Diane Louise Jordan has the second dance session based on Lewis Carroll's story Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
2. A mad tea party
After a skip through the Wonderland garden, we move like the Cheshire Cat, stretching arms in an enormous smile, then visit the March Hare's house to dance a crazy tea party dance.
Here are the shortened, adapted story-extracts:
A The Cheshire Cat "…Alice was a little startled to see a Cheshire-cat, a large cat, grinning from ear to ear. ”Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go?”, she asked. The cat waved each paw in turn, to reply: ”In that direction, lives a Hatter: and in that direction, lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both quite mad, completely crrrazy!..”
B The March Hare, the Hatter and the Dormouse "…There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it and talking over its head. “Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse,” thought Alice; “only as it’s asleep, I suppose it doesn’t mind…”
C A Mad Tea Party "…The table was a large one, but the March Hare, the Hatter and the Dormouse all crowded together at one corner. The Hatter said mournfully, ”It’s always six o’clock now.” Brightly, Alice asked, “Is that the reason so many tea-things are put out?”“Yes, that’s it,” sighed the Hatter, "always teatime, and we’ve no time to wash up.”“So that's why you keep moving round, I suppose?" said Alice.“Exactly so,” said the Hatter…"
Resources
Download the audio for this dance session as an mp3 file.
Guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit with your group (pdf)
Download extended music sequences for this unit (without presenter instructions)
Movement focus
Action: Skipping, crouching, lifting hands and arms, jumping, leaning, alternating hand movements.
Dynamics: Varying movement qualities to suit characters (eg cool, springy, important, crazy, sleepy).
Space: Using arms to make large shapes. Organising sideways movements (as if around a table).
Relationships: Interacting within a small group.
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.
