Paloteo: Castilian Stick Dance in Lines
A stick dance from villages in Castile and León, related to the dances of Aragon, in which dancers stand in two facing lines and strike their own sticks and their partner's to a beat. Students build rhythm, partner coordination and memory for movement sequences.
How to play
- Explain (2 min) that at village festivals in Burgos, Valladolid or Zamora, stick dancers perform to the shawm and drum, each holding two 16-inch sticks.
- Give each student 2 sticks and form 2 lines facing each other 1 m (3 ft) apart, everyone with a partner across (one group of three if numbers are odd).
- Learn 4 strikes, counting out loud (5 min): 1, tap your own sticks; 2, right stick to partner's right; 3, your own; 4, left to left.
- Add the cross: after 4 sets of strikes, the lines swap places, passing right shoulder to right shoulder, and face each other again.
- With music, dance the full sequence (strikes, cross, strikes and back) 4 times, a little faster each time (8 min).
- Finale (6 min): in groups of 6, each group invents a new strike, such as tapping the floor, and teaches it to build a whole-class dance.
Rules
- Strike sticks at chest height, never above the head or near the face.
- Sticks stay on the floor while instructions are given.
- If you lose the beat, wait for count 1 to rejoin.
- Strike firmly but not too hard.
Variations
Easier
Use only 2 strikes: your own sticks and right to right.
Standard
Use the 4-strike sequence with the line cross and music.
Harder
Add crossed strikes, right to left, and a turn before every cross.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a wheelchair user stays in place while the partner does the cross.
- Visual impairment: use high-contrast sticks and have the partner name each strike out loud.
- Skill level: students who struggle use one stick; those who master it lead their line.
Learning goals
- Synchronize strikes with the beat and with a partner.
- Memorize and link a sequence of movements.
- Learn about paloteo as a traditional dance from Castile and León.
Equipment for a class of 25
- dance sticks (16 in): 50
- music: 1
Teacher tip
No dance sticks? Cut old PVC poles or use thick cardboard tubes. Count very slowly at first, and show a video of a village paloteo to inspire the group.
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