Submitted by Sandy Elder, Michigan
Idea posted April 24, 2002
A loose definition of the Cakewalk is a dance contest during which the dancers compete to win a cake. The original "dance" was more of a strut and dancers were judged more for their pomp and "airs" than their fancy footwork. It has gone through various evolutionary changes: from actual steps (none of which any of us seem to know), to a sort-of musical chairs strut, to simply any form of dancing in which the winners get the cake (like in "Miranda and Brother Wind").
When I teach dance units, I like them to culminate in a Cakewalk as a final exam. Here's how: I spin the music, switching all over history and genre, and the kids have to do the appropriate dances (boys and girls partnered) without me naming the dance. This shows me whether or not they can listen to music from a particular time period or genre and connect it to its dance. Some of the kids really get decked out and practice with their partners outside of school. They add dips and spins to the tango and all kinds of moves to the jitterbug. And their eyes bug out when they see the cakes. (I get two frozen Pepperidge Farms cakes per class. Much easier than trying to cut one in half to send home.) The girls pin numbers on their boys' backs. I swipe upper-classmen or lower-classmen from other classes to use as judges, give each a pencil to keep and an index card, and tell the judges they may write up to six numbers down (they may vote several times for one couple if they're particularly outstanding) on their paper. Then we clap to thank the judges, send them back to their classrooms, tally the votes, and break any ties with a dance-off between the two/three tied teams, and the rest of the class votes.
By the way, I occasionally have a kid with a poopy attitude, so I am sure to bring along a couple WRITTEN final exams covering the music, history, and dances learned that year. They either take their final on the dance floor or on paper in the office.