* This is actually an outline for a class I taught at a convetion. If you do not understand something, e-mail me and I will be happy to elaborate.

Beating The Winter Blahs
by Cindy Clough
Just For Kix Camps
www.justforkix.com
1-800-450-DANC

ACTIVITY IDEAS......

- Consider canceling practice and have a bus waiting outside to go bowling, or something like that. Only once per year.
- Silver Slippers (see poem on motivation page.)
- Puzzle party/portable camera’s/scavenger hunt with clues. The original clue is on colored paper. Have about 4 different colors. Throw all the clues in a bowl together. Each dancer picks a color and groups with like color. They must put the original paper together for their first clue.
- Adopt a Family during the Holidays (shop, show and tell, wrap, eat.)
- Put On Show As Fundraiser
- Lock In
- Skit Night
- Father Daughter Dance-Do a dance with your dad’s. So much fun.
- Road Trip-Bowl Game would be big....staying at a resort or hotel before a competition.
- New Costumes
- Beads - develop a necklace in which they earn beads to put on it. Each color has significance.
- Trick or treat for food shelf. (During the Holidays.)
- Do something nice for another team. (Surprise the swim team or another.)
- Dance with your rival school or the cheerleaders.
- Try a style of dance you never do. (light show, novelty, etc.)
- Warm Fuzzies: Tape a large sheet of paper on each dancers back. Every dancer writes the thing they like best about their team mate. A great boost and keep sake.
- Make a chain of sayings, tear one off per day, read at practice.
- Count down of numbers on the wall to a big event.

PRACTICE
Are you FUN? Are you motivating?
Practice LESS but MORE effectively.
How are kids treated? Positive.
Srs-vs. Sophs-vs. juniors
- Closure of each practice.
- Eye contact with each dancer at least once per practice.
- Videos of others
- Videos of self
- Story time. (really)
- Sponge-sit in a circle and do the routine in your heads, with smiles and energy.
- Visualization: Olympic Athletes do it. imagine yourself perfect.
- Pass out cold cloths on a hot day.
- Half-sides. Watch your twin.
- Contest...no mistakes (start over and over)
- Drill Down of the routine (Crowns, awards.)
- Don’t get into “ruts” try new things, even stretching music can wake up a tired practice
- Alternate days, technique, kicks, etc.
- Experimentation night, for choreography
- Parent night- show your parents all you have been working on, do across the routine and the current routine. Explain what they should be doing so parents become knowledgeable.
- Try sectionals. Just like in band. Have a group work on their own parts by themselves. These can be kid led. When they come back to practice, they should know it way better.

FOOD
* Have a treat calendar for the last month of practice
* Have a Sloppy Joe supper, potluck, pizza night etc. every so often.
* Banana Split Party (Each part of the represents a skill needed. Double turn may be the banana, flat splits may be the ice cream, it’s an incentive to work harder to get those skills.)

COMPETE MORE OFTEN!!!!!
How boring would it be to go to basketball practice and never play a game. Competing more will take care of the winter blahs.
* Consider small meets in which you invite other schools over on a week night. A competition with 4-5 teams can be very fun.
Compete at the half-time of a BB game with the rival school. Bring judges in. Announce the winner third quarter.