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In the Dance to Learn®️ Program, we follow the BrainDance Warm Up. BrainDance is a whole Brain and Body warm up created by Dr Anne Green Gilbert that follows 8 patterns of movement we explore naturally from birth:
Those patterns include:
- Breath
- Tactile
- Head/Tail
- Core-Distal
- Upper/Lower
- Body-Side
- Cross Lateral
- Vestibular
The first pattern, breath, is important for dancers to learn because without it, our bodies would never reach release and fluidity which are very important dynamics in dance.
To explore breathing, we play fun games in class like this one from the Pumpkin Patch! 🎃
🎃 First, curl up like a small little pumpkin
🎃 Close your eyes and imagine you are a little pumpkin in the pumpkin patch waiting for a little girl or boy to pick you for their Jack O’Lantern.
🎃 Take a breath in through your nose and out through your mouth and say “Ahhhhh”
🎃 Now you hear the feet of little boys/girls running through the patch (tap feet on the floor)
🎃 Curl up like a pumpkin and take a breath in through your nose and out through your mouth and say “Ahhhhh”
🎃 Now you feel the hands of a little boy/girl picking you from the pumpkin patch! Take a breath in through your nose and out through your mouth and say “Ahhhhhh”
🎃 It’s time celebrate! Hold on tight and do a big pumpkin roll and say “Wheeeeee”
Learn more about BrainDance by joining our BrainDance Master Class!
Follow our BrainDance Playlist on YouTube
