Chinese Ribbon Dance
By: Sophie Booth
This year, Chinese New Year will fall on February 16th and will welcome the year of the dog. Get the
children in your setting involved in the festivities by participating in the art of ribbon dancing.
The history of ribbon dancing goes back thousands of years and is still used today to celebrate major
festivals, especially the New Year.
To get involved in this style of dancing each child will need:
• Some upbeat Chinese music – make sure the music you chose is instrumental and will
encourage children to dance.
• Ribbon and sticks – each child will need two lengths of ribbon attached to sticks to hold
on to. Make sure the ribbon is not too long as it may be difficult for children to move it
effectively.
Let children listen to the music a few times before asking them to dance, this allows children to become
familiar with the music and will encourage greater participation.
When it is time to dance, ensure children have enough space to move and wave their ribbons without
getting in each other’s way. You want the children to enjoy themselves and not be frustrated. Model
some actions for the children and give them ideas about different ways to move their arms to make the
ribbons move.
Encourage the children to express themselves through movement and enjoy celebrating this festival!