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Classroom/Group Ideas for How to Use the Cut-Out Pages

Pass the Pose

Pair-Shaped (ha ha)

Spread Out Shapes

Give each student a card and 10 seconds (adjust as needed) to re-create the shape. When they hear a bell, clap, etc., pass their cards in a circle. 

Spread Out Shapes

Pair-Shaped (ha ha)

Spread Out Shapes

Spread a subset of cards around the room or tape them to the walls. Have students find a card, copy the shape, and head to the next card.

Pair-Shaped (ha ha)

Pair-Shaped (ha ha)

Pair-Shaped (ha ha)

Have one student copy a shape and the other check details, then switch.

Obstacle Course

Change One Detail

Pair-Shaped (ha ha)

Put out boxes or stuffed animals to leap over; a rolled up carpet, board, or tape line to tiptoe across; a hoop to do a card-pose; a chair to crawl under; tape spots to jump from spot to spot; a sturdy filled box to step up on, etc. 

Shape Telephone

Change One Detail

Change One Detail

Group students in threes (or more). Have one look at the card and make the shape. 

Have the second copy the shape from the first, and the third copy the second’s shape. 

Then have the first and second compare the shape with the picture. 

Change One Detail

Change One Detail

Change One Detail

Give each student a card and have them change a small detail about the shape. 


If there’s time, students could present and ask other students to identify the difference.

What Can You Tell Me?

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Give students cards and ask them to tell you all they know about the picture (ballet position, curved/straight/bent parts, parallel/turned out, etc.). Then have all students make the shape.

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Read part of the companion book, Dancing Shapes. Pass coordinating shape cards around for dancers to see. *Not all images are included. 

Sort Similars

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Sort Similars

Time students sorting cards by characteristic, for example flexed/pointed/both.

Speedy Shapes

Speedy Shapes

Sort Similars

Put a shape card out for each student in a circle. Have students create each shape moving around along the circle. Speed up on the second and third rounds. Take the cards away and see if students can remember the poses for a fourth time around the circle.

Tell a Tale

Speedy Shapes

Say My Shape

Tell a Tale: Group students into small groups. Give each set a picture and ask them to choreograph a dance story to explain what’s happening in the pose.

Say My Shape

Speedy Shapes

Say My Shape

Say my Shape: Pair students and give one student a picture card. The student with the card tells the other student how to pose, trying to re-create the picture as closely as possible using only verbal clues. If you do this activity a second time, the posing student could be blindfolded. 

You are Unique

You are Unique

You are Unique

It’s always interesting how different bodies have different strengths. Spread cards out and have students move around the room trying each shape. Have students check the number of their hardest shape and compare answers. 

magic melt

You are Unique

You are Unique

One student creates a shape. The other student has a magic wand (real or imagined) and wherever it touches, a lit bit of the shape melts. 


This could also be dynamic with a start/stop magic wand, and students would have to melt slowly until instructed to stop. 

Tornado twist

You are Unique

Tornado twist

One student creates a shape. The other touches (or points/identifies a place) where a twist should initiate. Try another couple spots. 


Combine with Magic Melt, or add a dynamic start/stop.

Mini-Match

Sculpt the Statue

Tornado twist

Cut out the pose squares from the grid. Give each student a mini-picture or two and have them find the corresponding picture card/s scattered around the room.

Sculpt the Statue

Sculpt the Statue

Sculpt the Statue

Pair students and give one student a picture card. Have the student with the card physically manipulate the other student to match the shape. (This would only be for a group very comfortable with each other). 

Isolation

Sculpt the Statue

Sculpt the Statue

In pairs...One student names three-four body parts, and chooses a starting position card. The other creates a mini-dance only moving those parts. Switch.

All Arms

Simon Says (Or not) Challenge

Simon Says (Or not)

With the arms cards, have students line up with different arm shapes. Pass a stuffed animal along the line-up while students try to keep their arm shapes as close to original shapes as possible (bending their bodies to retrieve the animal).

Simon Says (Or not)

Simon Says (Or not) Challenge

Simon Says (Or not)

Each student creates a pose. The instructor calls out instructions (either Simon Says or just the instructions) such as bend one knee, soften the fingers, flex one wrist, round your back, smile, tilt your head, point a foot, rotate a leg, stick out your tongue, collapse on the floor, etc.

Simon Says (Or not) Challenge

Simon Says (Or not) Challenge

Simon Says (Or not) Challenge

Each student creates a pose. The instructor calls out instructions (either Simon Says or just the instructions) using the instruction cards. 

This could also be adapted for pairs.

Instruction Cards

Ideas for Individuals

Choreography a Dance

Choreography a Dance

Choreography a Dance

Choose 2 cards - those are your beginning and end poses. Create the dance that goes in the middle. 

