Dance: Finger Kaleidoscope

This activity called Finger Kaleidoscope is designed to show students that dance does not have to involve your whole body moving. I challenges students in groups to come up with a performance using just their hands and fingers. The elements of dance that best suit this activity are body and relationships.

This activity is best begun by showing students a video example. XTRAP's finger kaleidoscope dance video can be seen below and is an excellent example. It shows how their fingers and wiggle and move in intricate patterns. This activity should be done in groups of 4 and students should arrange themselves so they can all place their hands on a flat surface like a desk. Then ask students to choreograph a dance routine using their fingers. The key is that everyone needs to mirror the hand movements of the other person. This will require students to focus and explain their movements so that everyone can do them. You can also have students select a piece of music to go along with their routine, this also helps to integrate the dance element of time to their work. The teacher can walk around and assist any groups. Give them time to rehearse their routines before presenting.

I like this activity because it helps prove to students that dance does not require the whole body. Although body is an element of this lesson it is focused on the hands and shows that small intricate movements with a specific part of your body is still an important part of dance. I think students would have a lot of fun making complex finger movements, working together, and presenting their routines.

Accommodations for this activity would include: verbal and non-verbal instructions, allowing extra time, allow some students to work in partners rather than groups to make simpler routines, limit how long the routine can go, pre-selected groups, encourage small subtle movements.