Three dance sessions exploring the adventures of Pinocchio, based on the story by Italian writer Carlo Collodi.
1. The wooden boy. audio
Diane Louise begins a new unit exploring the well-known story of Pinocchio.
2. The adventures of Pinocchio. audio
Today's dances are inspired by the many adventures that befall Pinocchio.
3. Pinocchio and Geppetto are reunited. audio
In the final dance session Pinocchio and Geppetto are finally reunited.
Pinocchio
An exciting dance exploration of the puppet adventures of Pinocchio, based on the story by Italian writer Carlo Collodi. There are many versions available to share with your class, some of which the children may know from retellings in chapter books, picture books, comics, animations (especially the famous Disney version), movies, or evenâŠpuppet shows! For details of the 21 extracts appearing in this series (dotted throughout the activities), see the story compilation following each summary table.
The first session features cheeky puppet movements; Pinocchio learning to walk from his maker/father Geppetto, the carpenter; then marching towards a Great Puppet Show; moving like a âlameâ fox and a âblindâ cat; going in disguise as robbers, performing tiptoe fairy steps, and making long nose actions!
In the second session Pinocchio buries coins given to him, then walks sadly away when discovering that heâs been robbed. The children fly and swoop like a pigeon, hurry about on âBusy Bee Islandâ, and each balance a bucket on their head. A âPlaylandâ sequence enables groups to devise a childrenâs games sequence, until they wake up as a donkey, involving trotting, ear-flapping and braying.
The final session features a dangerous journey through the insides of a shark, where Pinocchio helps Geppetto escape. On a farm, Pinocchio learns to work hard (lifting, carrying, digging, etc) to help his father recover, and to help the kind fairy, who is also ill. Waking from a dream, Pinocchio has become a real boyâŠand everyone dances for joy!
Resources
Guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit with your group (pdf)
Related units of KS1 Dance: Time to Move
The Pied Piper of Hamelin. collection
A three-part unit based on the traditional story, popularised by the poem by Robert Browning.
Alice in Wonderland. collection
Three dance sessions exploring the story Alice in Wonderland through dance.
The Great Fire of London. collection
Pete Hillier has three exciting dance sessions exploring the Great Fire of 1666.
