Sarasponda

Materials

Rhythm sticks or rolled magazines

Lyrics

Sarasponda, sarasponda, sarasponda ret set set.
Sarasponda, sarasponda, sarasponda ret set set.
 Ah do-ray oh, 
 Ah do-ray boom-day oh,
 Ah do-ray boom-day ret set set,
 Ah-say pah-say oh.

Recommended Grades

4-6

About the Song

These are nonsense words of indeterminate origin. Many sources say the song is Dutch and associated with spinning, but I haven't found any evidence to support that assertion.  

Teaching the Song

• Teaching the song before adding the sticks helps the kids learn the stick pattern more quickly since it goes so well with the song.
• The method shown in the video is effective even if the solfège isn't your main focus. The kids stay attentive and mentally engaged in a task while learning the song without really trying.

Adding the Stick Game:

• You can use either rhythm sticks or rolled up magazines or catalogs taped securely.
• Before they begin, have partners determine exactly how they will angle their sticks when they reach out to tap their partners' sticks.  Without planning ahead, someone's fingers could get crushed.
• Have the kids toss and catch their own sticks before having them try tossing to a partner (as shown in the video.)
• Make sure they keep the sticks vertical while tossing.
• Have them map out the flight path of the sticks before tossing to each other so the sticks don't crash in the middle.

Skills and Concepts

• Re: easily isolated in a mi-re-do pattern.
• Fa: the rest of the song is pentatonic, but fa appears with great frequency and is approached in a variety of ways.
• Anacrusis (pick up note): Nicely illustrated by the sticks.  They click together for the pick-up, then strike downwards for the down beat.  
•  (ta-m-ti): this pattern appears three times. All other rhythms in the song are eighth notes and quarter notes.
• Steady Beat: good for older students still working on keeping a steady beat.