Sequencing Your Name
When students are asked to create movement from scratch, many freeze up or fall back on the same predictable ideas. Sequencing Your Name provides a simple, personal structure that helps students generate choreography while building creativity, independence, and critical thinking.
Here’s how it works:
- Review the alphabet key together.
- Have each student write their name as a movement sequence.
- Practice each movement in order.
- Connect the movements with transitions.
- Add variety by changing level, direction, force, or speed.
- Add music and perform.
Download the full lesson plan here.
Variations:
Level Down
- Encourage modifications (ex. Spin finger instead of body)
- Provide chairs for students who have physical limitations or fatigue easily
- Ask students to complete this in a small group, where each person uses only the first letter of their name
- Work on a common word together (ex. Name of your city, happy)
- Simplify the movement key Simplify the movement key so that it uses fewer movements (ex. A, M, and W are all “spin”)
- Use a prop like a ribbon stick or scarf; this can help students “get out of their head”
Level Up
- Group students and ask them to combine their sequences into a short dance
- Sequence Key Vocabulary (download the lesson plan here)
- Use a musical key instead of a movement key
