The Red Cross works on projects all over the world and there are hundreds of things you could base your dance on. Here are some ideas to get you started.
If you would like to discuss your ideas with one of our Dance: Make Your Move co-ordinators, email dancemakeyourmove@redcross.org.uk to make a phone appointment. To find our what the judges are looking for please see our judging criteria.
1. Child soldiers
Characters
The first half of the dance could portray children being forced to fight and the second half could show how the Red Cross helps to rehabilitate the children.
©InfoStyle of dance and music
To create a military feel you could use sequence and strong movement in your dance, and music that has strong and repetitive drumbeats. To create a feeling of help and community you can use partner work and counter balancing, along with upbeat and lively music that reflects new beginnings.
Costumes and props
Khaki colours can be used in the first part of the dance to show military uniforms. Please note the use of any replica weapons should be cleared with your local Dance: Make Your Move co-ordinator. In the second part of the dance, bright colours and patterns can be used to show the happy and vibrant clothes of an African community. Props such as skipping ropes can be used to reflect games from childhood.
Explore our blogs and the web pages for more information on child soldiers.
2. Japan
Characters
The dance could start with Japanese people waking up on the day of the tsunami. Members of the group could then perform the tsunami or show characters being affected. The second part the dance can reflect the aftermath with the Red Cross coming in to provide help and support. You could show the Red Cross and Japanese characters working together to rebuild lives.
Style of Dance and Music
You can use traditional Japanese music and dancing to set the scene, and loud, powerful music with fast, jerky dance movements to represent the tsunami. Gradually increase the speed of the dance and music to show the rebuilding and use counter balance and partner dancing to show teamwork. This music can be uplifting to show hope for the future.
Costume and props
Characters who start in their everyday clothes could change into torn clothes to show the impact of the earthquake. You could use props such as blankets, food parcels and building blocks to show the Red Cross helping the Japanese people.
Read more about the Japan earthquake
3. Finding missing family
Characters
You could base the story on families separated during the Second World War and start your piece with characters at a dance hall before the war began. When the war starts, characters can play soldiers separating families and taking men off to war.The end of the war can be represented with Red Cross volunteers helping to bring soldiers and their families back together in a celebration.
©InfoStyle of Dance and music
Swing dance and music with jitterbug and lindy hop could be used to represent the wartime era. A change of music could give the impression of an air raid siren and the start of war, and sequence and strong movements, along with strong and repetitive drumbeats can create a militray feel. To depict the end of the war you could use celebratory music and partnership work to show families being reunited.
Costume and props
Costumes could include 1930’s dress and military uniforms with red material to symbolise the Red Cross. Props could include letters from missing relatives with messages trying to trace their loved ones.
Read more about the tracing and message service
4. Fundraising
Characters
The list of characters for this is endless. You could have parachuters, runners, climbers, models, gardeners, swimmers – let your imaginations run wild.
©InfoStyle of dance and music
Lively music could represent the aspect of fundraising you have chosen, or a song with appropriate words.
Costume and props
You could choose costumes that match the chosen method of fundraising and collection buckets as props.
Find more inspiration on our fundraising pages and in the A-Z of fundraising
5. Climate change
Characters
You could tell two sides of the story through your characters. On one side, show people going about their daily lives driving cars, leaving televisions on standby, leaving lights on. Then, on the other side, show characters in countries such as Bangladesh being affected by climate-related disaster such as drought, famine and flooding. You can then show the Red Cross helping those who are affected by these disasters.
©InfoStyle of dance and music
You can reflect the characters on each side of the story by using music and dance from their culture. You may choose to use songs such as Michael Jackson’s Earth Song and use lyrics from the song to help you tell the story.
Costumes and props
You could use bright colours to represent the carefree characters and more neutral colours to reflect the charcacters affected by climate change. You could also use red material to represent the Red Cross.
More about the Red Cross and climate change