Dance - Lesson 3

In the third lesson of a Year 4 dance module, pupils are immersed in the vibrant world of Bollywood dance, focusing on traditional Indian dance gestures and footwork. The learning objectives set out for the students include mastering and rehearsing a choreographed dance phrase that incorporates a variety of arm and hand gestures along with footwork movements. To achieve success, pupils are expected to explore and repeat a range of coordinated actions, create a dance phrase using the movements they've learned, and follow teacher instructions to complete a choreographed routine. The lesson is rich with key vocabulary such as 'phrase', 'gestures', 'footwork', and 'Bollywood', which are essential to understanding the dance's narrative and dynamics.

The lesson begins with a warm-up in a designated dance zone, where the class teacher demonstrates different travelling steps and rhythm exercises. Transitioning into the main activity, pupils are reminded of the Bollywood theme and the story of Rama and Sita, which they will express through dance. The teacher demonstrates various arm and hand gestures, such as 'The Fan' and 'The Peacock', and footwork movements like 'Basic Step' and 'Knees Flick', which the pupils then mirror. The class is divided into groups to create a choreographed opening sequence, using the movements they've learned to tell the story. The lesson concludes with a cool-down session that includes a repeat of the rhythm exercise from the warm-up, stretching, and breathing exercises to relax the body and mind after the energetic dance practice.