Advice On Dancing For 4-7 Yr Olds

[Wiggle]

:think:Hi everyone
I would like your advice on doing a very small show for 4-7yr olds. My daughters' school is having a world culture week and I have been persuaded to do something for them.
I thought three dances should be enough, one, a veil dance, another, a dance made up by my teacher to a song she's heard and liked while she was in Cairo and one to a pop song. A range of different things.

What do you all think about dress, accessories, props etc. I will wear a choli not a bra.
I'll probably have to give a small talk too, ideas what I should talk about?

Basically any ideas or advice about anything including dances/music are gratefully recieved as I have never danced solo before and have only danced in public once before and I don't want to bomb out!

Wiggle

 

[da Sage]

My first thought is, how long can these kids pay attention, and how much will it bother you if they lose focus?

I don't know that much about kids in that age group. Hopefully you do!

I would say to go with bright colors in the costume, keep the talk short (and don't mention stripping, temples, or harems) and have fun!

EDIT: I think manipulating an object will help keep the children's attention. Cane or sword would be cool.

 

[Amarise]

:think:Hi everyone
I would like your advice on doing a very small show for 4-7yr olds. My daughters' school is having a world culture week and I have been persuaded to do something for them.
I thought three dances should be enough, one, a veil dance, another, a dance made up by my teacher to a song she's heard and liked while she was in Cairo and one to a pop song. A range of different things.

What do you all think about dress, accessories, props etc. I will wear a choli not a bra.
I'll probably have to give a small talk too, ideas what I should talk about?

Basically any ideas or advice about anything including dances/music are gratefully recieved as I have never danced solo before and have only danced in public once before and I don't want to bomb out!

Wiggle

Bring several easy, safe props that you could share with anyone interested. Little kids love to participate. I would also call the person in charge and ask if they want your stomach covered. You might want to wear a beledi dress or similar. I have been to very conservative venues where they do not want to see a bare middle at all and definitely no cleavage.

Make your talk very short or intersperse it with hands on activities and "see and do." I would not talk too long for any long stretch.

Amarise

 

[da Sage]

I think any conservatism in dress is for the teachers, not the kids. One of my preschool teachers was from India and wore a sari almost every day with a choli underneath, and I thought nothing of the bare midriff. I was very impressed by her appearance, though: Sparkly! Pretty colors! My teacher is so pretty!.

 

[Amarise]

I think any conservatism in dress is for the teachers, not the kids. One of my preschool teachers was from India and wore a sari almost every day with a choli underneath, and I thought nothing of the bare midriff. I was very impressed by her appearance, though: Sparkly! Pretty colors! My teacher is so pretty!.

I feel that the area you live in makes a big difference. We live in a conservative town and I always call and check to be sure their idea of what I will wear is the same as mine. In the schools I grew up in, midriffs were not allowed to be bared, especially by teachers.

There is never any harm in checking. It also shows that you are thinking ahead and want to be considerate to everyone's tastes.

Amarise

 

[kiewiet]

Hi Wiggle
Has the teacher given you a time frame to work with? That age group has short attention span and a gift for interruption:lol:
Usually in a school culture day there are many cultures shared so there may only be a few minutes for your actual dance- especially if you are talking to them too. I suggest speaking to the teacher and getting some sort of time frame but keep in mind it can change at a moments notice
Props are great but have someone keep an eye on them for you while they are not in your hands or line of vision - kids are insatiably curious.
Involving them is also great- teaching to clap rhythm, swing a veil(scarves from 2ndhand stores!!!) or doing a hip movement helps to keep them focussed and also burn energy in a good way.
Checking about midriffs etc is also a very good idea as there may be kids who come from a very different background whose parents would have problems with midriffs etc. Especially since so many people still think BD is akin to stripping!

 

[Wiggle]

Thanks everyone lots of constructive advice.

I will check out with the co-ordinater of the week time frames and her ideas about clothes as we do have one or two Pakistani and Polish children in our school.

All three of the dances I had in mind were short varying from 2-4 mins. My daughter's are only four and five and I'm gauging it on them.

The choli I was thinking about using was french navy with lots of danglies and beads and sequins and has a peice hanging down so will cover my tummy but leaves a small band across my lower back bare. That one will go with my fuschia coloured skirt which I've got purple harem pants to go under. I have a duller silver coin belt from Cairo which will go with the top, it's quite noisy. I thought they might like that but I prefer gold so I might see if I can make a top in a brighter colour and perk it up with sequins and beads, add some floaty sleeves and then I could wear a gold belt I have which has some amazing earrings to go with it.

I don't have many props only some zills(is it sagats), a few veils and some belts. Any suggestions on some good ones, I might be able to borrow some.

Mind you my three girls have a belly dance outfit each (discreet ones I might add) so I thought I might take them and then at least the children will have something to try on, if they were allowed.

If you were doing a small talk, what would you talk about?

Wiggle

 

[da Sage]

If you were doing a small talk, what would you talk about?

Wiggle

Maybe you can show on a map where the dance is from, that people who live there speak another language, and eat different food. Also explain that your costume is a stage costume, but that people (men and women, boys and girls) dance this dance for fun while wearing everyday clothes, too.

