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����ý Teach > School Radio > Dance > KS1: Let’s Move > The Nutcracker

1. Christmas Eve - 2. The battle with the Mouse King - 3. The Land of Sweets

The third and final dance session of the unit.

3. The Land of Sweets

Clara finds herself in The Land of Sweets. The children move around as the gingerbread children, the Arabian Coffee dancers and the Russian Cossack dancers. They put all their moves together to make a complete performance of The Nutcracker.

Resources

Lesson summary

Warm up

Stand up straight with your hands on your hips and kick alternate feet straight out in front of you like a Russian Cossack dancer. Practice slowly at first, on the spot, and then faster, travelling around the room.

Sequence 1: The Land of Sweets

• The gingerbread children. Stand with your legs apart and your feet pointing out to the sides. Next, stretch your arms out to the sides to make a symmetrical gingerbread-man shape. Stay in that gingerbread shape with your legs really straight, as you walk stiffly through the spaces. Stop every now and then with the music to bend the top half of your body stiffly forwards from the waist to bow to someone nearby.

• The Arabian Coffee dancers. Keep your body loose and relaxed as you twist and twirl freely through the spaces like steam rising up from hot coffee. Slowly bend and straighten your legs as you gracefully twist and twirl your arms high, low and all around you.

• The Russian Cossack dancers. Stand tall with your hands on your hips and kick alternate legs straight out in front of you (just like you did in the warm-up).

‘After their journey through the pine forest where snowflakes danced around them, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrived in the Land of Sweets where the Sugar Plum Fairy, impressed by their bravery, arranged a lavish celebration with magical dancing sweets from around the World!’

Sequence 2: Clara and the Nutcracker Prince are crowned rulers of The Land of Sweets.

Stand side by side with a partner. Walk majestically together through the spaces, stopping now and then to wave or smile at the cheering crowds.

Complete performance

Decorating the Christmas tree ~ The Toymaker ~ Clara and The Nutcracker ~ Battle with the Mouse King ~ Dancing Snowflakes ~ The Land of Sweets ~ Clara and the Nutcracker Prince crowned rulers of the Land of Sweets.

Cool down

Sit down on the floor and relax as you listen to the end of the story.

'The next morning Clara woke up under the Christmas tree with her wooden Nutcracker soldier in her arms…Happy Christmas everyone!’

Related units of KS1 Dance: Let's Move

����ý Teach > School Radio > Dance > KS1: Let’s Move > The Nutcracker

1. Christmas Eve - 2. The battle with the Mouse King - 3. The Land of Sweets