Dance Workshop offers a complete off-the-shelf dance resource for pupils aged 9 - 11. See below for more information on how to use this content with your group.
Extreme sports. collection
Time to get physical with dance sequences inspired kayaking, rock climbing, snowboarding and sky-diving.
Theme park rides. collection
Two dance sessions inspired by rides including rollercoasters and haunted houses!
In the gym. collection
Two dance sessions focusing on personal health and fitness inspired by a gym workout.
Wonders of the world. collection
Three dance sessions inspired by world famous landscapes and buildings.
South American Carnival. collection
Three sessions exploring the samba rhythms and steps of the Rio Carnival.
Winter sports. collection
Dance moves inspired by winter sports - skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, bobsleigh, etc.
The reign of King Henry 8th. collection
The reign of King Henry and life in Tudor England explored through Tudor dance and movement.
Romans. collection
A series of KS2 dance sessions for primary pupils aged 7 - 11 exploring the theme of Romans.
Victorian childhoods. collection
Three dance sessions exploring what life was like for children in Victorian times.
How to use this KS2 Dance content
Dance Workshop offers a complete off-the-shelf dance resource for non-specialist teachers. Each of the units above comprises two or more dance sessions. These take the form of audio files in which pupils will hear a presenter's instructions interspersed with music. There are various 'pause points' along the way that allow pupils to arrange themselves in different groupings - solos, pairs, small groups, whole class, etc - or to develop their own dance ideas.
We recommend teachers read through the Teacher Notes for each unit. In these you will find a comprehensive content grid for each of the dance sessions, including guidance on how best to use the content and what to look for in your pupils' work. We also recommend that you download the dance sessions for offline playback and also listen through before use, to become familiar with the session structure and to note any key timings.
The audio for each dance session lasts about 20 minutes, but you will need considerably more hall time than the actual length of the audio - about 40 minutes should be ideal. Dress as if for PE: bare feet and shorts and T-shirt, or loose layers that can easily be peeled off.
Dance Workshop and the National Curriculum
Dance Workshop targets the dance objectives of the Physical Education curriculum at Key Stage 2. The National Curriculum outlines:
Knowledge, skills and understanding:
- 1 b) perform actions and skills with more consistent control and quality
- 2 a) plan, use and adapt strategies, tactics and compositional ideas for individual, pair, small group and small team activities
- 3 a) identify what makes a performance effective
Breadth of study
- 6 a) create and perform dances using a range of movement patterns, including those from different times, places, and cultures
Dance Workshop is an ideal means to provide these opportunities. Also links to equivalent levels and objectives in Scotland (Curriculum for Excellence).
See also...
Step-by-Step: Dance in Schools
A comprehensive resource for delivering dance at KS1 - KS3.
The Notes offer a comprehensive guide to using the content in the series (pdf).