During this time of social distancing, many of our go-to physical activities like playing team sports or going to the gym might not be possible, but it’s important for our mental and physical health to keep moving. Dance is a great way to get exercise; it also promotes creative thinking, spatial ability, body awareness, and encourages emotional development and expression. Plus, creating and performing dance can increase your Girl Scout’s confidence and help her find her voice. Try one or all of these dance challenges with your troop or family—no dance experience required!
Create a “Pass the Dance” with Your Troop
Coordinate with your troop (or friends and family) to create a “pass the dance.” Pick a song and assign each troop member a different section (the group can choreograph together via video chat or individually). After each person records their section, use an app (like iMovie or Splice) to link the videos together into one complete dance! This is a great way to keep your troop to stay connected and use teamwork from afar.
Chalk a Dance on the Sidewalk
Encouraging chalk messages are everywhere right now. Add some dance fun to your neighborhood by using symbols and words to write out a dance with sidewalk chalk. For example, you could write a squiggly line pathway, followed by the word “JUMP!” and some arrows to indicate turning in a circle. Try the dance out forwards and backwards—and then leave it for neighbors to enjoy. Your nearby sidewalk might become a site for impromptu performances!
Make a Site-Specific Dance
Take a look around the place that you live. Is there an interesting corner in the living room? A slanted ceiling in your bedroom? An interesting place between two trees outside? Use that unique space as an inspiration for a dance. Experiment with how you can mimic the shapes of the place with your body or use the nearby wall or chair as a prop. Choreographers often make these types of dances that are unique to a space, called Site-Specific Dance—find some inspiration here.
Looking for more dance-related fun? Try out this Code Your Dance activity that brings together science and art or check out this previous post for more dance ideas!
McKayla Murphy – McKayla is a Program Manager – GSLE at Girl Scouts River Valleys. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a minor in dance. McKayla is passionate about racial equity, critical media studies, and art education. She enjoys dancing, trying new food, and seeking adventure (including winter camping and travel). Staples in McKayla’s life include dark chocolate, her hammock, and plenty of reading material.