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Training: George and the Dragon Dance workshop

This workshop is based on the legend of George and the Dragon. We have based it on some books of the legend which we will send you.

You will need to download the music onto your phone as it is not on the MP3 players or in the WBD Dropbox. 

Choreographer instructions

Please see the diagrams and the written information below the video. To watch the video you'll need to be in full screen; use the button next to the Vimeo logo in the bottom right corner of the video. 

The format and workshop is similar for both key stages so we have only made one video. The video is useful for seeing what the feet are doing and the timing. There is no voiceover for this; as most of this is formation dancing the diagrams below the video are more helpful.

There is a document for KS1 and another for KS2 as the are different books and so the group pictures created are slightly different and of course the EYFS has a much simpler version. 

KS1 book is George and the Dragon, an adaptation by Chris Wormell.

 KS2 book is Saint George and the Dragon by Louis Stowell, illustrated by John Joven.

Saint George & The Dragon
KS1

Book - George and the Dragon, an adaptation by Chris Wormell

1)    Warm Up
2)    Games
a) CIRCLES. You can play this to help with the speed of the workshop
Set up = YEAR 2 split the children into their 3 groups ready for their pictures. YEAR1 and EYFS do this as one big group and get teachers to help.
ask the children if they know what shape people stand in for Maypole dancing? Answer circle. Ask them how quickly they can make a circle in their group, which group can be the fastest. Count them up 1,2,3,etc then say “wow group * made a circle in just 10 seconds (or however many it took them) I wander if we can make these circles even quicker. 
Put some music on and call out various ways to move to get them to walk/skip/march/slow motion running/wiggle/hop etc around the room. STOP the music and call out ‘circle’ and count them up  to see how quickly they can make their 3 circles. Do this about 3 times.

b)There is very little time for games, so this isn’t needed, but you may have more time and wish to do People to people and use George and the Dragon as the signal for them to change partners

3) Set up command as MAYPOLE and they must all stand very still and tall
Introduction (if not done in assembly): Explain what St Georges day is and the legend of St George and explain about the different English dances and that there are many different styles of dance from different countries. 

There are lots of different tales about George and the Dragon and this story is one example.

YEAR 2 in groups (for years 1, reception & nursery  do all sections together and choreograph accordingly- see bottom for notes)

Group 1 =  Terrifying Dragon – comes to life  like as in Wild things (break big groups down into 2 smaller dragon groups if needed)

Group 2 = Castle, Princess and Kings Army  and the dragon (possibly 1 or 2 people making the dragon but no more)  - comes to life Dragon sweeps tail and knocks over army (work this section with them so it is calm and no one gets injured) then steals Princess and flies off.

Group 3 =  mouse moving into his house, dragon (one or 2 people as dragon) princess and furniture/cases etc – comes to life mouse knocks on dragons door to ask for sugar and scares him and saves the princess

All start in places for groups
2x8 for making picture
2x8 approx to bring to life

Get each group to make circle formation so you will have 3 x circles for Maypole dances and 3 x formations for Morris dances

little interlude bit 1x6 approx 1x8 approx get into group circles
MAYPOLE DANCES FORMATIONS
1x8 bow facing into the circle
INTRODUCTORY DANCE  (Fig 1)
1x4 4 walks forward in towards circle all together lifting up their arms.
1x4 A’s 4 walks backwards to original spot, B’s stay where they are arms up. 
CIRCLE MAYPOLE DANCE (Fig 2)
1x8 B’s turn and skipping anti clockwise in circle then stop
1x8  A’s turn and skipping anti clockwise in circle then stop
BARBERS POLE (Fig 3)
1x8 B’s to skip around their A partner and back to their places
1x8 A’s to skip around their B partner and back to their places
(Fig 4)
1x8 all skip around in a circle A’s going Clockwise B’s going anticlockwise
1x8 repeat in opposite directions (B’s clockwise, A’s anticlockwise) 

MORRIS DANCE STEPS
1x8 basic step hop step step (arms wave up on the hop) x4 into 2 rows facing their partners A’s on one side B’s on the other (Fig 1)
1x3 gallop downstage
4 wave hankie out to side
1x4 repeat traveling upstage
1x3 3 claps
4 wave hanky out to side downstage
1x4 repeat the other way
1x8 blocking high and low with partner as if holding sticks
1x8 basic step x4 passing right shoulder with partner to swap positions
1x8 basic step x4 traveling backward still right shoulder pass to swap back to original position
1x4 all facing front 2 half time step and hop
1x4 4 little ball changes
1x4 4 little ball changes with the other foot in front
1x2 1 half time step and hop
1x2 step jump feet together arms up as if hankies are in the air

YR1 and EYFS

Do all group section together
During group 1 music, they can all move around the room as Dragons
During Group 2 music
1-4 put crown on head, 
1-4 wave as king
1-4 bow as servants
1-4 2 x swishy tail
1-8 2 x stamp and roar (silently) 
1-4 reaching arms like taking the princess
1-4 flying arms
during group 3 music
1x8 freeze as a mouse
2x8 move around the room as a mouse
1x8 knock on the door, open and scream as scarred dragon

