Winnie-the-Pooh BrainDance for Preschool Dance
Have you heard of Anne Greene Gilbert’s “BrainDance”? It’s an innovative form of creative movement therapy that combines neuroscience, music, and technology for an unparalleled therapeutic experience.
BrainDance was created by Professor Anne Greene Gilbert in the early 1990’s and has since become a popular form of therapeutic dance for both learners and educators. The practice combines elements from modern dance, ballet, gymnastics and improvisation to create a unique experience designed to improve physical fitness and mental clarity.
What is BrainDance?
The eight basic movements of BrainDance are designed to stimulate different areas of the brain while stretching muscles and engaging the mind. These elements help children learn better by providing access to all parts of their brains. In addition to improved learning capabilities, these movements also provide physical and emotional benefits such as boosting energy levels, improving posture, increasing flexibility, decreasing tension, relieving stress and increasing creativity.
Benefits of BrainDance
BrainDance is a great addition to the curriculum for preschool dance classes as it provides many benefits specifically tailored to young learners. It helps children gain body awareness and improves their physical coordination in a fun and engaging way. It also encourages creativity by introducing them to new movement possibilities.
BrainDance also helps young students develop important skills outside of the physical realm - such as increased social interaction, communication, self-regulation, problem solving and cognitive reasoning. By practicing these basic skills in a creative environment, children are more likely to retain them and apply them in other areas of life.
In addition, the calming effects of BrainDance can be beneficial for students with a wide range of developmental challenges such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD). Studies have found that regular practice can help improve focus, motor skills and communication abilities in those with these difficulties.
Overall, BrainDance is an excellent option for preschool dance classes since it provides so many beneficial elements while still being enjoyable for young learners. Not only will they benefit physically from its movement-based approach but they'll also gain valuable skills that will help them grow both personally and academically!
Winnie-the-Pooh BrainDance
Note: It can be helpful for students to move around to warm up their bodies a bit before beginning BrainDance. Have them walk or run in a circle or freely around the room. You can choose any traveling step for them, or even a free or freeze dance! Just a couple of minutes is plenty of time!
As the BrainDance is written below, we haven't noted to repeat movements. You may have your students repeat each movement set as many times as desired before moving onto the next set. If students are enjoying a particular movement, you can even let them repeat it a few extra times.
Breath:
We're about to visit Pooh in the Hundred Acre Wood. What do you think he's doing? Do you think he might be looking for honey?
Have the children take a deep breath in and out to relax and focus. Repeat for several breaths.
Tactile:
Have the children rub their hands together and then pat different parts of their body, such as their arms, legs, and belly.
It might be raining in the Hundred Acre Wood. Or we might see bees buzzing around as we do our tactile movements.
Core-Distal: Wake Up, Pooh!
Pooh has just woken up this morning! He's not quite ready to get out of bed. Have students stand with their feet wide apart and their arms out to the sides, stretching big. They can even pretend to yawn.
Next, have them crouch down in a small shape. Pooh is going back to sleep.
Head-Tail: Pooh Looks for a Honey Pot
Where is that honey pot? Have students come to all fours. Have them arch and look up for the honey pot (cow pose). Have them contract and look toward their belly button (cat pose). (You can ask them to look at their tummies to see if they are hungry for honey.
Next, have students curve their spines side to side to their head reaches toward their spine from side to side. "Nope! No honey here!"
Upper and Lower Body: Let's Ask Gopher, Kanga, and Roo!
How about Gopher? Or Kanga and Roo? Have they seen Pooh's honey pot?
Students stand tall and make digging motions with their hands like little Gopher paws. Have them stop and shake their heads, "No!" Gopher doesn't see the honey pot.
Students picked up run or hop like a kangaroo. Have them stop and shake their heads, "No!" Gopher doesn't see the honey pot.
Body Sides: Owl's Wings
Perhaps Owl knows where Pooh's honey pot is.
Have students flap their right arm several times like an owl's beautiful and graceful wing, as if to say, "Your honey pot might be over there!" Repeat with the left arm.
Cross-Lateral: Tigger Marches
Do you think Tigger will know where the honey pot is? I see him! He's marching in a bouncy way like Tiggers would!
Have students march in a bouncy way like Tigger would.
Next, encourage them to tap their right hand on their left knee and then their left hand on their right knee as each knee lifts.
Vestibular: Eeyore’s Tail
Now I see Eeyore! He's looking for his tail. Is it still attached?
Have students spin in a circle around themselves, first to the left and then to the right, like Eeyore checking to see if his tail is pinned on.
Can You Find Pooh's Honey Pot?
This is a great time to segway into a free dance! Have your students dance freely as if they are searching for Pooh's honey pot. They can search high and low to incorporate levels into the exercise. They can also choose to dance as different characters in the Hundred Acre Wood, helping Pooh to look for his honey!
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