Reflecting actions and copying as accurately as possible, pupils will improvise actions and accurately observe actions to reflect. Explain that slow and steady actions are easier to follow, and they can include facial expressions too if they wish.

Choosing different tracks of music can inspire a variety of actions. In this video I use two tracks of music.

The pupils could face each other two metres apart and mirror each other or mirror the teacher/me.

Music is the stimulus for improvisation, and it should be the pupil’s choice as to how they respond.

Encourage the pupils to remain in their own area and respond to the music in their own way finding actions that ‘match the music’.

Begin with focused listening: – close your eyes and listen to the music for 10 – 20 seconds.

• What can you hear?
• How does it make you feel?
• Can you paint pictures in your head?
• Can you imagine what kind of actions you could do to match the music?

Open your eyes and start to dance.

Keep listening to the music as you dance as respond to any changes, are your movements fast/slow, big or small, energetic or calm.

Similar to the game ‘I went to the shop and bought…..’ We are adding actions together to build up to a motif and it is a fun way to test memories.

Children can respond to the action word however they choose.

When they’ve had a go at my idea they could create a game as a whole class, or in pairs facing each other 2 metres apart.

Can we find the beat?

Keeping the simple rhythm throughout but finding the beat with different body parts.

Can they find the rhythm on their legs, on their chest, on their back, on the floor, on their arms on, two different body parts at once etc.

Focus on exploring different ways of moving and creating the sound whilst keep the beat/rhythm going.

Beginning with echoes – I clap a rhythm and then the pupils clap it back. Beginning with a simple rhythm and progressing to more complex.

• Rhythm 1 = 1,2,3,4 (crotchets)
• Rhythm 2 = 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 (quavers)
• Rhythm 3 = 1, 2, 3 & 4

Explore making these 3 rhythms with different body parts on different levels, facing different directions. Make it as simple or as complex as you like to meet your pupils needs.

Explore all 3 rhythms with the music or split the class into thirds and each third has a designated rhythm to perform. The video shows me exploring all three rhythms to the track.

Beginning with echoes – I clap a rhythm and then the pupils clap it back. Beginning with a simple rhythm and progressing to more complex.

• Rhythm 1 = 1,2,3,4 (crotchets)
• Rhythm 2 = 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 (quavers)
• Rhythm 3 = 1, 2, 3 & 4
• Rhythm 4 = 1, wait 2, wait 3, 4
• Rhythm 5 = 1 & a 2 & a 3, wait 4

Can you choose a rhythm to perform and create an ‘orchestra’ of body percussion some people starting off with the basic rhythm then introducing another rhythm and another rhythm layer until the whole class is creating music! No music track is needed for this. If this was danced outside pupils could find objects to make the noise with as well as their bodies.

I create a motif that they learn and then we repeat it over and over again to a track of music working on improving stamina. Pupils can learn my motif or respond to the actions I suggest with their own ideas to encourage creativity.

Older pupils may want to keep changing direction every time they perform the motif. Perhaps the first time they do it they face the front, second time they do it can they face the back, or it could be half and half facing each other, or even facing different people each time they repeat the motif.

Younger pupils may be better facing one direction. Dance the motif repeatedly for one track of music to work on building stamina and energising pupils’ bodies and minds.