MAPSPizza Movement
Summary
The teacher plays two contrasting rhythmic or metric patterns on the piano and assigns each a character and movement: "Pizza" and "Pizza Hut." Students immediately change their walking style and body movements in response to the music, identifying and responding to duple and triple groupings while remaining in motion. The activity then adds hand gestures, requiring students to coordinate footsteps, hand movements, and aural cues to strengthen rhythmic awareness, physical coordination, and immediate musical reactions.
Procedures
- 1
The teacher introduces the scenario: students are servers in a pizza restaurant and must change the way they walk according to the restaurant's current status.
- 2
The teacher demonstrates "Pizza": Stand upright and walk confidently; match the footsteps to the first rhythmic pattern.
- 3
The entire class imitates the "Pizza" walk and moves through the space.
- 4
The teacher then demonstrates "Pizza Hut":
Sway the body slightly and walk with unsteady steps; match the footsteps to the second rhythmic pattern.
- 5
The entire class imitates the "Pizza Hut" walk and compares the different qualities of the two movements.
- 6
The teacher begins switching randomly between the two rhythmic patterns on the piano without giving verbal cues.
- 7
Students must determine by listening alone whether the current pattern is "Pizza" or "Pizza Hut" and immediately switch to the corresponding movement.
- 8
The teacher gradually increases the speed of the changes so students can practice responding quickly.
- 9
Once students are comfortable with the footsteps, the teacher adds hand gestures:
For "Pizza," use the fingers to "place sausage" on the palm; For "Pizza Hut," make a spreading motion across the palm.
- 10
Students continue moving through the space while changing their footsteps and hand gestures in response to the music.
Reference Video Link
Activity Preparation
1. A piano or another instrument that allows the teacher to change rhythmic patterns immediately.
2. Enough space for students to move freely.
3. Two clearly contrasting rhythmic patterns prepared in advance, corresponding to duple and triple groupings.
Activity Sources
- Source Type:
- Website / Online resource
- Source:
- Anthony Molinaro, Dalcroze Eurhythmics session at the 2024 DSA National Conference.
MAPS teaching activities may come from a variety of sources, including original contributions by the MAPS team, online resources, published materials, activities learned from teachers, activities shared by colleagues, traditional teaching practices, and other sources. When a source can be reasonably identified, we make every effort to acknowledge it on the relevant activity page or in the accompanying reference information.
Some content may be organized, translated, structured, or adapted by the MAPS team for specific teaching contexts. Such editorial or instructional adaptation does not mean that MAPS claims ownership of the underlying third-party material. Rights to third-party content remain with the original authors, publishers, or other lawful rights holders.
If you are an author, copyright holder, or authorized representative and have questions or concerns regarding the source, attribution, or use of any content, please contact us:
Email: musicactivityps@gmail.com
Pizza Movement
Summary
The teacher plays two contrasting rhythmic or metric patterns on the piano and assigns each a character and movement: "Pizza" and "Pizza Hut." Students immediately change their walking style and body movements in response to the music, identifying and responding to duple and triple groupings while remaining in motion. The activity then adds hand gestures, requiring students to coordinate footsteps, hand movements, and aural cues to strengthen rhythmic awareness, physical coordination, and immediate musical reactions.
Procedures
- 1
The teacher introduces the scenario: students are servers in a pizza restaurant and must change the way they walk according to the restaurant's current status.
- 2
The teacher demonstrates "Pizza": Stand upright and walk confidently; match the footsteps to the first rhythmic pattern.
- 3
The entire class imitates the "Pizza" walk and moves through the space.
- 4
The teacher then demonstrates "Pizza Hut":
Sway the body slightly and walk with unsteady steps; match the footsteps to the second rhythmic pattern.
- 5
The entire class imitates the "Pizza Hut" walk and compares the different qualities of the two movements.
- 6
The teacher begins switching randomly between the two rhythmic patterns on the piano without giving verbal cues.
- 7
Students must determine by listening alone whether the current pattern is "Pizza" or "Pizza Hut" and immediately switch to the corresponding movement.
- 8
The teacher gradually increases the speed of the changes so students can practice responding quickly.
- 9
Once students are comfortable with the footsteps, the teacher adds hand gestures:
For "Pizza," use the fingers to "place sausage" on the palm; For "Pizza Hut," make a spreading motion across the palm.
- 10
Students continue moving through the space while changing their footsteps and hand gestures in response to the music.
Reference Video Link
Activity Preparation
1. A piano or another instrument that allows the teacher to change rhythmic patterns immediately.
2. Enough space for students to move freely.
3. Two clearly contrasting rhythmic patterns prepared in advance, corresponding to duple and triple groupings.
Activity Sources
- Source Type:
- Website / Online resource
- Source:
- Anthony Molinaro, Dalcroze Eurhythmics session at the 2024 DSA National Conference.
MAPS teaching activities may come from a variety of sources, including original contributions by the MAPS team, online resources, published materials, activities learned from teachers, activities shared by colleagues, traditional teaching practices, and other sources. When a source can be reasonably identified, we make every effort to acknowledge it on the relevant activity page or in the accompanying reference information.
Some content may be organized, translated, structured, or adapted by the MAPS team for specific teaching contexts. Such editorial or instructional adaptation does not mean that MAPS claims ownership of the underlying third-party material. Rights to third-party content remain with the original authors, publishers, or other lawful rights holders.
If you are an author, copyright holder, or authorized representative and have questions or concerns regarding the source, attribution, or use of any content, please contact us:
Email: musicactivityps@gmail.com
