Allegretto

I came up with a clever way of teaching the Allegretto in Suzuki Volume 1. It involves soldiers with shovels marching in mincing steps ("Step-Step-STOMP"), digging holes, and then filling in the holes as they go. Then a group of graceful ballerinas enter the scene, also bearing shovels! ("How silly! I hope they don't get their pink tutus dirty!") The legato ballerinas dig several holes and fill them in, dig an invisible hole, and then dig an extra-big hole and leave it un-filled. They exit the scene and the marching soldiers with shovels return to bring the piece to a close.

The best thing about my clever method is that it's working - I have three students who are around this spot in Book 1 right now, and they are laughing, enjoying the song, and remembering every note and articulation!