Hip Hop Elves

A few years back, we published a song called "Hip Hop Reindeer," which turned out to be a favorite for kids. But who says only reindeer can enjoy hip hop? What about the elves? Well, now they have their very own feature, too! It's written in a relatively simple style so that you can vary which grades perform it as needed.

It's worth mentioning the unusual word usage during the chorus (measure 25), though we feel sure your kids will get it quickly. Words such as "da-a-ance," are pronounced with a pause where the hyphens are so that it comes off in a halting, rhythmic way. Use glottals on the vowels for the proper effect. (In other words, stop the sound in the throat briefly before each vowel indicated with the hyphen.) Listen to our kids on the recording to hear how this works.

We have included some optional movement suggestions right on the music, too. There is a legend at the bottom of the first page that indicates what each abbreviation stands for. Interpret these any way you like. You can't get it wrong. Alter or adapt anything in any way. Let all of your elves do the movements, or select a group to do them while the others sing. If you have talented dancers, consider letting them take the spotlight, especially during the rhythm/dance break at measure 34.

Costumes would be the perfect addition to a performance of this tune. But if your budget and/or time are limited, the addition of a few quick pointy paper hats should get the message across. (Audiences at school concerts are primed to suspend their disbelief...)