Warm Up

10 minutes

Welcome

• Begin seated in a circle. Introduce yourself, welcome each dancer, begin to learn each participants’ name and use them throughout the activity.

Scripture – 1 Kings 18:21

• “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
  • Add context to this verse and continue summarizing the story through verse 39 as needed for the group.
• Think about this scripture as we dance today and we’ll talk about it more after we move a bit.

Move and Stop

• Dancers take turns choosing an action card and a direction card (included at the end of the lesson). Dancers do the action in the direction drawn until the music stops or the signal is given. 
• Clarify that your facing can stay the same while your directions change. Challenge dancers to keep body facings clear so that the directions are clear too (really moving sideways or backward instead of the inclination to turn our body and lead with the front side all the time).
• As they get more comfortable moving together, have dancers freeze in a shape pointing the direction they were moving. Emphasize the clarity of the directions as you warm up together.  

Discuss – Which directions were easiest to do and why? Which were most difficult and why?

Explore Concept

20 minutes

Shadowing

• Partner up and shadow. Leaders move through general space, changing directions as they move. Take care when moving backwards not to step on your partner. When the music stops, form a shape with your partner reaching in a direction. Switch leaders and repeat.

Discuss – Did they prefer leading or following? What was challenging about each?

Moving with Props

• Floor Spots: Place spots on the floor spread throughout the general space (at least one per dancer). Move forward to a new spot, dance backward to another spot, slide sideways to another, etc. Use colored masking tape on the floor if spots are unavailable.
• Scarves: Each dancer gets a scarf. Dancers make a shape with the scarf in front then dance with it moving forward. Repeat in other directions.

Discuss – How was this experience similar to or different from moving in different directions in the warm up?

Create

10 minutes

Enter / Exit

• Divide the dancers into pairs or small groups. Dancers create their own dance with these three parts: enter, move, exit. 
• Dancers should enter the stage one direction, move on the stage one direction, and exit the stage one direction. Anything is possible! Encourage creative choices and cooperation. Dancers can draw direction cards for added randomization. 
• Perform Enter/Exit Dances for each other.

Cool Down

5 minutes

Stretch and Discuss Connections

• Gather and sit in a circle. Encourage dancers to stretch while discussing the questions or lead them in a stretch while discussing together. Here are some question ideas:

• How did moving today relate to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
• What new insights did exploring direction bring?
• Reread the scripture – 1 Kings 18:21
  • “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

• What is challenging about aligning our actions with the Christlike direction we want to move in life today? How can we overcome those challenges and stay true to Him?