As the school year comes to a close and summer is on it’s way, can you believe I am already thinking about classes for summer and fall? Please tell me you are too? Yesterday was registration for fall classes at the JCC and one of the new classes I am offering has been on my mind! It’s called “Step Lively”, an entire creative movement class with a live musician! She plays the Saxophone (the saxophone!), but I plan on incorporating all types of instruments! Think about doing a dance to the sound of a sax, amazing right? I can’t wait to develop the curriculum!
Join Miss Maria on a dance adventure with live music! Boys and girls will travel under water, through space, and around the jungle to explore each place through movement. Dancers will discover directions, body parts, levels from high to low and movement qualities such as fast and slow. The live music will add an element of surprise and will be used to make dances come alive!
Maria Hanley is an independent early childhood dance educator in New York City.
Maria serves on the 
That sounds like such a fun class! My friend was once practicing his Sax next to a stage. I told him to just play whatever he wanted and I started dancing. It was so fun and different! I am used to playing with pianos and drums but not with a woodwind. I loved it. It definitely gave my dancing a different feel.
Thanks for the great story about the sax! I can't wait to start the class and write about it!
Wind instruments are a great accompaniment for dance because there is a connection between the breath the musician has to take and the breathing of the dancer. The two can connect in a whole new way. The connection of the breath to the movement also enhances phrasing of movement patterns. I myself am a dancer married to a professional musician. You guessed it he plays saxophone and woodwinds.
I completely agree, experimenting with different instruments should take exploring movement to a whole new level. How exciting!
Also, I'm with Dancing Branflake – I've danced with piano and drums, but no woodwind. I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous of your students!
awwww Thanks Julie!
[...] in Step Lively we did a planet dance! Included were a spaceship, blueberries, and ice cream! Sounds like a great [...]