One distinctive feature of Japanese culture is the frequent use of props in dance. In traditional Japanese dance, it is common to see bows performed both before and after the performance.
When the children practice opening and closing the fans, they hold them parallel to the floor and move them while gradually changing the speed. Let’s try imitating the hand movements and gestures (in Japanese culture, a set of movements is referred to as syosa).
In Japanese traditional dance, fan movements are used to represent elements such as the "sun" or "wind

《Hiraita Hiraita》

Children from grades 1 to 4, who had never learned Japanese folk dance before,
challenged themselves with fan practice. They were able to recite the chants that guide the opening and closing of the fan in the correct rhythm.
But the fans used in Japanese traditional dance are stiff, making it difficult to open and close them without practice. However, upon seeing the beautiful patterns on the fans, the children exclaimed, "So pretty!" and "I want to try!"
All the children willingly and enthusiastically took on the challenge.

Using Nursery Rhymes　as our teaching material, we conducted a music class for upper elementary students. Since older students are not only interested in just playing, we encouraged them to learn about the origins of the songs, devise creative ways to play, and compare different cultures.
In the class, the students were divided into teams: one team introduced recommended play songs, another showcased the charm of Japanese nursery rhymes, a third presented Japanese songs (shōka) from the Meiji period, and the fourth introduced British nursery rhymes.

《Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush》

During this period, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we modified the way the game was played. One child in the circle was designated as the leader, while the other children skipped around that child. At the end of the song, the child in the circle would point to any friend of their choosing. The chosen friend would join in the center, and the song would start again. At the end of the song, the two children in the circle would each nominate another friend, increasing the group to four. When the game was played as a question-and-answer song, the children in the circle sang the response lyrics.

《Muffin Man》

This is a traditional dance from the Philippines. In Japan, the title of the song is featured in second-grade textbooks. When practicing the steps, it is both efficient and fun to place a bamboo pole and have everyone line up together. Some children find it fun and thrilling, while others are scared. You can substitute the bamboo with two strips of vinyl tape or enjoy the three-beat rhythm without moving the bamboo. Once the students have mastered the steps, you can recruit volunteers to try the version that involves moving the bamboo.

I watched the National Gugak Institute's children's gugak song competition held in South Korea in 2017. This photo shows the children who won the gold prize.
Unlike Chinese and Japanese music, which often follows duple meter rhythms, the music of the Korean Peninsula frequently divides a measure or a beat into three parts. These rhythmic patterns and their combinations are called Jangdan (장단). There were both gentle and dynamic Jangdan in the performances.

Let's experience the rhythm of salsa, which originated in Cuba.
It's good to dance while counting "1, 2, stop."
In Japan, even elementary school students understand hip-hop and rap, but salsa is not very well known

In public education, I want to go beyond just imitating dances of favorite artists and approach the origins and cultures of diverse rhythms.
This video shows elementary school students trying salsa steps for the first time with AI-generated music.
In situations where students are seated and unable to dance, accompanying the rhythm with maracas playing eighth notes is also a good alternative.

Let's try the "Running Man" step, which looks like you're running.
Watch Ms. Reina's movements and learn the footwork in Step 1.
In Step 2, challenge yourself to make your movements smoother.

Let's try it while watching from the side.
The key is to slide the back foot in two steps.
Once you're comfortable with the step, try adding arm and hand movements.
The music is Xprinkles by Hellberg & Tobu.

This short video shows an elementary school student trying the "Running Man" dance step for the first time.
In Japanese elementary schools, dance is taught as part of physical education.
However, rather than focusing solely on enhancing physical abilities, it would be ideal to incorporate dance as an opportunity to experience diverse types of music.

This is a choreography we enjoyed with children during the Christmas season.
We expressed the rising quality of the three-beat rhythm’s center of gravity by changing the height of our touches.
When the energy reached its peak, we joined hands or elbows with our friends.
To express happiness, we finished with a joyful "banzai" gesture.

《We Wish You a Merry Christmas》

“Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes" is well known as a play song in Japan.
Being able to perform the movements even at a fast speed gives elementary school students a sense of accomplishment.
The original song is said to have been a cheerful tune sung while drinking alcohol.
I used this song to invite elementary school students to the university and play together. Later, I received a video of them playing with their siblings at home.

Professor Eiko Nakadate, an expert in folk dances, says that the steps of this piece are a variation of the Varsovienne step, which originates from Poland.
Through these movements, let's experience the feeling of upbeat motion and musical phrasing.

《Happy Birthday to you》

The Farandole is a dance step that originates from southern France.
Dancers connect by holding hands or handkerchiefs, creating a flowing path led by the front dancer.
In this video, we performed the steps while holding the ends of rhythmic scarves.
It is recommended for entrances at school performances, such as kindergarten and school art presentations.

《Farandole steps》