Square Dance Outline

Class Length: Class size: Class Location: 1 hour 30 minutes Whole group activity • Gym • Dining Hall • Tennis Courts

Materials: CD player w/ speakers (or instruments), Square Dance CD, Microphone and Amp, Call Sheet, and 1 cone per 24 kids

Class Set-up: Set up and test the CD player and microphone. Line cones up about 4-5 feet apart across the front of the area. Decide who is going to call and who is going to demonstrate/assist students.

Safety Precautions: Make sure students have adequate room and drinking water available.

Introduction: (15 – 20 minutes) As students arrive have them line up 20-24 behind each cone and then have a seat on the ground. Explain Rules, Can’t say NO. Demonstrate dance with adults.

Activity: (1 hour) Dance Away!

VIRGINIA REEL COMMANDS: Honor Your Partner (only after partner switch) Forward and back with a two hand slap Forward and back with right arm round Forward and back with left arm round Forward and back with both hands round Let me hear you Do-si-do (kids respond “Do-si-do and away we go”)

Head couple sashay down Head couple start the Virginia Reel Cast Off

Conclusion: (5 minutes) Excuse the group in lines / cabins.

Class Tear-Down: If indoors, sweep floor. Return CD player/CD, microphone/amp, and cones.

Revised Jan 2012

Square Dance

Class Length: 1 hour 30 minutes

Class size: Whole group activity

Class Location: • Gym • Dining Hall • Tennis Courts • Auditorium

Materials: • CD player w/ speakers (or instruments) • Square Dance CD • Microphone and Amp • Call Sheet • 1 cone per 24 kids

Objective: To create a positive group experience while learning the Virginia Reel.

Class Set-up: • Set up and test the CD player and microphone. • Line cones up about 4-5 feet apart across the front of the area. • Decide who is going to call and who is going to demonstrate/assist students.

Safety Precautions: • Make sure students have adequate room and drinking water available. • If a student is getting goofy or out of control have a staff member talk to them immediately so that they don't hurt someone.

Overview: During this activity, the students will engage in learning and dancing the Virginia Reel. Students will be shown the dance and then will participate in it for the remaining time. Students will keep the same partner for 3-4 songs and then get to choose a new partner.

Introduction: (15 – 20 minutes) As students arrive have them line up 20-24 behind each cone and then have a seat on the ground.

“Tonight we are going to teach you the Virginia Reel.”

The Virginia reel is a folk dance that dates from the 17th century. It has its origins in Scottish country dance but is generally considered to be an English country dance. It was brought to the US in the early 1700’s and was most popular from 1830–1890. Revised Jan 2012

Before we start there are a couple of rules to keep in mind.

• If someone asks you to dance, there are three appropriate responses:
“Yes, I would love to”
“I would love to but already have a partner. How about next time?”
“We just danced, I was going to dance with someone else.” • You can dance with anyone: girls can dance with girls, boys with boys, girls with boys, students with teachers. • The restroom is closed. If you have an emergency please ask a staff member. • Everyone Must Dance!

Now lets have some fun.”

Ask for 6-8 teacher/adult volunteers and have them line up in two lines in the front of the room, if you have a small group and they want to choose student partners that should be fine. Have your 1-2 demonstrating staff start at the front of the line. Go through each call and explain the steps. Once each step is explained have adult line demonstrate it. Once you have gone through the entire sequence have them pair up in lines with a line next to them and ask the adults to spread out to help each line. The first few songs have the students dance with whoever is immediately across from them. After 3-4 songs announce a partner switch. Once the lines are even, resume the dancing.

Activity: (1 hour)

VIRGINIA REEL

COMMANDS:

HONOR YOUR PARTNER bow/curtsy to partner (only on new partner)

FORWARD NOW WITH A TWO HAND SLAP students meet in middle with a high ten and back

FORWARD NOW WITH RIGHT ARM ROUND students meet in middle and lock right elbows spinning in a circle 1 time and back

FORWARD NOW WITH LEFT ARM ROUND students meet in middle and lock left elbows spinning in a circle and back

FORWARD NOW WITH BOTH ARMS ROUND students meet in middle and holding each others hands at waist level and spinning in a circle and back

Revised Jan 2012

LET ME HEAR YOU DO-SI-DO students cross arms on chest and move around their Participants respond “Do-si-do and away we go” partner back to back returning to their spot

HEAD COUPLE SASHAY DOWN THE LINE Head couple grabs hands and skips down to the end of the line and back to the front.

HEAD COUPLE START THE VIRGINIA REEL Head couple locks right arms and circles then offering their left arm to the person that was standing next to them in line circling then back to their partner, then back to the next person in their line, eventually circling with everyone in their line. (“Right to your partner, Left to the line” is a helpful chant)

CAST OFF Head couple lead the line on the outside follow-the-leader style to the back giving high fives along the way, finally coming together to make a bridge which all other partners go under then sashaying back up to the front.

For a video clip of the dance check out youtube “Virginia Reel” by jschultz78 Only difference is they put their hands facing each other instead of locking elbows.

Conclusion: (5 minutes) Excuse students either by line or by cabin so that there is not a lot of congestion on the way out.

Class Tear-Down: • If indoors, sweep floor. • Return CD player/CD, microphone/amp, and cones to the proper storage areas.

Revised Jan 2012