Tapestry of Faith: Building Bridges: A World Religions Program for 8th-9th Grades

Welcoming and Entering

Materials for Activity

  • Scarves of many colors, textures, and lengths, several per participant
  • Box to hold the scarves
  • Recording of Asian flute music or Handel's Water Music, and a music player

Preparation for Activity

  • Place scarves in the box and put them by the door, where they are easily accessible.
  • Begin playing the music before participants arrive.

Description of Activity

As participants arrive, offer a scarf silently or with very few words. Take one yourself and model how to dance with it, flowing in response to the music. As more participants arrive, offer scarves and invite them to join you in dancing.

Encourage people to be creative in their movements-run in a circle to let their scarves stream out behind them, have two people hold onto both ends of a scarf, or model how to change their levels, so that they go as high or as low as they can reach. These are all actions that will enrich discussion during the workshop.

When it is time to begin the first activity, pick up the box, collect all the scarves, and indicate that everyone should be seated. Do not turn off the music until everyone has taken a seat.

Including All Participants

Pay sensitive attention to participants with physical impairments. These youth may benefit from being partnered with another dancer and changing partners several times during the dance. Encourage the others to move around and with these youth. Later, in your discussion of Taoism, note that the inclusive nature of the group dance was itself an illustration of a Taoist practice, since the Way-the Tao-effortlessly incorporates all, without any fuss.