- Definition
Call and response is like a dance conversation where one dancer or group performs a move, and then another dancer or group replies with their own move that builds on the first.
One dancer performs a jump and a turn, and then the rest of the group responds by performing the same jump and turn.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Call and response is like a game of Marco Polo, where one person calls out and the others have to answer back.
Ask your child: If I clap a rhythm, can you clap one back to me?
Common mix-up: Kids may think the 'response' must be an exact copy of the 'call.' The response can be a copy, but it can also be a related answer or even a contrasting movement.
Examples
- A step team leader stomps a complex rhythm, and the rest of the team stomps it back exactly.
- In a song, the lead singer sings a line, and the backup singers answer with 'yeah, yeah, yeah'.
call and response is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
