Warm up Approaches

Hi Everyone,
Please find below a documentation of the warm up approaches that I led you through during our
Dance/Drama sessions.
Warm up 1:
Drama Circle: The whole class sit in a circle. This is an effective ritual to establish with your
class at the beginning and at the end of drama/dance activity. (It can also be used
throughout a lesson as you see necessary). The Drama Circle engages focus and sets the
tone for a different way of learning (i.e. experientially). It enables eye contact with all
children and promotes conversation and discussion.
Name Game: The children stand in the circle. The teacher models the activity; teacher says
their name and simultaneously, makes a movement. The class mirrors this in unison i.e.
repeats the name and movement. Move around the circle so that each child has a turn.

Freeze: The children find their own space in the room. They are to walk around the room
matching the pace of the teacher. The teacher supports the childrens development of body
and spatial awareness as they are walking, saying things such as: Be mindful of those
around you. Be careful to not bump into or touch others. Fill all of the gaps and
spaces. When the teacher claps, the children are to freeze like a statue. Repeat this
several times.
This time, the teacher asks the children to walk around the room in
Slow motion, in
Fast forward, in
Rewind, each time asking them to freeze as a statue when the teacher claps.
Greeting: In this activity, when the children walk through the space, the objective is now for
them to engage with others. The teacher asks the children to greet each other only nonverbally however - using gesture. For example, waving, shaking hands or hugging.
Clumps: The teacher asks the children to walk through the space with their arms across
their chest. When the teacher calls out a number, the children are to group together in that
group size, for example, groups of 4. When the group is complete, they are to sit down
together. The activity is repeated, this time with the teacher calling another group number.
Freeze frame: Individuals or groups form a physical image using their own bodies to create
dramatic impact also called a still image or tableau, from the French word meaning
living picture. Source: Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), Teacher Guidelines,
Story book Drama KITE Arts Education Program @ QPAC. Teacher asks the students to create a series
of freeze frames of objects.

Warm up Approaches, compiled by Johanna Searles

It is helpful to model a simple freeze frame with another child i.e. a knife and fork, to help
the children in getting started. This modelling also provides an opportunity to explain the
important drama principle of giving and taking offers i.e. when a child offers an idea, the
others should accept it and build on it, rather than block it, in order to progress the drama.
If the use of freeze frame precedes a storydrama or process drama, it is effective to ask the
children to create objects found in the text or stimulus material being explored. For
example, Sarahs Heavy Heart: seesaw, bicycle, bus, low-lying clouds and tall buildings.

Warm up 2:
Name Game 2: Following an orientating Role Circle discussion, the whole class stand in the
circle. Teacher asks the children to explore writing their name with their foot on the ground.
Teacher asks them to try this with other parts of the body e.g. elbow, knee, head, ear or
nose, using different body bases i.e. knees.
Body base: Body parts that support the rest of the body. For example, when standing, the
feet are the body base; when kneeling, the knees are the body base. Source: Australian
Curriculum, Dance, Overview, Glossary.

Non-locomotor movement: Movement of the body occurring above a stationary base, on

the spot movements. Also called axial movement. For example, bending, stretching, twisting,
shaking, bouncing, rising, sinking, pushing, pulling, or swinging and swaying. Source:
Australian Curriculum, Dance, Overview, Glossary.

Call/Response: The teacher calls out a variety of non-locomotor movement and

simultaneously demonstrates this movement. The children mirror the teachers movement
using their feet as their body base. Teacher asks the children to contribute to the
call/response.
Locomotor movement: Travelling movements, movement from one space to another such
as walking, running, hopping, skipping, leaping or crawling. Source: Australian Curriculum, Dance,
Overview, Glossary.

Freeze: Exploring locomotor movement. The children are to find their own space in the
room. Teacher asks them to walk around the room, taking care not to bump into others etc.
When the teacher claps, the children are to freeze as if a statue. Substitute walking with
other locomotor movement, for example, running, hopping, skipping, leaping or crawling.

Warm up Approaches, compiled by Johanna Searles