The Creating Music Stories modules were developed by Sandra Kirkwood for use with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Australian children. The purpose is to support children to be able to participate in musicking and creating their own song, dance and stories that are relevant to their families and places in which they live, work and play. Further music modules are available on the Tracking the Milky Way website (http://trackingthemilkyway.com/) and Music Health Australia (www.musichealth.com.au). Gunawirra Services supported the development of this presentation.

1. Shake a leg and
stomp a foot
DANCING – CREATING MUSIC
STORIES
MUSIC HEALTH
AUSTRALIA

2. DANCING – CREATING MUSIC STORIES
Photo from Mosman Festival 2011, courtesy of Mosman
Council.

3. SHAKE A LEG DANCERS
Shake-a-leg dancers,
Here‟s how they stomp.
Shake-a-leg dancers,
Sha-sha-bop…
(Use your own picture or video here of your family
dancing)

4. BODY PERCUSSION
Konrad is performing body percussion You Tube
with Body Kongo
See kids doing Slap Happy body percussion
on You Tube
Body Percussion Kids are very cool!
See them on You Tube
(You can add photographs/videos here of
your class doing hand clapping or body
percussion activities).

5. VIRTUAL DANCE GAMES
Here‟s an
Aboriginal dance
game for kids on
the computer with
Muqeem
(You Tube)

6. 2:03
Traditional
Aboriginal or
Torres Strait
1:30
Islanders dancing
Attend festivals or watch Traditional
Indigenous dancers on video, or You Tube
(click on these photographs to view You
Tube performances).

7. TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS DANCING
 People might dance  (Include your own pictures or videos
that are relevant to your language
about hunting with family group and cultural traditions)
 Words from Sydney Aboriginal
 Move like animals and language groups are found on web at
birds http://www.lesbursill.com/site/aboriginal
words.htm
 Dress in special clothes
 Usually wear body paint  Gaxabarra means „dance‟
in the language of the Dharawal people
 Sing in Traditional of New South Wales, Australia.
language and perform  See if you can learn
ceremonies with shake-a-leg and foot
community
 Sometimes dance about
stomping. Watch
places and use leaves or how adults dance
sticks found in the area. and see if you can
copy.

8. Here‟s some modern dancing
“I been every where man”
(remix by Blacky) on You Tube
 What kind of dance is this?
 How does your family dance?
 Show us how you dance?
 What kind of music do you like to dance to?

9. CONCERT PERFORMANCE
Some Aboriginal people perform
in stage shows. Here‟s the
Chooky dancers performing at
the Sydney Opera House in a
show called Wrong Skin. You Tube.
The Chooky Dancers are Yolgnu men from
North-East Arnhem Land in the Northern
Territory.
Ngurrumilmarrmiriyu (Wrong Skin) is their first
full-length stage show. It was written and
directed by Nigel Jamieson.

10. Hip Hop dancing
 Some people enjoy Hip Hop Dances
 Indigenous Hip Hop Projects are on You
Tube
 Do you know anyone who dances?
 What do they wear?
 How do they dance?

11. Do you dance at the footy?
 Nunukul Yuggera
Aboriginal Dance
Troupe perform a
War Dance for the
All Stars NRL
football game in
2011. You Tube

12. Can you make up a dance
with you class group?
Try clapping a rhythm to the
syllables in your name.
Then make a dance move to
that rhythm
Take turns as you go around
the group.

13. Now it‟s time to
ask your teachers
or Elders if they
know any dances?
Ask your Mum, Dad, Aunties and Uncles if they can show or
tell you about some dance moves. Look in library for
CDs, DVDs, videos and stories about dancing.

14. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DANCE?
In traditional Indigenous culture, everyone
joined in the dancing. It does not matter how
good you are. “No shame, be game!”
Our families and teachers show us how to
move when we are dancing around at home, at
pre-school and at festivals. We can even make
up our own dance moves.
If we watch and practise dancing we can
have a lot of fun joining in dances. Moving
around helps us to keep fit and healthy.

15. TEACHING OUTCOMES
This presentation opens up a discussion with children about different kinds of dancing
for individuals and Indigenous communities. It encourages children to be physically
active and join in imitating dances with others. Children may even start to invent their
own dance moves with a little help.
Dancing is a fun activity and people of any age can participate. Traditionally, Indigenous
people used song and dance to tell stories about hunting, gathering and other daily events.
There were corroboree celebrations where everyone joined in the singing, dancing and music
making. This helped to preserve Indigenous cultural knowledge by passing on traditions and
oral history from one generation to another.
Dancing can be very useful for encouraging children to be physically active and to have
confidence in moving about. This module encourages children to be proud and strong in their
bodies. The focus of attention is on watching, listening and learning how to dance from
family, teachers and watching performances at festivals, or online on the computer.
We encourage child care centres to develop a resource library of audio-visual and web links
that may be useful in helping children explore performing arts. As far as possible use
examples from the real world and record examples with consent of all participants, that are
relevant to the people, place and cultural background of the students and their families.
Sandra Kirkwood, Music Health Australia www.musichealth.com.au
B.Occ.Thy, B.Music, M.Phil 26 August, 2012