Lesson 1: Learning “Social Dances”
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Aim: What elements make up Native American social dances?
Summary: Students will learn two Southeastern social
dances, and will perform the different roles for each dance.
Additional Materials: An empty water bottle or other
container; beans or beads; two sticks; tape; paper; paint;
markers; beads; feathers
Standards: National 1, 5, 11
Vocabulary: rattles, social dance
Students will learn two social dances from the Choctaw and Cherokee tribes including singing, movement, and percussion. These dances are performed at various social occasions, including powwows—gatherings that bring together members of different tribes where arts and crafts, music, and dances are shared and celebrated. Because each tribe has its own language, the lyrics used in these dance songs are vocables—syllables like “la la la,” or “dum de dum”—so that everyone can sing together. While the lyrics themselves don’t have semantic meaning, the songs always have a specific purpose and cultural significance. The singing is accompanied by percussion—generally drums and rattles—and the dance movements express the meaning of the dance.
Related Pages:
“Choctaw Drum Dance”
LEADER:
Call 1
Yo a le yo ya he lay ya
Yo a le yo ya he lay ya
(x2)
Call 2
Hi ya he yo we hey ya
Hi ya he yo we hey ya
(x2)
(Call 1)
(Call 2)
GROUP:
Response 1
Yo a le yo ya he lay he heya
(x2)
Response 2
Hey ya he yo we hey heya way he ya
Hey ya he yo we hey!
(x2)
(Response 2)
(Response 2)
“Cherokee Bear Dance”
LEADER:
Wah hey wah hey
Wah hey wah hey
Wah hey
LEADER:
Call 1:
Hey yo heya ta ha ney hi yo
(x2)
Call 2:
Hi ya gnu hi ya gnu hey yo
(x2)
GROUP:
Response 1:
Hey yo heya ta ga ney hi yo
Hey yo heya ta ha ney hi yo
Hey yo heya taa ga ney hi yo
(x2)
Response 2:
Hi ya gnu hi ya gnu hey yo
Hi ya gnu hi ya gnu hey yo
Hi ya gnu hey hi yo
(x2)
Performing Two Social Dances
- Divide the class into three groups, assigning the roles of singers, dancers, and percussionists. Note that each role is considered equally important.
- Begin by acting as the leader, singing the call and having
the students respond. As your class becomes more
comfortable, ask for student volunteers to serve as the
leader.
- Important note: In the Native American tradition, only a tribal leader can sing the call, and the group responds. You and your students will have an opportunity to try out the role of the leader in the classroom. During the concert, only Martha will sing the call, and everyone else will respond.
- Perform both dances, switching the groups’ roles for each dance.
- If your students are ready, they can try performing all the parts at once, simultaneously singing, dancing, and playing percussion.
Create Your Own Social Dance
Social dances center around community and community building.
As Martha explains, we are all a part of nature and depend on nature for our survival. By emulating nature, we are a part of creation and nature becomes a part of us. Animals are our relatives, and we learn by watching them.
In this activity, you can create your own social dance by emulating nature and animals as a form of respect.
- Brainstorm possible subjects for your dance.
- Create vocables for your dance.
- Add percussion to your dance.
- Create a movement for your dance.
- Perform your new dance along with the other social dances you have learned.
Create Your Own Rattle
- On Create Your Own Rattle (PDF), your students will have an opportunity to create their own rattles.
- Encourage your students to try out different noisemaking materials to put inside their rattles, as well as different quantities, until they come up with a sound they like.
- Students can use their rattles to play the percussion part when they perform the social dances.
Musical Word Wall
Add the words rattles and social dance to the Musical Word Wall.
Martha Teaches “Social Dances”
Native American singer Martha teaches two traditional social dances: “Choctaw Drum Dance” and “Cherokee Bear Dance.”