Move It!
Spanish Hot Chocolate
(from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71)
by Elizabeth Linsley

Being a long-time fan of Tchaikovsky, as well as a huge fan of the Nutcracker, I am always looking for new ways to engage my students with the music and the story. Here where I teach in Fairfax County, Virginia, we have activities that go along with the March and the Trepak, but I wanted to find a way to make all of the divertissements more accessible. Since I enjoy the Spanish Chocolate Dance, it made sense to start there. I choreographed sweeping movements at the beginning for the trumpet, and thought that moving in a circle worked well to mimic the repetition of the trumpet line. For the castanets section I wanted a light and repetitive movement, so I chose the flicking motion, moving up for ascending lines, and down for descending lines. The end just seemed to lend itself to circular, ascending motions. I hope that you find this Move It engaging and helpful in your own classroom!