Folk Dance Fun: Simple Folk Songs and Dances

I am disappointed that the choreography given in the cd insert is not complete; there are not directions for each section of music. I teach dance to children ages 1-10, and while a few selections (Tarantella, Irish Jig and Greek Zorba Dance at least) seem to be mostly complete in their notes, the other dances leave much to be desired. Waving, shaking hands and walking in a circle is not much of a dance, which is what some of these are. If you want this as a fun activity that is very free in places for young kids, it's okay. If you want to teach authentic folk dances to children, this cd is a little lacking. I know the steps have been simplified, which is good for beginners, but leaving sections of music with nothing to do only creates chaos in a young dance circle. I do wish the full steps were included as an alternative for more advanced/older classes. I know several of these dances already, and there is a lot missing. Also, the German Hat dance directions are confusing...I don't understand the clap sequence at all.On the bright side, the instrumental versions are good to have on hand and allow me to teach the dances as I want to. They are much less annoying than the spoken versions too.As an alternative, I recommend Simple Folk Dances for the preschool set. Directions are very clear and complete and even include illustrations. I purchased Folk Dance Fun hoping to use it with older kids, but it won't be as useful as I'd hoped.

The song clips are incorrect for this cd. Folk Dance Fun actually has each song with words and then a version with just folk dance music. The Hat Dance is great for kids of all ages and I love the German Clapping song. I have found the cd very useful in many teaching environments because of the variety of songs. Some of the dances are too difficult for young kids, below 3rd grade. I learned them in a college class of 17 girls and we had a blast!

This is the best CD I have found for teaching children simple dances. The music is slow enough that my toddlers can keep up with the movements but fast enough to keep their interest. The steps are simplified but still authentic. My three and four-year-old girls love it.