backwards instead | ||
| Grapevines | 4 slow/half times with hands on hips | Make sure students are crossing behind |
| 4 fast/double time with hands on hips | ||
| repeat right and left sides. | ||
| “Snake Walk” | Walk across the floor with their hands on their knees | Intro to simple groove movements |
| Snaking their head side to side with each step, keeping knees bent | ||
| Fun Activity: Dance Telephone | Have kids stand around you in a circle and you point to 1 kid | It’s important to give kids some creative freedom and expression, and I have found this is a great way to allow them to show off, while also being structured around our class vocabulary |
| They pick a dance move and show it to the class (hip shake, snake, grapevine etc) and the class repeats the movement | ||
| Repeat until everyone has a turn showing a move |
