The Swing Sensation
What does it FEEL like?
The key to understanding MusicXT and its integration of Dalcrozian principles into elementary classrooms, is embracing the idea of the BODY as the primary instrument. Movement IS the thing that we are trying to teach, and this pursuit is worthwhile for its musical and EXTRA-musical benefits. If we follow this maxim to its logical conclusion, our more advanced classes should be highly adept movers who can compose, perform, and appreciate movement as an artistic expression. I have a fifth grade class that is experimenting with this idea… I’ve never seen it done at this level before so it’s a maiden voyage, so to speak.
I want to take a second to encourage you to become a PAID subscriber to MusicXT. Folks who have a paid subscription get access to the archive of posts, and extra content! Committing to movement in your classroom is a journey, and MusicXT can be your guide! Many of our paid subscribers got their administration to pay for the subscription, so its not a big strain on your personal budget.
For many years I was dissatisfied with my students’ grasp of 6/8 time (compound meter). For myriad reasons, the students struggle to transition from even divisions of two into feeling divisions of three. There are many mistakes that I discovered in my approach that eventually led to some of the activities that I’ll outline in this post. Read to the end for a culminating activity video!