Robot Dancing = Basic Movements in Patterns

Our dancers are the robots! 

However having students "play" robot can help them understand how to program their robots.

Dances are just combination of repeated patterns. 

• Some dances are simple To-and-Fro. 
• Some dancers move around the dance floor. 
• Some dancers like square dance mirror each others moves.

Dancing alone

To-and-Fro = Basic Opposite movements

• forward-backwards
• left-right turns
• including circles = 360 degree turn (and back)
• angular movements - there and back

Create your own dances = movement pattern

• repeat a combination of moves
• may be opposites 
• must not be all opposites
• moving around dance floor
• Add extra step at end of pattern to (slightly) change direction like:
• to and fro movements are not same in length
• extra turn
• extra partial circular turn
• How could you do a waltz?
• If "modern" dance, do all robots need to make the same moves?
• if don't make same move, what problems could arise?

Dancing together

Now need to keep space between each other.

Dancers should start at same time.Or with specific timing between starts.

Line Dances

• Robots start in a line facing forward doing same moves
• To-and-Fro
• All doing same pattern dance

Square Dances:

• Robots face each other
• Robots in circle
• Facing out
• Facing in (more precision needed)

 Pattern Dances:

• dance partners start together as defined by the dance pattern
• program so dancers stay together during dance

Mirroring moves = Keeping partners together

Goal : Partners must end up at same place after each dance move:

• If no program change .
• Enough space for both robots can go forward toward each other.
• Enough space for turns
• If Program opposite/ mirroring moves
• One goes forward and partner goes backwards
• One goes left and partner goes right
• Angular - to-and-from
• How would you mirror in program?

Dancing together Dancer Start positions

This summarizes the dancer start positions of all dances independent of dance type.

• in a line facing forward
• in a line  in a follow-the-leader line-up
• in a circle facing forward
• in a circle  in a follow-the-leader line-up
• some where on dance floor with enough room to make dance moves

Videos Coming!