Discovering Dance

Suggested activities

(Choose or modify these activities to suit your class level.)

Levels 1–3

• View a live or recorded performance of a haka or waiata ā-ringa. What body parts are emphasised? How are they moving (for example, hands slapping the chest)? Where is this dance being performed? Are men, women, or both taking part in it? What feelings are being expressed in this dance, and what makes you think this?
• Develop a class poster or scrapbook showing pictures of Māori and Pasifika dances. What similarities and differences can you see between the two? Refer to the video/DVD section that illustrates the similarities between Māori and Pasifika dance (after the interview with Dr Pita Sharples).
• Look at a picture of a Māori dance (or pause the video/DVD). Are the dancers inside or outside? What are they wearing? Copy the position of their arms. What traditional movement do you think the dancers might be performing? Copy the expression that you see on one dancer's face. How does this expression make you feel?
• View the level 1 dance exemplar Kei Raro i te Moana. Learn the words and actions of a waiata ā-ringa (action song) and share it with another class.
• Observe and explore the different shapes that a poi can make (for example, circles, arcs, spirals, figures of eight). With ropes or chalk, show these shapes on the floor. Use the shapes to create pathways for movement. As you travel along these pathways, explore a variety of locomotor movements.
• View and discuss the level 3 dance exemplar, Korikori Tinana. Explore the movement patterns shown in the exemplar.

Level 4 and above

• Find out about Māori stick games (for example, tītītōrea) and learn some basic movements and patterns from them. With a partner, make a sequence of movements that uses sticks.
• Explore a variety of body percussion movements (for example, clapping, stamping, slapping), first by yourself and then with a partner. Select and combine some of these into a short sequence. Teach your sequence to another pair.
• View and discuss the level 4 dance exemplar Haka: Ka Mate!. Compare this performance with that of the All Blacks on the video/DVD. Investigate the origins and functions of Ka Mate. Do you think that this is a suitable haka for the All Blacks to use?
• On the video/DVD, Dr Sharples calls dance 'a living culture'. Discuss what this term means. As a class, compile a list of dance genres/styles that you are aware of and discuss how these are kept alive.
• Invite local community members or student experts to conduct Māori dance workshops and/or visit the local marae to learn more about Māori dance.

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