Each creative dance lesson uses specific
Motifsymbols to depict the movement
ideas found in the narrative. One
dance, conceived by Cook, is Talesfrom
theSecret Garden. It focuses
on various ways
oftraveling,jumping,
pushing, pulling,
twisting, gathering,
and reaching, and
actions at low,
middle, and high levels
(figure 1).
California dance
educatorDori Jenks
(personal communication,
1995) has developed
simple motifs
based on the kindergarten
andfirstgrade
health curriculum and the
theme of fire safety. In her classes,
children invent various sequences using
movements to explore the concepts
ofstop, pause, or drop; collapse,
or melt and roll, somersault, tumble,
or turn. The basic message and movement
pattern that children learn if
they catch on fire is to stop, drop, and
roll (figure 1).