Dancercise, Dancercise Kids and Tessa are all registered trademarks of Kids Fun Inc.
All curriculum, content, music, pictures and concepts are copyright © 1987-2010 asseT Productions Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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Greetings!
Welcome to our September Foreign Language Unit Newsletter. Here's a chance to find out more about: Fall is arriving, with every leaf dropping to the ground, and thoughts of school starting for many of the kids. Either way, it's usually a return to routine if you have been off in some form or other for the summer. Remember, if your son or daughter has left their childcare to go to Kindergarten, he or she can still enjoy the positive, non-competitive spirit of Dancercise Kids. Just look at our studio in Minnetonka for day-time and after-school and weekend classes too. We teach all kinds of dance and musical theater classes for kids from ages 2 to 16!
We've been teaching this month's unit since the end of August (our class calendar is sometimes adjusted forwards to account for holidays and other changes to schedules). This month's unit is Foreign Language, where we try our hand at a few words in French, German and Spanish as a way to help the kids understand the broader world in which they live. If you speak another language in your home, or have friends or relatives that do, encourage your child to try a few words if they're not already. An early appreciation of language is very important for young children as their minds soak up new concepts so much more easily than us "older folk".
As with all of our units in our three year rotating curriculum, Foreign Language comes along each September but with new songs. This year, songs include Ananas, Irish Jig and Uno Dos Tres, all of which are available for download from our online store for just $2 each, so you can pick your child's favorite songs and download them for your media player.
Finally, a request. Dancercise Kids is a business and like all businesses, we rely on word of mouth and customer support. If you like our classes, tell a friend! Refer a friend, and we'll give your child a free Dancercise T-Shirt! Just click this button to pass this e-mail on, and help us keep our business healthy and growing.
On behalf of everyone here at Dancercise Kids, we appreciate your business, and thank you for being part of our ever-expanding global family!Tessa PfeiferDancercise Kids Founder & CEO
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 September Curriculum - "Foreign Language"
Foreign Language is the theme of our September Un  it. At Dancercise we have many units that try to bring the kids an appreciation of the broader world around them. In this unit, we have some songs and dances that take themes from other countries and throw in a few "hello" and "goodbye" comments from those countries. A basic introduction to another language even at the early age of 3 can be a very powerful influence later in life.
Lesson: People in different countries speak different languages. Hello and Goodbye in German -- Wie geht es, Auf wiedersehenFrench -- Bonjour, Au revoir Spanish -- Buenos dias, Hasta la vista Warm-up: Stretch On and Off the Floor, Donkey Kicks, Leg Lifts, KicksJazz - "Ananas"
Lesson: Ananas is the French word for Pineapple. With this play on words, the American girls think the waiter has bananas, so she keeps ordering both!Steps: Paddle Turn, Sways, Twists, Jazz HandsSign Language: Bananas, CheeseBallet - "Irish Jig"
Lesson: Countries have different cultural dances. This dance is from Ireland. We are dancing with partners.
Steps: Bourrée, Bridge, Plié, ChasséSign Language: Ireland
Tap - "Uno, Dos, Tres"Lesson: We count to 3 and learn to say red, green, blue, elephant, lion, bear, mother, father, brother and sister in Spanish.
Steps: Spanish Walk, Shuffle Step Clap, Ball ChangeSign Language: Elephant, Lion, Bear, 1, 2, 3Creative - "Everybody Limbo"Lesson: Do the Limbo. It is a dance that people do in the Caribbean.Sign Language: Limbo
Tumbling - Tightrope Walk |
Parent Fun: Questions For Your Dancercise Kid!
Ask your child these questions and let them show you what they've been learning!
Can you do a Paddle Turn?
Show me a Donkey Kick.
Can you sign Banana?
How do you do the Limbo? They might not remember everything but watch their imaginations go to town! |
Family Activity: Foreign Language!
Here's a simple one for you and the family. Practice saying hello and goodbye for a few days in some difference languages! Perhaps you already speak a language other than English at home. Perhaps you'd like to try French, or Spanish or German, as our songs this month illustrate. If you have any particular ethnic heritage in your family, use language from that background. If you want to make it really fun, tie in a few other aspects, such as some food from that culture, or costumes.
Supplies: You, Your Imagination, Maybe some food....Try "Bonjour", "Buenos Dias" or "Wie Geht Es" for "Hello" in French, German and Spanish. "Jambo" in Swahili, and so on. Perhaps you could make a day of it - make Monday "French" day, Tuesday "Spanish" day and so on. Remember though, precision in pronunciation is less important than effort and appreciation.
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Thank you for participating in Dancercise. You can find much more information on our website here, or you can e-mail us with questions.
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