Lesson Leap

Here is a lesson plan that I have created to teach an intermediate jazz dance class for 9 to 11-year-old dancers. This lesson can easily be adapted for different age groups and ability levels.

Please note that this is intended for the intermediate level, and prior experience working on leaps and pirouettes are expected. For a beginner jazz lesson plan, please click here.

This lesson focuses on pirouettes, chasse-step-leaps, tilt leaps, and illusions.

Notes for dance teachers when teaching illusions:

• Most people do illusions wrong!
• You are supposed to keep your heel lifted off the ground and rotate around in a ponce
• Many people make the mistake of planting your heel on the ground and fanning your working leg around, this is wrong.
• An illusion is more of a turn that it is a leg skill

Class Segment	Skill/Position	Activity Description	Teacher notes
Stretch/Warm-up	Cardio warmup	Jumping jacks 4 x 8 counts	Use an upbeat and energetic song to get the class excited to dance!
		Run in place 4 x 8 counts
		High knees 2 x 8 counts
	Stretch	Head/shoulders/neck	This level needs a solid stretch of both hamstrings, hips, and back.
		Lean down & touch your toes 2×8 counts
		walk out to right lunge, hamstring stretch
		Right splits , leaning forward and back
		Repeat with left lunge / split
		Straddle, stretch right/left/center
		Center splits
		Cobra/back bend stretch
	Pirouette prep en centre	Tendu to the side, plie in 4th	Focus on maintaining balance/releve after each quarter/half turn.
		Balance in passe for 8 counts
		Repeat facing the side/back/side (“around the world” / turning to face each wall of the room)
		Repeat with quarter turns, half turns, and singles
Across the Floor	Pirouettes across the floor	Plie in 2nd, pas de bourre to 4th	Landing in 2nd on releve helps them maintain their balance as they prepare for doubles/triples
		single pirouette, landing in 2nd on releve
		Repeat with doubles if ready
	Piques and Pencil (or coupe) turns	Single pique, chenne, step prep in 4th
		single pencil (or coupe) turn
		Repeat across the floor, then left side
	Battements	Front, side, and back, right and left side
		Can add in fondu/releve/forced arch variations
	Pop-up leap warmup	Leaping from the ground, landing back on the ground (alternating legs each leap)	Really good workout to build leg muscles and height in leaps!
	Leaps	Chasse step leap across the floor
		Chasse step center leap (or x jumps) across the floor
	Illusions (half)	Pique, chenne, step illusion	Keeping heel lifted and not “fanning” our leg around in the illusion
		Repeat across the floor, then left side
	Tilt Leap progression	Battement to the side
		Tilt kick to the side (on releve)
		Tilt Leap to the side, landing on the floor
		Repeat across the floor, then left side
Short combo	Teach 3-5 eight counts that include the following skills worked on in class:	Single/double pirouettes	At this level you can add in more complicated movement aside from just the skills/tricks. This is the best way to develop their movement quality.
		Tilts / tilt jumps
		Illusions
		Piques, chennes
		Pencil turns and coupes
		Chasse step leap, center leap/ X jump