The “Simple Gifts” Dance
created by Kelly Schulz
Adapted by Red Note Records

Red Grammer's rendition of this traditional Shaker Song can be found on Red Grammer's Favorite Sing Along Songs. The objective of this activity is to introduce square dance terms and movements to the students and to reinforce movement patterns to music.

Procedure

Equipment: music, CD player, dots and wrist bands

Starting formation: all students start in a large circle with elbow room between people. Give every other person a wrist band or place a sticker dot on their hand. This will help students know who they turn to first for “honoring and swinging”.

Introduce and Practice: how to do a right hand star (all right hands are straight out toward the center of the circle looking like a spoke on a wheel); honor your partner (turn and face your partner and bow to each other at the same time); swing your partner (lock right arms with your partner and swing around one time).

Dance

Line 1 All circle clockwise for 8 counts
Line 2 Walk 8 steps forward to center of circle
Line 3 & 4 Right hand star with an 8 count 2x
Line 5 Walk 8 steps backward to form original circle
(not original spot)
Line 6 Honor your partner and then honor your corner.
Line 7 Turn self around for an eight count
Line 8 Swing your partner for an 8 count

Repeat from the beginning.

At the tag (where it is instrumental at the end of the song until it fades) have all circle clockwise holding hands and doing a grapevine movement.

Variations

Lines 3 and 4 - Have right hand star for an 8 count then switch to a left hand star for the second 8 count.

Have only every other person go into the center for the right hand formation on lines 3 and 4. Those students that do not go into the circle for the right hand star can use ribbons - making figure eights.