National Nutcracker Lesson 1

2. MAGIC WARM-UP
Play the music
Ask the dancers to walk around the space for 16
counts, weaving in and out of each other and filling
all of the space.
Once they reach count 16, the dancers should then
stay rooted to the spot and wave an imaginary
magic wand eight times, then freeze.
Shout out a spell – e.g. shrinking spell – which the
dancers have to respond to by creating a shape
with their bodies.
Repeat exercise with another spell, then ask the
children for suggested spells.
3. JOURNEYS WARM UP
CREATIVE EXPLORATION
Discuss the theme you have chosen for your class,
or decide as a class which of the themes you will
explore.
Refer to the INSET planning. Think about your
theme and ask yourself what can it do and what
shapes can it make, as a starting point for your
creative exploration. Remember to use very clear
instructions when setting your dancers a creative
task.
In the INSET we asked everyone to use shapes,
poses and movements to create original dance
phrases, in pairs and trios. We then developed
these during our hour-long Nutcracker workshop
in the morning. You will extract movement ideas
relating to your theme with your class in this way.
Play the music
Ask the dancers to walk around the space for 16
counts, weaving in and out of each other and filling
all of the space.
Once they reach the 16th count, ask them to pause
and imagine a large door in front of them. Instruct
the dancers to knock on the door eight times, turn
an imaginary handle and spin through the door,
entering a faraway land.
Once in the land, call out for them to freeze on
the spot.
Go round each child and ask them what they can
see.
• Mountains?
• A land of sweets?
• A giant elephant?
Repeat the exercise, varying the size of the door,
ask the dancers to think about how they vary the
shape and level of their body to fit through the size
of the door.
©ROH/Brian Slater, 2013