Lesson 1: Learning “Social Dances”

Aim: What elements make up Native American social dances?
Summary: Students will learn three Southeastern social dances, and will perform the different roles for each dance.
Materials: Music Explorers online audio, an empty water bottle or other container, beans or beads, two sticks, tape, paper, paint, markers, beads, feathers
Standards: GA: Coming Soon!
SC: Coming Soon!
Vocabulary: powwows, rattles, social dance, vocables
See Glossary →

Students will learn three social dances from the Choctaw and Cherokee nations including singing, movement, and percussion. These dances are performed at various social occasions, including powwows—gatherings that bring together members of different nations where arts and crafts, music, and dances are shared and celebrated. Because each nation has its own language, the lyrics used in these dance songs are vocables—syllables like “la la la,” or “dum de dum”—so that everyone can sing together. While the lyrics themselves don’t have semantic meaning, the songs always have a specific purpose and cultural significance. The singing is accompanied by percussion—generally drums and rattles—and the dance movements express the meaning of the dance.

Learn Three Social Dances: Sing, Dance, and Play Percussion
  • Listen to “Social Dances,” Track 08. Then proceed to learn the different performance elements in each social dance.

Track 08 – Social Dances

“Choctaw Drum Dance”

  • Listen to “Choctaw Drum Dance,” Track 09.

Track 09 – Choctaw Drum Dance

  • The drum dance generally opens a series of social dances. Explain that the Choctaw people knew that the steady beating of the drums in the hills meant it was time to assemble. The beat of the drum is the heart of the Choctaw people.
  • What is the main instrument that you hear in this dance?
  • Learn the lyrics using “Choctaw Drum Dance” pronunciation, Track 10.

Track 10 – Choctaw Drum Dance (Pronunciation)

  • Learn to sing the response lines in “Choctaw Drum Dance,” Track 09.

Track 09 – Choctaw Drum Dance

Choctaw Drum Dance

LEADER
Call 1
Yo a le yo ya he lay ya
Yo a le yo ya he lay ya
(x2)

Call 2
Hi ya he yo we hey ya
Hi ya he yo we hey ya
(x2)

(Call 1)

(Call 2)

GROUP
Response 1
Yo a le yo ya he lay he heya
(x2)
line break line break line break

Response 2
Hey ya he yo we hey heya way he ya
Hey ya he yo we hey!
(x2)

(Response 2)

(Response 2)

  • Next, learn the movements to “Choctaw Drum Dance” by watching the video below.
  • Finally, learn the percussion part in “Choctaw Drum Dance.” The constant drum is the heartbeat of the dance and is accompanied by rattles.

“Cherokee Bear Dance”

  • Listen to “Cherokee Bear Dance,” Track 11.

Track 11 – Cherokee Bear Dance

  • This dance symbolizes the bear hunt, a Cherokee tradition.
  • What is the main instrument that you hear in this dance?
  • Learn the lyrics using “Cherokee Bear Dance” pronunciation, Track 12.

Track 12 – Cherokee Bear Dance (Pronunciation)

  • Learn to sing the response lines in “Cherokee Bear Dance,” Track 11.

Track 11 – Cherokee Bear Dance

“Cherokee Bear Dance”

LEADER:
Wah hey wah hey
Wah hey wah hey
Wah hey wah hey

LEADER:
Call 1:
Hey yo heya ta ha ney hi yo
(x2)
line break
line break

Call 2:
Hi ya gnu hi ya gnu hey yo
(x2)

line break
line break
line break
line break

GROUP:
Response 1:
Hey yo heya ta ga ney hi yo
Hey yo heya ta ga ney hi yo
Hey you heya taa ga ney hi yo
(x2)

Response 2:
Hi ya gnu hi ya gnu hey yo
Hi ya gnu hi ya gnu hey yo
Hi ya gnu hey hi yo
(x2)

  • Next, learn the movements to “Cherokee Bear Dance” using the video above.
  • Then, learn the percussion part in “Cherokee Bear Dance,” which is played with rattles.

“Cherokee Friendship Dance”

  • Listen to Track 13, “Cherokee Friendship Dance.”
  • This is a round dance, a farewell dance that ends a series of dances at a social gathering.
  • What is the main instrument that you hear in this dance?

Track 13 – Cherokee Friendship Dance

  • Learn the lyrics using “Cherokee Friendship Dance” pronunciation, Track 14.

Track 14 – Cherokee Friendship Dance (Pronunciation)

  • Learn to respond to the leader in “Cherokee Friendship Dance,” Track 13. Please note that the students’ response in this song is an exclamatory “Whoo!” You may use the “Cherokee Friendship Dance” pronunciation, Track 14, to learn the lyrics to the leader part of the song.

Track 13 – Cherokee Friendship Dance

“Cherokee Friendship Dance”

LEADER:
Hey ya yo, hey ya yo!
line break
Ha way ya
Ha way hey ya ne
ho ya ne
Ha way hey ya ne
ho ya ne
Way ha!

GROUP:
Whoo!

LEADER:
Hi Ya ho ga ne wa, yo ya ney
Ya ho ga ne wa, ho ya ney
Ya ho ga ne wa, ho ya ney
Ya ho ga ne wa, yo ya ney
Way ha!
line break

GROUP:
Whoo!

LEADER:
Yo ho he ho
Ho wee yo hi ho
Yo ho he ho
Ga li ye e li ge
Yo ho he ho
Osda da ne ho!
Yo ho he ho
Wah ho!

GROUP:
Whoo!

LEADER:
Ho we yo hi ho
Ho we yo ho we hi ho
Ga-sa-qua-lv o-tsa-(l)-s-gi
Ga-sa-qua-lv o-tsa-(l)-s-gi
Ho we yo hey ho
Wah ho!

GROUP:
Whoo!

  • Next, learn the movements to “Cherokee Friendship Dance” using the video above.
  • Then, learn the percussion part in “Cherokee Friendship Dance,” which is also played with rattles.

Performing Three Social Dances

  • Divide the class into three groups, assigning the roles of singers, dancers, and percussionists. Note that each role is considered equally important.
  • Begin by acting as the leader, singing the call and having the students respond. As your class becomes more comfortable, ask for student volunteers to serve as the leader.
    • Important note: In the Native American tradition, only a tribal leader can sing the call, and the group responds. You and your students will have an opportunity to try out the role of the leader in the classroom. During the concert, only Martha will sing the call, and everyone else will respond.
  • Perform all three dances, switching the groups’ roles for each dance.
  • If your students are ready, they can try performing all the parts at once, simultaneously singing, dancing, and playing percussion.

Creative Extension: Create Your Own Rattle

  • On SG20, your students will have an opportunity to create their own rattles.
  • Encourage your students to try out different noisemaking materials to put inside their rattles, as well as different quantities, until they come up with a sound they like.
  • Students can use their rattles to play the percussion part when they perform the social dances.
Musical Word Wall

Add the words powwows, rattles, social dance, and vocables to the Musical Word Wall.
See Glossary →

PDF Downloads

SG20 – Create Your Own Rattle ↓ Download File

Audio Tracks

Track 08 – Social Dances

Track 09 – Choctaw Drum Dance

Track 10 – Choctaw Drum Dance (Pronunciation)

Track 11 – Cherokee Bear Dance

Track 12 – Cherokee Bear Dance (Pronunciation)

Track 13 – Cherokee Friendship Dance

Track 14 – Cherokee Friendship Dance (Pronunciation)


Lesson 2: Learning “40 Wheels” →