Seriously, there is not very much to say about the dance itself to young children. It is best for them to just experience it; don't worry too much about teaching them anything, unless they say something that needs gentle correction, or if they ask questions.

 

[da Sage]

I feel that the area you live in makes a big difference. We live in a conservative town and I always call and check to be sure their idea of what I will wear is the same as mine. In the schools I grew up in, midriffs were not allowed to be bared, especially by teachers.

There is never any harm in checking. It also shows that you are thinking ahead and want to be considerate to everyone's tastes.

Amarise

This was the Bible Belt, but I'll grant that the preschool itself was fairly progressive. I agree Wiggle probably should check to see if the teachers are OK with her costume - although IMO people who ask a belly dancer to perform, should not be surprised if she does so with a bare belly!:think:

 

[Amarise]

Thanks everyone lots of constructive advice.

I will check out with the co-ordinater of the week time frames and her ideas about clothes as we do have one or two Pakistani and Polish children in our school.

All three of the dances I had in mind were short varying from 2-4 mins. My daughter's are only four and five and I'm gauging it on them.

The choli I was thinking about using was french navy with lots of danglies and beads and sequins and has a peice hanging down so will cover my tummy but leaves a small band across my lower back bare. That one will go with my fuschia coloured skirt which I've got purple harem pants to go under. I have a duller silver coin belt from Cairo which will go with the top, it's quite noisy. I thought they might like that but I prefer gold so I might see if I can make a top in a brighter colour and perk it up with sequins and beads, add some floaty sleeves and then I could wear a gold belt I have which has some amazing earrings to go with it.

I don't have many props only some zills(is it sagats), a few veils and some belts. Any suggestions on some good ones, I might be able to borrow some.

Mind you my three girls have a belly dance outfit each (discreet ones I might add) so I thought I might take them and then at least the children will have something to try on, if they were allowed.

If you were doing a small talk, what would you talk about?

Wiggle

As far as props, kids love the veils and zils. What kid does not like to make a little noise.

Amarise

 

[Mara2]

Hello!

I taught a class through the school district this year to girls from 5-11. I've also taught 4-H classes, etc. The kids are usually just fascinated with the costumes, the music, etc. Honestly, they're not going to notice if your dancing is less than steller. Children are your most forgiving and kind audiences ever. In fact, a lot of the little ones will just stare at you and say, "ohhhh, pretty!"

If you bring along some things they can play with, especially hip scarves and zils, they will love that. Veils are a bit too much for them at that age. Make sure you tell the kids to take turns with the props though, because otherwise you might have a bit of a fight on your hands. lol

You can tell them that Egyptians were the first to use makeup, that all ages of people dance from grandmothers to small children like themselves (remember, kids think a LOT about themselves lol), that the pyramids and the sphinx are located there (you could bring along a book with photos in it to pass around), and so on. Just some small bits of information are usually enough for that age group. As someone already mentioned, short attention spans.

You can teach them to ululate, and explain that this was used originally by girls and women to call across great distances, as female voices carry farther. Sort of like a primitive telephone system. (This is according to Somalian-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali). Btw, to teach the kids to ululate, tell them to say "oddle, oddle, oddle" very fast, then raise their voices to a high pitch with their fingers above their top lip (which enhances the sound and helps it carry further). Their parents will love you... :O

Have a great time and let us know how it went, please?

Warmest Regards,

Tegan

:think:Hi everyone
I would like your advice on doing a very small show for 4-7yr olds. My daughters' school is having a world culture week and I have been persuaded to do something for them.
I thought three dances should be enough, one, a veil dance, another, a dance made up by my teacher to a song she's heard and liked while she was in Cairo and one to a pop song. A range of different things.

What do you all think about dress, accessories, props etc. I will wear a choli not a bra.
I'll probably have to give a small talk too, ideas what I should talk about?

Basically any ideas or advice about anything including dances/music are gratefully recieved as I have never danced solo before and have only danced in public once before and I don't want to bomb out!

Wiggle

 

[Wiggle]

Thank you all

Hi Thank you everyone for your advice. I do feel quite excited about doing this now.:clap:
When I first spoke to my daughters' teacher about lending her some things to use and she asked me did I dance and would I do a little dance for her class I felt really nervous about it and then when it escalated to the school, I just felt "WHOA", what have I let myself in for but I do feel after all you wonderful advice that I can do this now and am looking forward to it (well until the day that is! he-he:shok.

I've started looking for some extra floaty scarves in the charity shops so that I have quite a few for the children to 'play' with. They will always come in handy for the dressing up box afterward.

And I've put a bit more thought into my costume too.

So will keep you all posted.

It's great having someone to chat to about all this, I really appreciate it, as I don't like going on about it too much with my friends and my husband gets this like glazed look and thinks I'm fussing too much. I can't help it, I'm nervous and I don't want it to be a bad or boring experience for any of us.
Wiggle:yay:

 

[Mouse]

Kids are great fun! I find wearing bright colours and giving them a small wafty piece of material to use as a pseudo veil helps keep them interested.

Have fun!