Dance and Drama
Primary 3 · Creative Arts
Dance and Drama
Lesson 3 of 3
14 min
Let's begin
Umutoni pushes the chairs to one side of the yard. Her brother Byiringiro sweeps the ground flat.
Mother sits down. Grandmother sits down. Two neighbours come to see what all the noise is about.
The yard has just turned into a theatre — and today you are going to build one too.
You already have everything you need. You can sing, you can dance, and you can act. A show is simply those things put in an order and then practised until they are smooth. The order is called the running order. The people who sit and watch are the audience.
Here is Umutoni’s whole plan, from the first word to the last.
| Part | What happens | How long |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Welcome | “Muraho! Welcome to our show.” | 1 minute |
| 2. Song | A song they both know really well. | 2 minutes |
| 3. Dance | The dance step with the intore arms. | 2 minutes |
| 4. Play | A short story acted out, with all its parts. | 4 minutes |
| 5. Bow | They freeze, then bow together and say “Murakoze!” | 1 minute |
Add up the minutes: 1 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 10 minutes. That is a real show! A short show done well beats a long show that is tired.
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| Face the front. | Your face is the story. If they cannot see it, they cannot follow it. |
| Speak up. | Grandmother is at the back. If she cannot hear you, the show is not happening for her. |
| Keep going. | If you forget a word, say the next best one and carry on. Only you know what you meant to say. |
| Finish strong. | Freeze, hold it, then bow. The bow tells them the show is over and they may clap. |
A rehearsal is when you practise your whole show, from beginning to end, before the real day. Rehearse the whole show at least three times: once slowly to fix things, once straight through with no stopping, and once at full speed with the bow. Practice is what turns a nervous child into a performer.
It will, and so does everyone’s — even the intore dancers before they walk out. Breathe in slowly while you count 1, 2, 3, 4, then breathe all the way out. Start with your song, because a song you know by heart is the easiest way to begin. And remember: the people out there came because they love you.
Tip
Slow down. Speak up
When you are nervous, everything inside you speeds up — your words most of all. So before you start, say it to yourself: slow down, speak up. Take one breath. Then begin.
This is where you plan your own show. Get a pencil.
What are the five parts of a show, in the right order?
Answer: Welcome → song → dance → play → bow. Always welcome them first and always bow last.
How many times should you rehearse before the real day?
Answer: At least three times — once slowly to fix things, once straight through, once at full speed with the bow.
In the middle of your play you forget your next line. What do you do?
Answer: Keep going. Say something close to it and carry on. Never stop and start again from the beginning — the audience does not have your script, so they will never know.
Grandmother is at the back and keeps saying “What? What?” What should you change?
Answer: Speak louder and more slowly, and send your voice all the way to the back of the yard.
How do you finish the whole show?
Answer: Freeze in your last picture. Hold it — one, two, three. Then bow together and say thank you. Now they clap.
What you learned today
Quick check
Put the parts of Umutoni's show in running order.
Tap the cards in the right order.
