Happy Celebration Dances
Easter is nearly upon us and many schools have fun with Easter Hat Parades, which some school communities value as a long- held traditions, fostering creativity and arts practice. They can be a celebration of diversity when schools work with their communities to ensure Easter celebrations reflect a range of different cultures and multicultural activities. This may include sharing songs and music in different languages.
If your school has an end-of-term Easter Parade, you may be interested in performing these two simple (easily and quickly learned) celebratory dances. They can either be performed (and sung) while children are parading around a circle, keeping the musical beat, or as separate items during celebratory concerts.
The two dances below were compiled by Neridah Oliphant, and they have given much joy to children and families over many years at Easter.
Hippety Hop Easter Dance
Students stand in a single circle facing the centre, drawn/ painted onto concrete in playground. Melody is played over loudspeaker. Students have learned the lyrics in advance, and may wish to dress up in Easter hats, bunny ears etc. for their performance. Repeat the dance three times.
Peter Cottontail Easter Dance
Song written by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins (1950). First recorded Mervyn Shiner (Decca Records, 1950). Actions compiled by Neridah Oliphant (Gunnedah Infants School, 1988)
The musical version, Here Comes Peter Cottontail, by The Kiboomers available Spotify and more suitable than original song for the following dance. Song also available YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7UXYvRRZFc
Directions:
Students stand in single file around the circle. Face anticlockwise. Everyone moves around the circle together, to the rhythm of the song, simultaneously doing actions and singing. Words and corresponding actions below:
Verse 1:
Here comes Peter Cottontail
Stamp, stamp, & clap, clap, clap (actions in orange)
Hopping down the bunny trail
Stamp, stamp, & clap, clap, clap
Hippety hoppity Easter’s on its way.
Wag your tail (towards centre of circle) and turn yourself around (turn in a circle on the spot-anticlockwise).
Bringing every girl and boy
Stamp, stamp, & clap, clap, clap
Baskets full of Easter joy
Stamp, stamp, & clap, clap, clap
It will make your Easter bright and gay.
Wag your tail (towards centre of circle) and turn yourself around (turn in a circle on the spot- anticlockwise).
Chorus:
He’s got jellybeans for Tommy
(Face centre - shake bottle of jellybeans)
Chocolate eggs for sister Sue
(Both hands draw a huge Easter Egg in the air)
There’s an orchid for my mummy
(Place both hands over your heart)
And an Easter Bonnet too.
(Reach up and place an imaginary bonnet on your head. Tie it under your chin.)
The same dance steps apply for the next verse. There is a variation of lyrics in different versions because it is a traditional song. This is not a problem. Use the words that best suit your students. You can devise alternative accompanying actions that reflect the lyrics of verse 2, or use similar actions to verse 1, whatever suits.
Verse 2:
Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin’ down the Bunny trail,
Look at him stop and listen to him say:
“Try to do the things you should.
Maybe if you’re extra good,
He’ll roll lots of Easter eggs your way.
You’ll wake up on Easter morning.
And you’ll know that he was there
When you find those choc’late bunnies
That he’s hiding ev’rywhere”.
Chorus
Repeat Verse 1 (if you wish it to be a longer performance item).
Finish with chorus.
Have a lovely well- deserved break.
