Submitted by Kerryn Oliver, Iowa

Idea posted April 2, 2002

My fifth grade wanted to do "No Smoke" (from Music K-8, Vol. 11, No. 4; also available as a Singles Reproducible Kit) for D.A.R.E. today, so we came up with some easy choreography for it. This was learned in one 30-minute class time rehearsal, so it's EASY!!!!!! Their D.A.R.E. officer loved it and wants them to do it at their graduation in May!

Divide the group in half. Start with both groups facing forward. We did a step-touch l-r basic rock step and added in the following movements: (A hip-hop crossover is that funky step the kids do where it's kind of a shoulder roll and their arms cross in front pointing down - if you don't know the move - and I sure didn't. Ask some 11-year-old... they all know it!)

  • Intro: free movement (some of them really did some neat hip-hop steps!)
  • On "No Smoke" - first group pivots to left, does a hip-hop crossover, and head down (so their backs are to the other group)
  • Second "No Smoke" - second group pivots to right (so their backs are to the other group) and does crossover with head down
  • "No, no, no, no, no" - head up, right arm out, index finger up, shake to the beat "smoke," keep arm extended, palm up in a "stop" gesture, turn head away

Repeat

  • 4 measure interlude - free dance (or back and forth step-touch for the dancing impaired!)
  • "My lungs are clean" - both thumbs pointing to self, nod head
  • "They're gonna stay that way" - keep pointing to self, nod
  • "Don't want that smoke" - arm extended, "no" gesture
  • "No matter what you say" - arm out, palm up head turned
  • "My lungs are fine, I use them every day" - arms make circular motion (like the swami guys on the Halls commercial) in front of abdomen
  • "I like to breathe" - sunburst
  • "So keep that smoke away" - arm out, palm up, head turned

Refrain - repeats

  • On the last "No Smoke" - everybody does their own thing to say "NO!" Some acted like they were stomping out a cigarette butt, others leaned back to back with arms crossed, others put their arm out in a "stop" position - looked really neat!

Hope you can use this!

© Plank Road Publishing, Inc. - Used by permission.