Exploring Movement through Irish Legends including St. Patrick

St Patrick’s Day Workshop  

St Patrick’s Day Play

Observe

Children will first observe movement from various sources to build an understanding of natural and cultural inspirations for movement.

Traditional Irish Dance (Examples)

• Watch how Riverdance performers use strong, fast footwork.
• Observe the lightness in the skipping movements of a jig.
• Notice the controlled upper body in Irish step dancing.
• See how group formations create patterns and symmetry.
• Identify how dancers bounce on their toes instead of flat-footed walking.

Nature Movements (Examples)

• Watch a river flow – how does its movement change with speed?
• Observe trees swaying in the wind – does a gentle breeze make them move differently from a storm?
• Look at how waves crash and roll – how can we show this in movement?
• See birds soaring or flapping their wings – can we move like them?
• Observe a fox stalking through the grass – slow, deliberate steps vs. sudden bursts of energy.

Mythical Creatures & Legends (Examples)

• Watch how giants are portrayed in stories – slow, heavy stomps with long pauses.
• Notice how leprechauns are described – quick, mischievous movements, darting around.
• Look at selkies (seal people) – how do they glide through the water?
• Examine how warriors like Fionn mac Cumhaill move – strong, powerful, but strategic.
• Imagine the Banshee – eerie, ghostly movements, flowing through space.

Question

Once they have observed movement in different contexts, children will begin to ask questions about how movement tells a story.

Examples of Questions to Ask

• How does a giant step?
• How does a leprechaun run when protecting his gold?
• What happens when a mythical creature moves through different landscapes (hills, caves, forests)?
• How would you show the speed of the salmon of knowledge?
• How does a fairy move compared to a human?
• How does a warrior prepare for battle?
• Can movement be soft and strong at the same time?
• How do animals in myths (horses, deer, wolves) move differently from real animals?
• How does a stormy sea make a selkie move differently from calm waters?
• If a Banshee is warning someone, how might her movement be different from when she is simply wandering?

Test

Children will explore loco-motor (traveling) and non-loco motor (stationary) movements to embody Irish myths.

Loco-motor Movements (Examples – Traveling Movement)

• Jumping like a salmon leaping upstream.
• Stomping like a giant, shaking the earth.
• Skipping like a leprechaun, quick and light-footed.
• Gliding like a selkie, smooth and fluid.
• Dashing like a warrior, charging forward.
• Sneaking like a fairy, tiptoeing unseen.
• Ducking and weaving like a hunted deer.
• Rolling like a wave, moving unpredictably.
• Swinging arms like tree branches in the wind.
• Flying like an enchanted bird, moving between human and bird form.

Non-Locomotor Movements (Examples – Stationary Movement)

• Bending and stretching like a tree caught in the wind.
• Spinning like a whirlwind, fast then slow.
• Swaying like seaweed, moving gently with the tide.
• Shuddering like a Banshee’s wail, trembling with energy.
• Holding a strong warrior stance, Frozen yet full of power.
• Floating like a misty spirit, rising and falling.
• Rocking like a boat, steady but unpredictable.
• Twirling fingers like sparks of magic in a fairy spell.
• Pulling an invisible object, showing strength without sound.
• Collapsing like an exhausted traveler, sinking to the ground.

Discover

Children experiment with combining movements to develop their own interpretations of the myths.

Examples of Discovery Activities

• Combine a giant’s heavy steps with the light, sneaky movements of a fairy – what happens?
• Try mixing fast and slow movements – what effect does this create?
• See how different body parts can tell a story – can a selkie move differently in the sea vs. on land?
• Explore contrast – How does a warrior move before battle, during battle, and after victory?
• Try exaggerating a movement – if a leprechaun is in a hurry, how much faster can they move?
• Use breath to guide movement – what happens when you breathe heavily like a warrior or lightly like a fairy?
• How do movements change when working in pairs or groups?
• Can two different mythical beings interact in movement? (Example: A warrior and a banshee)
• What happens when we add different levels? (Jumping high like a salmon vs. crawling low like a fox)
• Explore emotions in movement – how does a warrior’s movements change when they are tired or joyful?

Record

Children document their movement discoveries in different ways.

Ways to Record Movement

• Create a short movement sequence to retell a part of an Irish legend.
• Draw pathways of their movement (swirling, zigzagging, curving).
• Use symbols to show different types of movement (slow, fast, flowing, jerky).
• Make a movement map – trace how they moved through the space.
• Record a video to replay and reflect on movements.
• Describe the movement with words – “My warrior moved like this… my banshee floated like this…”
• Act out the same movement in different ways – strong, soft, exaggerated, gentle.
• Use props to extend movement (fabric for a selkie’s transformation, a stick for a warrior’s sword).
• Pair up and show each other movements, then describe what they see.
• Compare two different movements – how is a giant’s step different from a leprechaun’s?

Discuss & Reflect

Children share their experiences and reflect on what they learned.

Reflection Questions

• Which movement felt most powerful to you?
• Which was the most difficult movement to perform?
• How did it feel to move like a mythical creature?
• How does movement help us tell stories without words?
• What movement surprised you the most?
• How does movement help us imagine different places and characters?
• Which movement made you feel strongest? Most mysterious? Most sneaky?
• How did your movement change when working with others?
• What do you want to explore more?
• If you could move like any creature from mythology for a whole day, who would it be and why?

Re-question

Children revisit their inquiry, considering new challenges and possibilities.

Further Exploration

• What happens if we add music? Does it change how we move?
• Can we use movement to tell an entire legend? What if there are no words?
• How does a movement sequence change if we use props?
• Can we use movement to explore different landscapes? How do we move through a storm vs. a forest?
• How do different cultures use movement in mythology and dance?
• What happens if two different mythical creatures meet? How do their movements interact?
• Can we create a group movement story? Everyone plays a different role.
• What if we switch roles? A warrior moves like a fairy, a banshee moves like a leprechaun.
• Can movement show magic? What does a spell look like through movement?

https://dramastartbooks.com/irish-legends-on-stage-book

More movement ideas: Explore the Movement and Drama Games for Children hub for more practical ways to build stories through movement.