Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Season 2
Today’s Teaching Strategy: Change Partners Unlimited
(Dance)
Elementary (3-4)
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about memorizing a dance sequence and busting a move. It goes with “Love’s Theme” by The Love Unlimited Orchestra (1974) because of its groove, strings, and funky guitar licks (lol)!
This 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
Memorization, memorization, memorization!
Wow, have you ever been to a show and wondered how the actors are able to remember ALL of those lines and stage placements? Or thought about how dancers perform complicated choreography—often relying on each other for lifts at the right time, or navigating sharp moves that could connect (and injure) another artist?
According to Merriam Webster, “Memorization is the cognitive process of committing information to long-term memory through repetition, association, or structured learning techniques.” It happens organically by rote and actively when we use things like flash cards or mnemonic devices. Further, it includes things we are able to recall in a short-term context and in long-term (life) contexts.
In music, we memorize fingerings on instruments, tunes/melodies, lyrics, chord progressions, song titles, genres, artists, and so much more! We memorize songs and lines in musical theater; arias, chorus parts and blocking in opera; masterworks that have stood the test of time in classical recitals, etc.
As musicians, we also remember performances that transport us back to a specific venue, a set of repertoire, and the way it made us feel. I’m talking about music we personally make AND music we experienced as audience members or conductors. For example, I remember my first major saxophone solo in middle school—I remember that Earth, Wind, and Fire concert in the stadium, and the concerts I directed with elementary, middle, and high school students! With each of these, I can recall playing most of the notes (lol) and feeling proud of myself, the thrill of live music experienced with thousands of other people, and students who shared music with families, the school community, and each other! Memories of a lifetime.
Why am I talking about memorization and/or memories today? I think we have a unique opportunity in the music classroom to foster artistic memories (in the classroom and in performance) that students will recall—fondly—OR not. We have a responsibility to teach the students of today, and focus on the here and now, yes! But we also have a responsibility to consider the long-term impact of our teaching.
Years from now, what will your students remember about their music class with you?
Call to Action: Grab a coffee (lol) and think about teachers you remember the most from your educational career. What made them stand out?
Today’s teaching strategy “Change Partners Unlimited” includes a sequence of choreographed steps for students to memorize—with opportunities for students to change partners—over and over. 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.
Today we are going to perform a dance in 2 circles!
Lead students to form two circles (inner and outer) facing each other. Our dance is going to have us coming together, moving apart, and finding new partners many times over!
ProTIP: You should have the same number of students in each circle so students can form partners and repeatedly connect with new classmates as part of the dance.
Let’s learn the steps.
Teach the “Unlimited Partners Dance” movements. Video provided to make it easy!
Play the recording of “Love’s Theme” and direct students to perform the dance with the track.
ProTIP: Start the dance at 0.24 when the melody begins.
ProTIP: Invite students to groove during the introduction and provide a “Here We Go!” cue to lead them in around 0.22.
Materials/Set Up
Space for Movement
🎵 The Love Unlimited Orchestra "Love’s Theme” Link to Track on Spotify
Unlimited Partners Dance
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
ProTIP: Students in both circles are walking toward each other for “Forward” and backing apart for “Backward”. Manage spacing to allow comfortable walking strides to reflect the style and tempo of the music.
ProTIP: Inform students that when they move to the right each time (4x in a row) they need to stop right in front of a new partner!
Forward:
Walk, Walk, Walk, Dig with Arm Rolls
Backward:
Walk, Walk, Walk, Dig with Reversed Arm Rolls
[Repeat]
To the Right:
Side-Together, Side-Together, Side-Together, Side-Together
Forward:
Walk, Walk, Walk, Dig followed by a two High-5s to a Partner
Backward:
Walk, Walk, Walk, Dig followed by two Patsches on Thighs
[Repeat]
To the Right:
Side-Together, Side-Together, Side-Together, Side-Together
[Repeat the whole sequence]
Video
EXTEND the Learning:
Ask students to identify new ways to connect with a partner each time (replacing the High-5).
Change direction by moving to the Left to find new partners each time OR go to the Right for a while and then call “to the Left” to add a surprise element!
ProTIP: If you alternate R/L one after the other students will end up with the same partners each time (lol). Not a bad thing… if that’s what you want to happen!
Learning Targets
Move
Learning Outcomes
Respond with choreographed movements
Create original body percussion movement with a partner*
Perform a circle dance (with partners) as a group
Assessment
Informal Observation/Formative Assessment
*This only happens within the EXTEND the Learning section of this teaching strategy.
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!
Final Thoughts
Music making—and responding to music with movement—should be memorable for the pleasure and joy these experiences bring to students… and their teachers. Remember, not everyone gets to advance the artistry of young musicians. Happy Teaching!
I love Darla Hanley’s Music room!! What terrific approaches.