The Dancing Room

Week four was a gentle introduction and exploration of color theory. The interactive picture book “Mix it Up!” is always a hit and introduces color theory is such a fun and impactful way. The dancers loved getting to take that knowledge and try it out on their own! Of course, we had to have a scarf dance garden with colors mixing together and creating new colors. It was a delightful way to wrap up the month long wondergARTen unit.

My oldest dancers this year are 4-5 year olds, and I would have never imagined the creativity, movement, and joy that was unlocked by having them create choreography with chairs. This third week I didn’t get much video, but it was fun to take a moment during week three to look at and discuss “The Bedroom” by van Gogh.

There is so much awe and wonder and movement potential found in seeds, plants, and flowers. Here is a little peek into our wondergARTen week two. I think a favorite movement activity, one of many I couldn’t capture and share, was growing into flower shapes that are held so strong they could be “picked” (up) and moved next to each other to create a bouquet. Dance shape bouquets are the best kind!

One of my favorite parts of the dance year is deciding on the theme for the recital. These themes are not just for cute props and costumes (although, that is always a fun part of it!), but also create a framework for concepts for us to explore during the last part of the year. This year, I created a unit called WondergARTen Weeks, which we have been doing for the past month. It has included stories, visual art, and movement exploration inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s artwork. It has been a fun few weeks, and I look forward to sharing a little more soon!