The first dance session of a three-part unit.
1. Christmas Eve
In the first dance session the children begin their magical Christmas adventure. They decorate the Christmas tree, meet the toy maker, and find out about the presents he brings - including the hobby-horse, clockwork doll, musical monkey and the nutcracker doll.
Resources
Click to download the audio as an mp3 file.
Click to download / print the Teacher's Notes for this session (pdf)
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Lesson Summary
Warm-up
Weaving in and out of all the spaces with excited skipping steps in time tothe music.
Sequence 1: Decorating the Christmas Tree
Choose 4 or 5 children to skipthrough the spaces, touching the shoulder or back of whoever they pass, to form 4 or5 follow-the-leader ‘tinsel’ lines. These lines weave in and out along curving, twistingor spiraling pathways, like tinsel being wrapped around an enormous Christmas tree.
‘It’s Christmas Eve and everyone in the Stahlbaum house is very busy! Mother, fatherand the two children – Fritz and Clara – have invited their friends to help decorate theenormous Christmas tree! Together, they wrap long strings of shiny tinsel round andround the tree until it sparkles and shines from top to bottom!’
Sequence 2: The Toymaker
Walk proudly round the room with large, extravagantsteps while twirling your imaginary magician’s cloak.
- A hobby-horse. The children gallop energetically through the spaces, lifting theirknees high and holding imaginary reins.
- A clockwork-doll. Sharp, robotic movements of head, hands, feet and body – onthe spot and then travelling.
- A musical monkey. Standing up straight with their hands and feet turned out symmetricallyto the sides, the children keep their legs completely straight so theirbody rocks from side to side as they step from one foot to the other. They take 4steps forward then stop to clap their ‘cymbal’ hands together and swing them backout again (x4). Repeat.
‘When the tree had been decorated, a mysterious guest dressed in a large magician’scloak arrived. At first, the children were frightened of the man but soon Clara recognizedhim as her Godfather Drosselmeyer, the talented toymaker.’
Sequence 3: Clara and The Nutcracker
In pairs, taking turns to be Clara or The Nutcracker. When Clara lifts The Nutcracker’s arm he opens his mouth wide and whenshe lowers his arm he shuts it again. Clara dances happily around the tall, rigid Nutcracker– stopping every now and then to open and shut his nut-cracking mouth.Swap roles and repeat.
‘But Drosselmeyer had saved the best toy until last! He gave his god-daughter Clara awooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a soldier. When you lifted the nutcracker’swooden arm up above his head, he opened his mouth wide. And when you loweredhis arm back down, he closed his mouth shut again – cracking any nut that had beenplaced there!’
Cool down
Tired sleepy steps to a space. Stretch tall and wide before curling upsmall to imagine what might happen next in the story of The Nutcracker.
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