Link Love: Olympic-Inspired Movement

Thanks to Teach Preschool's post about the Olympic Blog Hop, I discovered a bunch of great Olympics-inspired movement posts for the little ones and had to share!

Move Like a Gymnast from Creative Family Fun - these activities might be fun to incorporate into a summer camp next year.

Pom Pom Games - These pom poms look fairly easy to make and would be a fun alternative to bean bags in the classroom.

Movement Games for Young Children - a few ideas and a great list of guidelines for creating your own movement game.

Ring-Based Movement Ideas - You could easily translate these ideas to non-Olympic rings by using some hoola hoops or rubber circles.

Olympic Family Fitness from The Iowa Farmer's Wife - a 15-minute fitness lesson for a 3-year old including warm-up, activity and cool down.

Cute London Bus Prop Idea - ok, so this one has nothing to do with movement, but the London bus they made from a cardboard box would be a cute prop!

Have you been watching the Olympics?  Will any Olympic inspired movement be making its way into your classrooms this year?

Reading List

I started titling this entry "Summer Reading List", but then realized that it's already August!  Yikes!  So I will call this my Late-Summer / Early-Fall reading list and hope I get through most of the books by the time the leaves start to fall.

This is also my response to August's Blog Challenge - what are you reading?

And p.s.... Happy National Book Lover's Day!  Total unplanned coincidence!

Dance Books

The Human Alphabet by Pilobolus - can't wait to use this one in creative movement class in the fall!

The Souls of Your Feet by Acia Gray - a tap book!

Twyla Tharp: The Creative Habit - I have been meaning to read this book for ages...

Creative Dance for All Ages by Anne Green Gilbert - this was recommended to me by a colleague as a springboard for developing creative movement ideas

Business Books

The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte - I started reading this the other day and so far it is a nice change of pace from usual business books - it's like a breath of fresh air!

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon - a nice little book that promises to be full of inspiration, if its anything like his blog



Quick word about my affiliate relationship with Amazon so we're all clear:  If you click the links above and end up purchasing a book, I get a teeny percentage of the sale.  If you don't want to do this, you can search for the book on another site or use Amazon without clicking the links.  Yay freedom of choices! 

2012 Song Selections

Now that the competitions and recitals are over, I'd thought I'd share my list of songs I used this past year for choreography. (Here is 2011 in case you're curious)

All links open in iTunes, unless otherwise noted

TAP
Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles: Large group tap
Medley: It Don't Mean a Thing / Jumpin' At the Woodside - Swing: Large group tap, ages 13-18
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz: Small group tap, ages 12-15
Americano - Lady Gaga: Large group tap, ages 13-18
Tea Party - Kerli: (had to really edit this version, so beware!), large group, ages 11-14
Hold On - KT Tungstall: Small group tap, ages 13-15
A Shine On Your Shoes - Jane Monheit: Solo, age 11

My magic hat!
Faces obscured for privacy

Born To Entertain - Broadway Kids: Solo, age 10 (Amazon Link Broadway Kids: Sing Broadway)

LYRICAL / CONTEMPORARY
Paradise - Coldplay:  graduating senior dance
Addicted To Love - Florence + The Machine:  jazz / contemporary collaboration - alumni dance (so ages 18+)
Who You Are - Jessie J: Large group contemporary, ages 11-14
Wonderwall (cover) - Ryan Adams: Large group contemporary, ages 15-18
Remnants of a Lullaby - Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Lyrical solo, age 15
The Call - Regina Spektor: Large group lyrical, ages 10-13

OTHER
Magic - B.O.B.:  jazz, ages 6-8, complete with magic hat prop!
Ever Ever After - Jordan Pruitt: jazz, ages 5-6
Rodeo: IV. Hoe-Down. Allegro - Copland: Large group ballet, ages 6-8
Fairy Dance - James Newton Howard: Large group ballet, ages 7-9
Crayola Doesn't Make A Color... - Kristin Andreassan: Large group modern, ages 7-9

August Blog Challenge: What Are You Reading?

Happy August! 

Wait.  That should read: What? It's August?  What do you mean there's only five weeks until classes start? Ack!

For me, August is the last chance for some time off from teaching (our summer classes only run until the end of July), which is when I do things like... go to the ballet, read dance books and catch up on SYTYCD.   A.K.A. dance inspiration time!

So in honor of the inspiration that comes from the written word, and in honor of all the college students heading back in for a new year of reading and learning, August's Blog challenge is to post about what you're reading now, what you've read this summer or even just your favorite dance book, business book or children's book.

Don't have a blog? No problem! You can participate by leaving a comment below, tweeting @thedancebuzz or posting to our Facebook wall!   Also follow my "Worth a Read" pinterest board, if you're obsessed with Pinterest like I am into that kind of thing.

I'll post my summer reading list shortly and I look forward to reading yours!

UPDATES
Check out these great reading lists:
+ Moira's recommendation for teaching irish dancing at On My Toes
+ The Dance Buzz's summer / fall reading list with a mix of dance and business books
+ Check out Read It. Move It. Share It., a collaboration between Maria's Movers and Picture Books & Pirouettes