For the past few weeks, I have been on the Barbie kick and have created an Advanced Boomwhacker Play-Along, a Diatonic Boomwhacker Play-Along, and a Rhythm Play-Along to Dua Lips Dance the Night (Radio Edition). I am following it up this week with a Body Percussion Play-along to Dua Lips, “Dance the Night” (Radio Version). "Dance the Night" is a song by English and Albanian singer Dua Lipa from Barbie: The Album, the soundtrack of the film Barbie (2023). Songwriter(s): Dua Lip, Andrew Wyatt, Caroline Ailin, and Mark Ronson. Producer(s): Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson, and Picard Brothers.

Why Body Percussion Play-Along?

Body Percussion play-alongs are a nice alternative to the rhythm and boomwhacker play-along videos. They encourage movement throughout the song. They are wonderful for when you do not have a lot of space to move or a lot of instruments to utilize in the music class. If you are teaching in various rooms throughout the day, body percussion will be something that you can count on no matter where you are teaching.

Manipulatives

This version is relatively basic because it has ostinato rhythm patterns. It does add some hints of challenges with the quarter rests falling on beat one and the patterns are usually eight beats long with the exception of a 2/4 measure being thrown in at times.

There is a dance party in the middle of the song with a floating disco ball to add some fun.

You can download the manipulatives with the video here.

Teaching the Manipulatives

I usually begin with a movement game to reinforce the values of the quarter note, half note, eighth notes, and quarter rest. I then would launch the manipulatives and review the body percussion patterns with students reading and performing them for the class individually or as a group. I would then have the students watch the video. After that, they can perform using body percussion with the video or make up their own body percussion.

Body Percussion Play-Along to Dua Lips - Dance the Night (Radio Version)

Try out this rhythm play-along with your elementary students today!