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Name of Activity: Michael Jackson's “Beat It” Dance (September 2010)

Purpose of Activity: The students will be able to correctly perform the 32 count “Beat It” line dance, staying with the music, and be able to list facts about the 1980's. This dance would make an excellent warm-up activity!

Suggested Grade Level: 4-12

Materials Needed: music player

Recommended music: Michael Jackson's "Beat It" song

Beginning dance formation: Students are randomly spaced on the gym floor.

Description of Idea

Introductory Ideas:

Life in the 1980's: Average salary was $15,757; a BMW cost $12,000 and a Mercedes 280E was $14,800; AIDS took the lives of many talented citizens and spread among the population; Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman on the US Supreme Court; the space shuttle Challenger exploded 74 seconds after liftoff and killed all seven astronauts aboard, including school teacher Christa McAuliffe; Cabbage Patch dolls and Rubik’s Cubes were popular toys; “Beat It” won the 1983 Grammy Award for Best Record of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance; the lyrics to “Beat It” are about life on the streets.

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=459
http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade80.html

Dance Steps:

Counts 1-8 - Walk forward RLR, raise the L knee (1-4)
Walk forward LRL, raise the R knee and pivot ¼ turn to the L (5-8)
Counts 1-8 – Place feet apart and sway hips R for 2 counts, L for 2 counts, and RLRL for 1 count each
Counts 1-8 - Grapevine R (1-4) and Grapevine L (5-8)
Counts 1-8 - Walk backwards RLRL (1-4) and jump out-in-out-in. (5-8)
Repeat the dance to a new wall.

Variations:

If you are teaching younger children, you can take the turn out of the first 8 counts and continue to face the same wall for the entire dance.

If you are teaching middle school or high school students, a second turn can be added. The students will do the initial ¼ turn during the first 8 counts and the second turn comes during the grapevines. Simply add a ½ turn to the L at the end of the second (L) grapevine. The students are now facing the wall that was originally to their R. You can even ask them to figure out the total number of degrees that they turned: 270!

Video:

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Submitted by Brenda Goodwin who teaches at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. Thanks for contributing to PE Central! Posted on PEC: 5/14/2011. Viewed 35780 times since 8/30/2010.

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Let others know how this idea went when you implemented/tried it with your kids. Include any variations, suggested teaching tips, positive comments, etc. so others can benefit from your tips. Please be helpful and positive with all comments. Look below to see all posted comments.

 
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Previous Comments:

Lilly
Friday, March 09, 2012

I like your dancces but not the angle of your camera!!!
p.s. my gym teacher doesn't like the angle eather!!!
Ellie
Sunday, December 11, 2011

Nice Dance!!!!
seceret peson
Tuesday, December 06, 2011

the video isn't showing up just an empty white blank!
Vanesa
Thursday, December 01, 2011

I love to dance all the song i hope you'll like it very much (:
Dave Hinman
Friday, October 28, 2011

Brenda,

Great dance! We tried it at our Harvest festival this morning and the children loved the idea. I had pre-taught the sixth grade and they in turn shared it with the rest of the students (K-5).

Thanks for sharing,

Dave Hinman
PEC Senior Editor
Linda Witt
Monday, October 17, 2011

Professor Goodwin,

Thank you for the instructional video! This is a new line dance for me and I cannot wait to teach it to my students!

I really like the concept of teaching the sequence without the turns first. What a great idea.

PLEASE continue sharing your expertise and the videos of you and your students!

Thanks, again,

Linda Witt, Brentwood Middle School
Weld County School District 6
Greeley, Colorado 80634
Rena
Monday, November 08, 2010

Is there anyway you can post a video of this dance so that I may implement in my Physical Education class. Thanks
Terri Booth
Wednesday, September 22, 2010

For our 2010 Spring Fling in April, we used the Al Yankovic version of Eat it, which is a changed version of Michael Jackson's Beat IT and our fourth grade danced to it. Our theme was Food Glorious Food! They were amazing! It was a dance with an opening and then after so many beats we finished our dance in the dark using only flashlights. The audience went nuts! It was really fun!

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