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Dance Tag


Here is a game that combines rhythmic movement and tag. It is a fun way to teach dance or reinforce previously taught dance steps.
Physical Education games and resources for elementary educators and teachers.
Dance Tag

Equipment: Music

The Game:

  • Teach or reinforce three or more different dance steps. As an alternative, the students can move to music by using different locomotor skills such as skip, gallop or chasse.
  • Choose appropriate music.
  • Begin with everyone in self-space spread out throughout the play area.
  • When the music begins, everyone chooses one of the dance steps. As an alternative, the teacher can assign the order of the dance steps.
  • Everyone attempts to tag everyone else on the shoulder using a soft safe tag. Always review safety rules when playing any tag game. The tagged student must immediately change to a different dance step.
  • Each time a tag is made, the student just tagged must change to a different dance step. If a student used all of his steps, he goes back to his original step.
  • The students count one point for each tag they make.
  • Play for a designated amount of time. Play again for the same amount of time and see if they can beat their previous score.

Variations:

  1. Add equipment. For example, the students dribble a basketball while incorporating the dance steps.
  2. Choose 10% of the students to be the "its." Give each "it" a foam ball or foam Frisbee to use as a tagging implement. Assign a dance step to everyone, or allow the students to choose one previously taught that works with the music. When tagged, freeze. Invent a simple partner hand dance to the music. For example, "Right hand high five, left hand high five, both hands high five, both hands criss-cross high five." After the hand dance is complete, the frozen student may re-enter the game. Students helping to free others may not be tagged. After a given amount of time, choose new students to be "it." Discuss the reasons for freeing frozen students: helping others, keeps the game aerobic for everyone, allows the game to keep going indefinitely or until the round is over.
  3. Same as above, but choose other methods to free frozen students. For example, if the students are practicing square dance steps, an elbow swing or do-si-do may be used.
  4. Divide the class into four or five groups. Assign each group a different dance step. Place the name of the dance steps on individual index cards. Mix the cards. Choose one without looking. The group with the chosen step is "it." When the music begins, each group uses their assigned step to move. If tagged, they switch their step to the chosen group's step and help tag the others. The game ends when all or most of the students are tagged. Then pick another group and play again.