Olympic Torch

This activity allows the children to develop their own dance or movement piece based on the symbolism and significance of the Olympic Torch. It could stand within a Key Stage 2 dance unit of work, building the children's movement skills, or as a stand-alone two to three week activity. You could use the final dance as an opening ceremony in an Olympic-themed sports day or as a piece for assembly. You may wish to undertake this activity after completing the Flags and Symbols classroom activity. It is useful if the children have created their own Olympic torches for this activity. There are two links provided in the right-hand column to information on how to create a simple Olympic torch.

Activity

Lesson 1

With the children, recap what they have learned about the Olympic Torch Relay in the Flags and Symbols classroom activity. For this section of the dance the children should be aware of:

• the significance of the Olympic Torch; and
• how the Olympic Torch is lit.

As inspiration you may like to play the 9 minute YouTube video clip of the lighting of the London2012 cauldron which features many young people.

Dance Section 1: Lighting of the Flame

In their individual spaces, ask the children to begin in a crouched position. On your instruction, the children should grow slowly into a stretched position with hands held up to the sky as if holding the torch up to the sun to be lit in preparation for the relay. Once fully stretched, the children should sink down to the crouched position.

Organise the children into groups of four. Ask the children to repeat the torch lighting movement phrase as a group. Encourage them to coordinate their timing and focus by growing slowly together, stretching in the same direction and sinking down at the same time.

Encourage each group to imagine becoming the flame as the Olympic torch is ignited. Encourage them to begin crouched, with part body movements (arms/hands only twisting and turning above the head). They can then raise their arms above their head, slowly twisting their arms around each other. They then slowly grow to their feet, keeping their hands and arms twisting. Once on their feet, they should use whole body movements turning/swirling on the spot and then in and out of one another, keeping a tight group.

Encourage the children to change levels, growing from low to high as the flame ignites.

You may wish to use props for this dance to represent the flames (for example coloured ribbons, red/orange tissue paper).

Lesson 2

For this section of the dance the children must be aware of:

• the significance of the torch relay; and
• how the torch is passed from one torchbearer to another;

Dance Section 2: The Torch Relay

If the children have little experience in dance/movement, it may be useful to include the following warm up, exploring different ways of travelling. This will help the children to use different ideas in their work later in the lesson.

Warm Up

In their individual spaces, ask the children to mark out the first letter of their first name by walking. They should make their letter as big as possible, without bumping into each other. Ask them to choose a different way of travelling on their feet and to mark their letter out again using this method of travelling. Use pupil demonstrations to identify and share ideas.

In their individual spaces, ask the children to mark out the first letter of their surname by using a different method of travelling they haven’t used to day. They should make their letter as big as possible without bumping each other.

Then ask the children to add the two letters together.

Activity

Organise the children into groups of four. Ask them to number themselves 1-4 and explain that each child will take turns to be the ‘lead torchbearer’ in their group.

Then they take the imaginary torch into their hands. Child number 1 becomes the first torchbearer in the relay. He/she must choose a pathway and a method of travelling. The other group members follow the torchbearer.

Child number 1 passes the torch to child number 2. He/she must choose a different pathway and a different method of travelling. The rest of the group follows the torchbearer.

Continue until each group member has acted as the torchbearer.

Encourage torchbearers to:

• choose a different method of travelling (for example skipping, sidestepping, turning, hopping, galloping or leaping); and
• identify a different pathway (for example diagonal, zig-zag, circular or square).

Join the sections of the dance together to make one whole dance based on the Olympic Torch theme. Practise first without music and then to music.

Dance Structure

Section 1: Lighting of the Flame

• grow slowly and stretch to the sun to light the flame;
• in a group, the children become the flame that is ignited.

Section 2: The Torch Relay

• In groups, the children pass the flame from one torchbearer to another, each following different pathways and using different travelling movements.

Lesson 3

For this section of the dance pupils need to be aware:

• that the Torch relay culminates in the Olympic Cauldron being lit; and
• the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron signifies the start of the Olympic Games.

Dance Section 3: Lighting of the Cauldron

Organise the children into groups of four or five. The final torchbearer in the relay will transfer the flame to the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. The other group members will represent the flame being lit in the cauldron.

The Torchbearer

Encourage the torchbearer to make his/her gestures very big and exaggerated as he/she plans how to show the lighting of the torch through movements and gestures for example:

• stand facing the cauldron with arms extended high above head holding the torch;
• turn and step towards the cauldron;
• lunge forward and bring the torch down to the cauldron keeping arms extended;
• light the cauldron; and
• stand back and watch the flame ignite!

The Flame

Ask the children to lie flat on the floor, close to their group members. As the torchbearer brings the torch down to the cauldron, the children must imagine they are the flame growing. For example:

• use arms/hands, twisting, turning movements with hands leading the movements high in the air above the body;
• slowly begin to sit up, keeping hands and arms high still using twisting and turning movements;
• slowly stand up, use whole body movements, turning/swirling on the spot as you grow to a standing position;
• make these movements travel in and out of one another, keeping in a tight group; and
• encourage a change of level, growing from low to high as the flame ignites.

Once the flame is lit, the torchbearer should turn and face the audience and announce ‘LET THE GAMES BEGIN’.

Join the sections of the dance together to make one whole dance based on the Olympic Torch theme.

Dance Structure

Section 1: Lighting of the Flame

• grow slowly and stretch to the sun to light the flame; and
• in a group, the children become the flame that is ignited.

Section 2: The Torch Relay

• In groups, the children pass the flame from one torchbearer to another, each following different pathways and using different travelling movements.

Section 3: The Lighting of the Cauldron

• In groups, one child as torchbearer lights the flame, the remaining group members represent the flame being lit.
• The torchbearer announces ‘let the games begin’.

Take time to practise combining each section of the dance together. Practise without and then to music.