Just a peek

Choreography a Dance

Choreography a Dance

Take a quick look at the shape and turn it upside down. Try to create the pose. 

Sort Similars

Choreography a Dance

Sort Similars

Sort cards by characteristic, for example flexed/pointed/both.

Timed Poses

What Can You Tell Me?

Sort Similars

Start the stopwatch for 10 seconds (adjust as needed) create the shape. When time's up, choose a new card.

Change One Detail

What Can You Tell Me?

What Can You Tell Me?

Create the shape then change a small detail about the shape, change another detail. Keep going until it's a very different pose.

What Can You Tell Me?

What Can You Tell Me?

What Can You Tell Me?

What can you say about the picture (ballet position, curved/straight/bent parts, parallel/turned out, etc.)? 

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Read a section of the companion book, Dancing Shapes. See if you can order the pictures from memory.

Tell a Tale

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Choreograph a dance story to explain what’s happening in a pose.

Perspective Shift

Dancing Shapes Story Time

Perspective Shift

Create the pose in different ways: mirrored, corresponding (right side to right side), try an upside-down or sideways version.

Isolation

Create A Character

Perspective Shift

Randomly choose three-four body parts, choose a starting position card and create a mini-dance only moving those parts. 

Create A Character

Create A Character

Create A Character

Re-create a pose. Then think of a character from a recent TV show or book and re-create the same pose while pretending to be that person. Did the pose feel different? You could try the same activity adding movement from the starting pose. 

Predict the pose

Create A Character

Create A Character

Choose an image. Imagine a photographer has a stack of photos from a photo shoot. What does the next image look like? 

Rise up

Instruction inspiration

Instruction inspiration

Make the shape taller. For an easier activity, only use shapes with feet on the floor. 

Instruction inspiration

Instruction inspiration

Instruction inspiration

Shuffle the instruction cards and apply to your shape. 

Even better, have a friend read them to you.

Instruction Cards

Ideas for Screen/Ebook Use

Timed Poses

What Can You Tell Me?

Choreography a Dance

Start the stopwatch for 10 seconds (adjust as needed) create the shape. When time's up, choose a new page.

Choreography a Dance

What Can You Tell Me?

Choreography a Dance

Choose 2 images - those are your beginning and end poses. Create the dance that goes in the middle. 

What Can You Tell Me?

What Can You Tell Me?

What Can You Tell Me?

What can you say about the picture (ballet position, curved/straight/bent parts, parallel/turned out, etc.)? 

Change One Detail

Change One Detail

What Can You Tell Me?

Create the shape then change a small detail about the shape, change another detail. Keep going until it's a very different pose.

Just a peek

Change One Detail

Just a peek

Take a quick look at the shape then turn the device off. Try to create the pose. 

Tell a Tale

Change One Detail

Just a peek

Choreograph a dance story to explain what’s happening in a pose.

Perspective Shift

Create A Character

Perspective Shift

Create the pose in different ways: mirrored, corresponding (right side to right side), try an upside-down or sideways version.

Isolation

Create A Character

Perspective Shift

Randomly choose three-four body parts, choose a starting position image and create a mini-dance only moving those parts. 

Create A Character

Create A Character

Create A Character

Re-create a pose. Then think of a character from a recent TV show or book and re-create the same pose while pretending to be that person. Did the pose feel different? You could try the same activity adding movement from the starting pose. 

Predict the pose

Flip through poses

Create A Character

Choose an image. Imagine a photographer has a stack of photos from a photo shoot. What does the next image look like? 

Flip through poses

Flip through poses

Flip through poses

Show an image and give the students 10 seconds (adjust as needed) to re-create the shape. When there's a bell, clap, etc., flip to next image. 

Display their FAQs

Flip through poses

Flip through poses

Pair students and show one student from each group a picture. Have the student who saw the picture physically manipulate the other student to match the shape. (This would only be for a group very comfortable with each other).  

Rise up

Instruction inspiration

SIMON SAYS (OR NOT)

Make the shape taller. For an easier activity, only use shapes with feet on the floor. 

SIMON SAYS (OR NOT)

Instruction inspiration

SIMON SAYS (OR NOT)

 Each student creates a pose. The instructor calls out instructions (either Simon Says or just the instructions) such as bend one knee, soften the fingers, flex one wrist, round your back, smile, tilt your head, point a foot, rotate a leg, stick out your tongue, collapse on the floor, etc. 

Instruction inspiration

Instruction inspiration

Instruction inspiration

Shuffle the instruction cards and apply to your shape. 

Even better, have a friend read them to you.

Instruction Cards

Ideas ideal for use with Konora's Shapes


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PCs: @Once_UponADance @BalletZaida @HeidiAlhadeffLeonard @HeningerFotographik @LMSsorenson @ErinElise.Photography @stacyebstynephotography

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