7 Back-to-School Dance Activities to Build Classroom Community

Updated July 2026 with additional activities and resources.

I just love back-to-school season. With new supplies and a refreshed atmosphere, how can you not enjoy it? Now, I realize some of you have already started classes or are even mid-year (shout out to our Australian subscribers!), but many of these activities can be used at any time of the year. So why not take a moment to reflect and try something new?

One priority I have during this back-to-school season is to use a variety of engaging activities to develop a strong community, even if they’re not dance-related. After all, the first days back from break can set the tone for the rest of the session or year. Here are seven back-to-school dance activities that can help you create a welcoming and connected classroom community.

Free resources to get them moving and talking:

1) Student Bingo Activity

Add little competition in the classroom and get students talking to each other with this BINGO activity. It also works great in classrooms that might only have one or two new students. The concept is simple: students walk around the room trying to find peers who match the descriptions in each Bingo square, such as:

• Can do a pirouette

• Has a sibling at this school

  
  

Instead of ending the activity when someone completes one row, challenge students to earn a "blackout" board where all boxes must be signed. This gives them more opportunities to interact with different classmates.

Download the Free Student Bingo Activity Here!

2) Introduce Classroom Expectations with a Musical Twist

Create an inclusive environment by having students help create your classroom rules. Not only does it develop their critical thinking skills, but it also promotes ownership of the rules and responsibility.

How to: Play a song connected to a possible classroom expectation. Ask students to listen to the song and identify the expectation or classroom norm it might represent. For example, play Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and have students brainstorm (independently or in groups) how that would look and sound like in your room. When the song is done playing they can share their ideas with the class. After hearing their responses, work together to turn their ideas into a clear classroom expectation.

Use the links below to get started:

YouTube Playlist

Spotify Playlist

Do you have our Annual Educator Access plan?

Here are other back-to-school options you have access to:

3) Community Building Dance Unit: The Community Building Unit is a beginning dance unit designed to help students feel welcomed, comfortable, and connected.

Through collaborative movement activities, students practice working with different classmates, sharing ideas, and contributing to a positive group environment. The activities also allow you to introduce important dance-class routines while observing how students communicate, participate, and solve problems together.

This unit can be used during the first weeks of school or whenever a class needs an opportunity to reconnect and strengthen its sense of community.

4) Instant Dance Activities: These are perfect for those moments when you need a quick, engaging activity that doesn’t require any prep. We offer a variety of activities and games under the Teacher Resources: Activities/Games section. The most popular include:

• Instant Activities: Strengthen & Community Build

• Thanksgiving/Fall Activities/Games

• Vocabulary Relay Race

  
  

5) Goal-Setting with Students: Use a modifiable syllabus reward sheet to encourage students to set personal dance goals. The worksheet is found in the Behind The Teaching: Beginning of the Year Section.

6) Student Survey Worksheet: Get to know your dance & theater students' goals and accomplishments with a quick beginning/end of year survey found in the Teacher Resources: Worksheet section.

Use the survey to learn about students’:

• Previous dance or theater experiences

• Favorite movement styles

• Personal goals

• Accomplishments

• Interests

• Concerns about participating in class

The survey can also be completed again at the end of the year so students can reflect on their growth.

7) Incorporating Mindfulness and Dynamic Warm-Ups

Teach students how to prepare for class by incorporating simple breathing exercises or dynamic warm-up routines that can help students transition into the dance mindset, especially after a long day at school.

Once students understand the purpose of a warm-up, invite them to design one of their own. This gives students an opportunity to apply their knowledge while making choices about movements that safely prepare different parts of the body.The designing your own dynamic warmup worksheet can be found in the Teaching Resources: Worksheets section.

Interested in these dance teaching resources?

1. A selection of these resources are available for purchase at our printable store.

2. Become an Annual Plan holder to get these and other helpful resources.

3. Use these ideas to design your own activities along a similar theme.

Remember, building a strong classroom community starts with the little things you do every day. So go ahead, try out these ideas, and watch your students thrive all year long!