Dance+Hip+hop+2013

We came together from lots of different schools to dance. Miss Jemma taught us some really cool hip hop dance moves. She helped us make up dance moves in small groups and then we put them together in a sequence. She told us that music has 8 beats, so we moved to 8 beats when we made up our dances. We created a group dance too, which was lots of fun!

**Warm up** We began by warming up our body muscles. We ran, we moved feet, legs, arms, opened up our chest muscles, then warmed up the muscles in our shoulders and ribs.

**We learnt some cool hip hop moves.** **• Isolations** That’s moving body parts as a block. We found our sternum bone then used it to push forward, back, side to side. We found our spine, with the ribs attached. Then we kept our bottom half still. We kept our head and shoulders still and isolated our ribs so they were the part of our body that moved! Wow! That was tricky! We partnered up and mirrored each other. • **Slide** **• Worm** Push up, hips up, feet up and chest down, roll down through your body OR Up, Hips, Chest. You can use one foot to help you slide. **• Handstand into the worm** **• Fishflop** Start from sitting, roll over your shoulder, then flop onto your tummy and arch up. • **Windmill** 2 hands down, 1 leg stabilizing and twirl other leg under and around. • **Run around** Nose to the front and run around your hands • **Run around and into spin** **• Arm moves** Sailor- square – join hands- switch- around- roll/wave **• Shuffle** Hop/ slide backwards - step forward with other foot **• Step, finger click** **• Snake body and clap** **• Moonwalk**

Miss Jemma says you can take any dance move and make it have a gangster look to include in hip hop. For example the pyramid can become gangster look. She said you need to be flexible and strong to dance. **Group Dance** We put our hip hop moves into a sequence to make a group dance. It was lots of fun, but there was a lot to remember. Each week we added a bit more on to our group dance.

**Battle Challenge** We went into 2 groups and got our moves ready for the battle challenge. Then it was all on as we faced off in a battle of moves! In the battle challenge, one group dances for a while showing their moves, then the other group challenges the first group by taking over the dance space and having their turn to show their dance moves. Then the first group comes back for another turn, and on it goes. Often the audience cheers for the best moves. The winning team is the one that gets the loudest cheers from the crowd.

**Cool Down Stretches** At the end of our time dancing together, it was important to do some flexibility exercises to cool down our muscles and get them ready to stop dancing.

**Check out some of our hip hop moves and our thoughts about coming to GATE Hip hop.** media type="file" key="Central Hip Hop Dance.mov" width="300" height="300"media type="file" key="WestGATE Hip Hop Dance.mov" width="300" height="300"

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**Great Dance CDs** • __Now That’s What I Call Music__ is a series that comes out each year. They are available from the Warehouse.

**Here are some contacts if you are interested in going to Dance classes.** __Robertson School of Dance__ ph 0273146595 or 03 2255491 • Jazz Classes at Winton on Monday afternoons 6.30-7.30 pmfor children 8 years or older • Ballet classes at Winton on 2.15- 6.30 on Mondays • Jazz Classes at Otautau on Wednesday afternoons 4.30-5.30 for children 8 years or older • Ballet classes at Otautau on Mon to Fri 2.30 til late __Dance Southland__ []

**If you are keen to have a career in dance check out these links to tertiary training.** NZ School of Dance []

Hagley Dance Company []

Unitech - Contemporary Dance []

Royal New Zealand Ballet []

Southern Ballet in Christchurch []