DANCE (you need to involve teachers for this) 

Little interlude bit rub tummy lick lips as if had a good meal
Call out circle and start to make it
MAYPOLE DANCE SIMPLIFIED
2x8 getting into circle
1x8 bow/curtsey
1x8 4 walks into the circle 4 walks back out of the circle
1x8 turn anti clockwise and hold inside arm up as if holding onto a ribbon and skip around in circle
1x8 turn and skip the other way
(nursery and possible reception should just hold hands and gallop sideways around in circle instead if skipping) 
1x8 repeat the walk in for 4 and out for 4
1x8 skip around on themselves 

MORRIS DANCE SIMPLIFIED
1x8 spread out facing front doing the basic step
the rest is the same just facing front and not swapping with partners
1x3 gallop to one side
4 wave hankie out to side
1x4 repeat traveling to the other side
1x3 3 claps
4 wave hanky out to side
1x4 repeat the other way
1x8 blocking high and low on their own as if holding sticks
1x8 basic step x4 traveling forward (EYFS on the spot)
1x8 basic step x4 traveling backward (EYFS on the spot)
1x4 all facing front 2 half time step and hop
1x4 4 little ball changes
1x4 4 little ball changes with the other foot in front
1x2 1 half time step and hop
1x2 step jump feet together arms up as if hankies are in the air

KS2

Book - Saint George and the Dragon by Louis Stowell, illustrated by John Joven

1)    Warm Up
2)    Games

a) CIRCLES. You can play this to help with the speed of the workshop
Set up = split the children into their 3 groups ready for their pictures.
ask the children if they know what shape people stand in for Maypole dancing? Answer circle. Ask them how quickly they can make a circle in their group, which group can be the fastest. Count them up 1,2,3,etc then say “wow group * made a circle in just 10 seconds (or however many it took them) I wander if we can make these circles even quicker. 
Put some music on and call out various ways to move to get them to walk/skip/march/slow motion running/wiggle/hop etc around the room. STOP the music and call out ‘circle’ and count them up  to see how quickly they can make their 3 circles. Do this about 3 times.

b) There is very little time for games, so this isn’t needed, but you may wish to do People to people if you have more time and use George and the Dragon as the signal for them to change partners
3) Set up command as MAYPOLE and they must all stand very still and tall
Introduction (if not done in assembly): Explain what St Georges day is and the legend of St George and explain about the different English dances and that there are many different styles of dance from different countries. 

There are lots of different tales about George and the Dragon and this story is one example.

Group 1 =  Terrifying Dragon – comes to life  like as in Wild things (break big groups down into 2 smaller dragon groups if needed)

Group 2 = In the Castle, Princess and King, with guards taking animals to the dragon – comes to life dragon demands a princess, guards go to king  to give him the bad news and the princess gets on her horse and goes to the dragons cave.

Group 3 =  George on his horse, dragon (1 or 2 people to make the dragon) and princess, king and guards – comes to life princess lasso the dragon and hold on to lasso, George to spear nose and tell the dragon to be gone, them go to king and guards to be offered jewels and riches etc and turn it all down. (may need to help them with moving this picture to get the right details and make sure everyone is doing exaggerated movements)

All start in places for groups
2x8 for making picture
2x8 to bring to life

Get each group to make circle formation so you will have 3 x circles for Maypole dances and 3 x formations for Morris dances

little interlude 1x6 aprox 1x8 aprox get into group circles
MAYPOLE DANCES FORMATIONS
1x8 bow facing into the circle
INTRODUCTORY DANCE  (Fig 1)
1x4 4 walks forward intowards circle all together lifting up their arms.
1x4 A’s 4 walks backwards to original spot, B’s stay where they are arms up. 
CIRCLE MAYPOLE DANCE (Fig 2)
1x8 B’s turn and skipping anti clockwise in circle then stop
1x8  A’s turn and skipping anti clockwise in circle then stop
BARBERS POLE (Fig 3)
1x8 B’s to skip around their A partner and back to their places
1x8 A’s to skip around their B partner and back to their places
(Fig 4)
1x8 all skip around in a circle A’s going Clockwise B’s going anticlockwise
1x8 repeat in opposite directions (B’s clockwise, A’s anticlockwise) 

MORRIS DANCE STEPS
1x8 basic step hop step step (arms wave up on the hop) x4 into 2 rows facing their partners A’s on one side B’s on the other (Fig 1)
1x3 gallop downstage
4 wave hankie out to side
1x4 repeat traveling upstage
1x3 3 claps
4 wave hanky out to side downstage
1x4 repeat the other way
1x8 blocking high and low with partner as if holding sticks
1x8 basic step x4 passing right shoulder with partner to swap positions
1x8 basic step x4 traveling backward still right shoulder pass to swap back to original position
1x4 all facing front 2 half time step and hop
1x4 4 little ball changes
1x4 4 little ball changes with the other foot in front
1x2 1 half time step and hop
1x2 step jump feet together arms up as if hankies are in the air