Three dance sessions based on Lewis Carroll's story Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
1. Down the rabbit hole. audio
In the first session the children skip like Alice, then hurry like the White Rabbit, stretching tall and kneeling low in a Hall of Doors.
2. A mad tea party. audio
In the second session the children move like the Cheshire Cat then visit the March Hare's house to dance a Tea Party dance.
3. The Queen of Hearts. audio
The children stamp and point angrily like the Queen of Hearts, then take part in an extraordinary croquet match.
Alice in Wonderland
The three dance sessions in this unit are inspired by Lewis Carroll's classic fantasy tale Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Our selection of scenes focuses on developing a range of movement skills imaginatively.
These dance activities can also provide a great foundation for an Alice performance - for other classes, or even the whole school - especially if combined with other scenes and characters from the book, perhaps brought to life through readings, acted-out drama or improvisations, pictures and projections. Why not be ambitious and create sets, costumes and props for an amazing Alice event to entertain other classes, staff, and even parents?
For extra inspiration, there are numerous book versions to suit different reading levels - some with helpful illustrations - as well as several film and TV versions including this pantomime version from CBeebies.
Resources
Guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit with your group (pdf)
Download extended music sequences for this unit (without presenter instructions)
Related units of KS1 Dance: Time to Move
Pinocchio. collection
A three-part unit taking the famous story of Pinocchio as the inspiration for children's dances.
The Pied Piper of Hamelin. collection
A three-part unit based on the traditional story, popularised by the poem by Robert Browning.
The Great Fire of London. collection
Pete Hillier has three exciting dance sessions exploring the Great Fire of 1666.
