Brain Dance!

The Brain Dance Warm Up: Children's Morning Coffee

Adapted from Anne Gilbert's BrainDance(c)

 

Moving through the Basic Neurological Patterns is a great way to bring movement and thinking together. Use this warm-up to get you ready for a physical or mental task, or to recuperate when you are stressed or fatigued. You can create your own variations within each pattern. Feel free to try it while standing, sitting or lying on the floor.

 

The Brain Dance is a sequential exercise create with the following patterns: Breath, Tactile, Core- Distal, Head-Tail, Upper-Lower, Body Half, Cross Lateral, and Vestibular. The Brain Dance integrates mind and body, and can easily be adapted for all ages and abilities.

 

http://karenbodyofknowledge.com/workshops-and-classes/braindance/

 

Breath

Deep, full breathing to oxygenate the brain and body, and release anti-stress hormones. Make sure to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Did you know that our typical breath only uses 10% of our lung capacity. Oxygen is brain food and it quiets the mind.

 

Tactile

Touching your skin and parts of your body from your toes up to your head invigorating taps, squeezes, and light brushes. Do 3 different types of touch:  deep pressure, waking up and light touch. Each kind of tactile touch has a different effect on the nervous system to prepare it for learning.

 

Core Distal

Movements that center around the core center of the body (small) and then expand away from the center (large). Opening and closing the body using breaths. Pretend that you have six limbs: your head is a limb and you have a long tail. Stretch, extending from the center limbs like a starfish and then pull all of your limbs toward your center.

 

Head Tail

Undulate and twist the spine fluidly in many directions. With arms at your sides, move your hips around to the left, right, swishing like a fish. Curve forward in the shape of the letter C and then carefully arch your back like a dolphin. 

 

Upper Lower

Freeze the lower body while the upper body moves freely. Twist your spine, swing your arms, rill your shoulders and shake hands. Next, freeze the upper body while moving the lower. March in place, swing one leg and then the other, shake a leg and then the other, try jumping without moving your upper body.

 

Body Half

Freeze the left side of the body and only move the right side. Freeze the right side of the body and only move the left side. Pretend to be a puppet by bringing the right elbow and right knee together. Do the same thing on the left side. Open your body  like a book, and then close it, switching sides. Crawl on your belly like a slimy lizard.

 

Cross Lateral

Brings opposite sides of the body together at the same time. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee. Alternate on the other side. Tap your hand against your opposite heel behind you. Creep on your hands and knees through space just like a furry little puppy.

 

Vestibular

Spinning, turning, rocking, bouncing and leaping to mix the fluid in the inner ear. Give yourself a hub and gently turn around in one direction and then the other. Hang the head upside down, then right side up. Arms swing together in a wide arch from above the head to the floor.