Festive Holiday Activities for Your Dance Classes

December is an exciting month in the studio— I notice now more than ever my students (even my oldest teens!) are so excited and wanting to do festive activities in class. On the other hand, this time of year can also feel chaotic with both us teachers and our dancers struggling with focus and longing for some time off. 

Overall, it's a great opportunity to bring some joy, creativity, and connection into the room with special activities that help keep students focused and having fun!

Below is a list of activities and games you can bring into your classes across a variety of ages!⬇️

Snowstorm Dancing Ages 5-7 (But from experience your 8-10 year olds might even like this one too!)

Begin by having a discussion with your children about the journey of a snowstorm: how it goes from still and silent, to a few flakes falling, and then picks up with wind and heavy snow, and dies back down again.

Ask them:

- “What do snowflakes look like when they fall?”
- “How do snowflakes move when the wind blows them around?”(Encourage responses like spinning, zig-zagging, or floating)

Play “Waltz of the Snowflakes” and let the children dance freely through the imagined snowstorm, beginning in a still shape and then using the music to inform them where they are in the journey.

When the music is soft, encourage slow, soft, light movements.

As the music builds, invite big, energetic twirls and spins to mimic the storm intensifying and wind blowing.

You can also play with alternating having the children imagining they are snowflakes and people dancing through the accumulated snow: dancing in snowbanks, making snow angels, etc.

As the music fades, have the children slowly float to the ground, ending their dance as snowflakes resting on the earth.

Have a little discussion afterward! Ask questions like:

• “What was your favorite part of dancing through the snowstorm?”
• “How did the music make you feel as you danced?”
• "Did you like being a snowflake or a person playing in the snow more?"

Try it out!!

Snowball Build-On Dance (ages 9-12)

In this activity, you will choose a holiday or winter themed piece of music and choreograph a short 8 count phrase to it. This is the beginning of a phrase that “snowballs” as students add to it in pairs/groups.

You'll start by teaching the class your phrase. Once everyone knows it, divide the class into groups (3-4). Each is then responsible for choreographing a count of 8. 

Give the groups enough time to choreograph and feel comfortable teaching their phrase. Once everyone's finished, one group at a time will show their 8 count. You will then decide what order to put them in.

In that order, the groups will teach their phrase to everyone. Then, work on gluing all the 8 counts together, helping with transitions if necessary. Add music and have them run it a few times!

Winter-themed Choreo Assignment (ages 13+)

Put dancers into groups of 3–5. Each group receives a winter-themed word that will influence a short phrase they will choreograph together. (I typically assign 4 counts of 8)

Recommended word list:

• Frost

• Warmth

• Blizzard

• Spark

• Icicle

• Wind

• Shimmer

• Midnight

• Ember

• Crisp

Explain how to let their winter word shape the movement. Offer imagery prompts like:

• Texture: Is your word soft, sharp, brittle, warm, heavy, airy?

• Speed: Does your word move slowly, suddenly, in pulses, or waves?

• Shape: Is your word angular, swirling, tiny, expansive?

• Mood: Does it feel calm? Chaotic? Mysterious? Comforting?

Encourage groups to let these qualities influence their dynamics, transitions, and group formations.

Give dancers 10-15 minutes to create with their group. You can let them pick their own music, or assign them a track. Remember I have my Winter Contemporary Playlist if you need ideas. 

When everyone is done have each group perform their phrase for the class. After each, have the group share their word and how they chose to represent it!