DANCE CHALLENGE #3
DANCE AND FITNESS CHALLENGE
Information for Students:
- Find your running shoes and a water bottle because this challenge is about to get physical
- Dance and fitness is exactly what is sounds like, fitness through dance, an easy and fun way to get active through cardiovascular exercise
- In this activity, you will choreograph your own dance fitness routine
- You will practice your routine until you have it memorized
- You can film your routine to show others, or teach members of your family at home
- Get ready to sweat it out
Materials Required:
- Paper and pencil to write down your choreography
- Access to music
- A mirror is recommended but not necessary
- Running shoes, shorts, t-shirt, water bottle
Instructions:
1. First decide on a song that you would like to use
- The Jock Jams albums are a great place to start, they are fun, high energy, upbeat songs
- Click on a button below to be redirected to the selected Jock Jams album on YouTube
2. Once you have chosen a song, you will start choreographing your routine. Your routine will be broken down into sections. You must include arm movements, leg movements, and full body movements.
3. The best place to start is with the chorus. The chorus is often played over and over throughout the song and usually has the same lyrics. It is usually 2 x 8 counts and can sometimes be repeated. For the choreography of the chorus, you must include arms, legs and full body movements.
4. Example of:
2 x 8 counts:
Here is a video example:
3. The best place to start is with the chorus. The chorus is often played over and over throughout the song and usually has the same lyrics. It is usually 2 x 8 counts and can sometimes be repeated. For the choreography of the chorus, you must include arms, legs and full body movements.
4. Example of:
- Arm Movements: punch, arm roll, arm wave, circles, arm pulse, etc.
- Leg Movements: squats, lunges, kicks, high knees, etc
- Full Body Movements: jumping jacks, burpees, jumps, etc
2 x 8 counts:
- Punch up (arms) - R-L-R-L
- Punch to the side - R-L-R-L
- Punch down - R-L-R-L
- Jumping Jacks x 2 (full body)
- Can-can kick right (legs) - knee up-down - kick up-down
- Can-can kick left - knee up-down - kick up-down
- Squat x 2
- Jumping Jacks x 2 (full body)
Here is a video example:
5. Once you have choreographed your chorus, time to move on to the next sections. The intro of the song is a basic warm up to introduce your routine, keep it light and simple. Then you will need a section dedicated to arm movements, and a section dedicated to leg movements. This is usually done during the verses of the song. Finally, you will need to have 1-2 combination movements which is usually done to the bridge.
- Here is an example layout to the song Boom Boom Boom by Jock Jams to help structure your routine:
Boom Boom Boom
Dance and Fitness Choreography
INTRO: (2 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ARMS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LEGS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
COMBINATION 1: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
COMBINATION 2: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FLIP: (2 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS: (4 X 8 COUNT)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here is the song so you can listen to the layout
6. Once you have choreographed each section of your routine, practice it all together from the top. The more you do it, the more you will memorize it. Once it's complete, you may record it or teach your family the routine.
*If you would like an added challenge, here are 3 dance
and fitness routines you can do at home*
and fitness routines you can do at home*
1: Footloose
Footloose
Time: 3:49 minutes Year: 1984 Genre: 80’s Artist: Footloose
Choreography
Intro:
-March in place with high knees for 16 counts Then march to the right
Been Working So Hard:
-Grapevine starting to the right, end with two hops and two claps
-Uppercut in place and then move forward and then back
-Side reach in place
Footloose (Chorus):
-Kick right - left - right - left
-Kick your butt and turn 180 to face opposite wall
Playing so Cool:
-Grapevine starting to the right, end with two hops and two claps
-Arm sequence, right arm straight up, left arm bent at chest, hands in fists. Switch arms -then do the same to the left
-Start with single beats and then double beats
FOOTLOOSE (CHORUS):
SAME AS CHORUS
OH OH OH:
-SHOULDER SHAKE WHILE MOVING FORWARDS X 4 COUNTS
-HOP BACKWARDS X 4 COUNTS
-PONY ON THE SPOT
FOOTLOOSE (CHORUS):
-SAME AS CHORUS
EVERYBODY CUT:
-GRAPEVINE STARTING TO THE RIGHT, END WITH TWO HOPS AND TWO CLAPS FINALE – JUMP IN THE AIR AND TOUCH YOUR TOES!
2: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
Time: 3:54 minutes Year: 1984 Genre: Pop-Rock Artist: Wham
Choreography
Intro - Jitterbug:
-Shake bum from side to side
-clap right, then clap left
First Part:
-Shovel forward fast for 8 beats
-Throw the dirt over the shoulder fast for 8 beats
-Repeat
-Shovel forward slowly for 16 beats
-Throw the dirt over the shoulder fast for 8 beats
Chorus:
Wake me up: Jump and wave to the right
Before you go-go: Hitchhiker left then right
Yo-Yo: Searching with hand on head like a soldier
Last 2 beats: Sinking in the water Repeat to the opposite side
Take me Dancing Tonight: Sink right to the ground then get up and lasso in a circle with hip swing
Second Part:
-Arm sequence, right arm straight up, left arm bent at chest, hands in fists
-Repeat to the left
-Start with single arms and then go to double arms
Chorus:
-Same chorus
Third Part:
-Shovel forward fast for 8 beats
-Throw the dirt over the shoulder fast for 8 beats
-Repeat
-Shovel forward slowly for 16 beats
-Throw the dirt over the shoulder fast for 8 beats
Chorus:
-Same chorus until the song finishes
3: U Can't Touch This