Submitted by Heather Stoker, Olympia, Washington

Idea posted April 10, 2006

I had my fourth graders perform "Dancin' On The Rooftop" (from Music K-8, Vol. 2, No. 4) for their concert, and it was a huge hit! They had done some swing dancing in third grade and requested more for their fourth grade concert! Here are the moves:

Instrumental Intro: Every 4 beats, a different row came off the stairs and down to their spots on the gym floor. Once they got to their spot, they turned so their backs were to the audience and got ready in place. I wanted to choreograph the girls to turn around on the first trumpet "splat" and the boys on the next, but we ran out of time!
"I'm": Turn around and face the audience.
"dancin' on the rooftop, rooftop, rooftop" - Put weight on balls of feet and move heels in and out, while hands do windshield wipers (but in and out, not side to side). Boy option: hands on belt/suspenders and move elbows in and out. It took awhile for some kids to learn this move, but it looked really cute!
"heel and toe": With one foot, tap heel and then toe.
"swingin' on a treetop, treetop, treetop": Turn to partner and do 4 rock steps, holding hands.

"Hangin' by my shoe strings. Watch me go!": While holding partner's hands, each puts their left hand behind neck; left hands let go of right hands and slide smooth to connect right hands.
"The weather's fine on ol' Cloud Nine. All the birds are dancin', too.": The Hand Jive works really well in this section. Pat on legs (2x), clap (2x), scissors with hands (2x with left on top, 2x with right on top), fists (2x with left on top, 2x with right on top), and then hitchhiker thumbs (2x above left shoulder, 2x above right shoulder).
"But I won't come down to the ground": Wiggle fingers in front of body from above head to waist (bend at body, too).
"find my": Strap on "parachute" onto one shoulder.
"para": Strap "parachute" onto other shoulder.
"chute": Bring in elbows to ribs.
Meas. 41 dance break: Couples came up with their own freestyle swing routines, including "Around the World," kids pulling partners through their legs, rolling in and out, boys lifting girls at their waist while they kick out legs, or Sugarfoot/truckin' moves. I had a group of kids that came to my room during recess for three weeks straight to practice their dance break.
Kids who didn't want to dance got down on one knee and snapped, which still looked good.
Scatting section: I split fourth grade in half. One half leaned in and sang first, then leaned back while other the other half leaned in to echo (like a "sing off" competition).
"Shoo bop": Pretend to play trumpet.
"Shoo bee doot": Pretend to play saxophone.
"Wa wa": Pretend to play slide trombone 4 times, from high to low.
"Nyah": Hands open, thumbs on cheeks, and wiggle fingers (i.e., like an annoying little kid).
"Ooh, mama": Flip hand and push out, then tighten fist and pull back fast on "mama."
"Blah, blah": Fold arms and look bored.
"Doo ricky doo": Pretend to play drums at each other.
"Ooh": One side plays drums.
"Wah": The other side plays drums.
This continues back and forth until "I'm."
For the ending, on the "Hangin' by my shoestrings" decrescendo: One partner pulls the other back towards the stairs; both have free hands up in air waving and feet doing the Sugarfoot.
"Watch__ me___ ": Turn to audience and freeze to sing these words. Leave out the "Go" and save for very end.
Instrumental break at end: Quickly head up to spots on stairs.
"Watch me go! Yeah!": Freeze pose on stairs.
© Plank Road Publishing, Inc. - Used by permission.