Andean Huayno: Stomping Lines and a Fast Finish

Huayno is the most widespread music and dance of the Andes in Peru and Bolivia, in duple meter, with stomping, scarves and a fast final section called the fuga. The class dances it in lines and circles with rising intensity.

How to play

1. Background and beat: listen to instrumental huayno and mark the 2/4 with steps in place (3 min).
2. Basic step: small alternating hop with a heel stomp, scarf in the right hand (5 min).
3. Facing lines: advance four counts stomping, turn and go back; then cross to the other side (5 min).
4. Big circle holding scarves: travel one way and switch on the teacher's signal (5 min).
5. Fuga: the music speeds up and each line stomps faster and higher for one minute; rest and repeat (7 min).

Rules

• Stomp with the whole foot and bent knees to protect your joints.
• Sneakers tied tight.
• In the circle, hold the scarf without pulling.
• In the fuga, everyone sets their own speed.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with limited mobility: mark the stomps with hands on legs or armrests and wave the scarf.
• Asthma or lower fitness: do the fuga at half tempo from the end of the line.
• Students with visual impairments: hold on both sides in the circle with a verbal cue at each change.

Learning goals

• Sustain aerobic effort while dancing.
• Coordinate stomping, traveling and the scarf.
• Learn about the most popular dance of the Andes.

Equipment for a class of 25

• scarves: 30
• speaker: 1

Teacher tip

Any cloth or a sheet of tissue paper works as a scarf. The fugas are the high-intensity part: alternate one minute of fuga with one minute of easy stepping.

More main activities for Middle School