Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Today’s Teaching Strategy: Dancers with Captains
(Follow-the-Leader Freestyle Dance Moves)
Elementary (2-4)
© 2025 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about busting a move with freedom and personal style. It goes with “I Feel Like Dancing” by Jason Mraz from 2023 because it’s a dance tune that calls its listeners to “pop and lock”, “hit with a little bit of robot”, “shake a leg”, and “get a little silly” (lol).
The track is available on multiple streaming audio platforms. (Like many of my teaching strategies, you should feel free to find other audio tracks to anchor the learning experience using music that works in your setting or new tracks to simply “mix it up.”)
Pedagogical Foundations
Sometimes we simply need to stop everything and dance… I do (lol).
Everyone knows that school music can include ALL types of music representing styles from yesterday, today (and tomorrow). That range of music is important as we expose students to sounds and styles that contribute to shaping their musical tastes and preferences.
In my experience, dance music, in particular, often resonates with students (and adults — lol) because of its high energy and compelling/driving beat. Additionally, dance music provides an invitation for students (and us) to move freely and let loose in ways that do not happen all the time. When I think about dance music, I realize that we typically hear it at parties, family gatherings or celebrations like weddings, and at concerts. This music is SO associated with fun times!
Why exactly is movement important in the music classroom? Below is my quick list.
Moving to Music…
Helps students feel the sounds, style, and groove, etc. (to physically internalize things like beat, rhythm, and form);
Fosters coordination as students strive to (and do) move in sync with musical sounds;
Requires students to listen, observe, imitate, and/or create movements and patterns;
Brings students together to collaborate and connect; and
Is lots of fun!
Today’s teaching strategy (“Dancers with Captains”) includes an opportunity for students to move and groove, copy the teacher and their peers, create personal interpretations, and express preferences! I hope you give it a try with your students. But first, let me remind you who I am:
Hi! I’m Darla, an experienced PK-12 music educator, college professor, and former Berklee College of Music Dean looking to connect with teachers, parents/caregivers, and others seeking to advance creative music making for today’s students—and their teachers. In Darla Hanley’s Music Room you will find teaching strategies, advice and teaching tips, playlists, and more.
Have students stand in an open space in the classroom (like a dance floor) — not in any particular formation.
Today we are going to have a dance party — what fun! We are going to perform several moves. Watch me and do what I do.
Play the recording of “I Feel Like Dancing” by Jason Mraz and lead students to perform these 8 movements:
ProTIP: There is no “correct” interpretation of how to boogie down—or perform the other movements on the list. Have fun letting the movement directives inspire you and your students to groove and respond to the music!
Boogie Down
Bird Wings
Head Nod
Pop It, Lock It
Raise the Roof
Robot Walk
Rolling Shoulders
Shake a Leg
Draw movement directives from a hat or bag using the DMHR “Dancers with Captains” downloadable PDF that you printed and cut into 8 cards. Invite students to perform the movements as drawn.
ProTIP: Select students to draw the movement directive cards to give them another type of leadership opportunity.
Now it’s your turn to create movements! I will look around the room as everyone dances to find someone to copy! When I call your name, you become the dance captain and we will all perform your dance move. When I say “Dancers!” everyone goes back to creating an original dance move and I will choose a new dance captain leader for our dance party.
ProTIP: Calling the student leader a “dance captain” informally introduces them to this real role in the dance world.
Play the recording and dance, dance, dance!
Materials/Set Up
Space for Movement
DHMR Dancers with Captains Movement Directives (Printable PDF)
A Hat (or Bag)
🎵 Jason Mraz "I Feel Like Dancing” Link to Track on Spotify
EXTEND the Learning:
Divide the class into 2 groups: Dancers and Dance Captains. Select one student in the Dance Captain group to create a move for everyone to perform. Continue spontaneously calling names of students in the Dance Captain Group to take the lead until all dance captains have had a turn. Switch group roles and repeat with new Dance Captains as time permits.
Now we will create a signature dance for our class! We need to pick 3 dance moves from those created by our dance captains. Ask students for a list of suggestions and write their ideas on the board. Invite students to vote to identify which 3 to perform with the recording.
ProTIP: Asking students to suggest dance moves from those created in class gives them ownership and opportunity to contribute. The point here is not to vote to see which dance captains are popular or heavy influencers; rather to give students voice and choice.
Learning Targets
Move
Learning Outcomes
Respond with movement
Create dance movements and personal interpretations
Perform both original dance moves and dance moves in imitation
Assessment
Informal Observation/Formative Assessment
Thanks for checking this out. If you use this teaching strategy, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it resonates with your students!