Figure 1.--Many British readers remember the Music and Dance schools dance program sponsored by the BBBc. The photograph hereis not dated, but I would guess it was the 1960s.

Moving to music is a cultural phenomenon common to all people. It appears to to be an inate or inheriited characteristic. It is natural foreven very most young children to want to move with music. While most pre-school children are too young for formal dance classes, they and younger primary children can benefit from a kind of informal dance program. We have noted such promgrams in America and Britain. We have very limited information at this time, but we know that in the 1940s during World War II that BBC had an entire Schools Music Department. We do not know when this Department was founded or a great deal about its productions. The BBC schools radio. "Music And Movement" was used by both classroom teachers and P.E. teachers. We have few detaiols on whp produced the program or when they first began broadcasting it. One HBC reader remembers it in the 1960s. We believe it probably began earlier, perhaps the 1950s. We also have few details atvthis time on the music and exervises.

Children and Dance

Moving to music is a cultural phenomenon common to all people. It appears to to be an inate or inheriited characteristic. It is natural foreven very most young children to want to move with music. While most pre-school children are too young for formal dance classes, they and younger primary children can benefit from a kind of informal dance program. We have noted such promgrams in America and Britain. Other countries have also had these programs, but we have little information at this time. Educators note a variety of benefits for rhese programs. One factor is that the children tend to love the programs if they are well planned for the age level. Dance and movement programs can promote both mental and emotional development. There are both intellectual growth and developmental benefits. These programs also help younger children improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. There are also improvements in spatial awareness. They also have physical advantage: helping young children develop and improve motor skills, increase flexibility, and strengthen muscles. Moving to music even if not fornalized in a dance discipline is an expressive act and helps to promote artistic appreciation.

BBC Schools Music Department

We have very limited information at this time, but we know that in the 1940s during World War II that BBC had an entire Schools Music Department. We do not know when this Department was founded or a great deal about its productions. There were even BBC programs for pre-school children. One popula program here was "Listen with Mother". The dance programs were also done by the Schools Music Department. The best known one here was "Music and Dance".

Program

The BBC schools radio. "Music And Movement" was used by both classroom teachers and P.E. teachers. We have few detaiols on whp produced the program or when they first began broadcasting it. One HBC reader remembers it in the 1960s. We believe it probably began earlier, perhaps the 1940s. We also have few details atvthis time on the music and exervises. There was Jonathan Cohen-type piano music. For P.E. there were routines like "I'm a tree, I'm a tree, be a tree with me". These were activities all the children could do and no P.E. kit ws needed. They could even be done in a regular classroom by moving the desks against the wall. Some schools had special dance teachers who would visit differebt schools. The Dance and Movement program permitted any classroom or P.E. teacher to introduce a dance lesson into the program.

Reader Comments

Bill

A British reader writes, "We had 'Music and Movement' lessons at my primary school. This was broadcast by BBC schools radio from the 1940s through to the 70s. As the classes were run by your ordinary class teachers they would rely on the radio broadcast to provide the stimulus. Both sate and private schools took advantage of these broadcasts. The broadcast has probably asked one pupil to be chosen to show in body language "defiance" or "pride" or something and the rest "accusation". Then the programme would ask the teacher to change the scene - here perhaps to the boy trying to escape the crowd or something. Sometimes music would be used to provide the stimulus. I never recall any formal dance lessons--as indicated the emphasis was more on "movement". These lessons always took place in the school hall, as seems to be the case here as few schools had a gym. As you point out we always took off our shoes and socks to save the floor from damage. This was the same for gym lessons."

Another reader

Another reader writes, "These pictures remind me of dance classes when I was at primary school. We didn't have a special dance instructor. We worked from the BBC “Movement and Music” broadcasts with our class teacher. I used to really look forward to these classes,although they were not held weekly as classes had to take it in turns to use the school hall.These classes were in addition to the weekly PE classes and was another opportunity to get out of the stuffy classroom for a while,"

Richard

The photograph here bring back memories. As in Bills contribution by the time we reached 10 or 11 we felt terribly patronised by those sessions even if we did enjoy them but being able to use the apparatus or run about had far more appeal. I don't know the date of the photos you have included but the PE 'kit' is pretty much the same as I wore in the 70s.

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Created: February 5, 2004
Last updated: February 5, 2004