Lip Sync

When trying to think of an alternative to hosting an end of the year talent show I decided it would be fun to have my students participate in a “Lip Sync” show. If you do not know what a Lip Sync is, let me explain. Students participating in Lip Syncs will choose an appropriate song, dress up as the artist that sings the song, and practice the art of “lip synchronization” (technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals). Lips Syncs are great because if offers students of all talent calibers an opportunity to perform for their peers.
Side note: it is also adorable to see all of the students dress up as their favorite artist.
How we did it:
For our after school program we dedicated 2 days a week to prepare for our first Lip Sync. Each classroom (we had four) was given a popular song to perform as a group. Classes practiced their songs for about 2 months, learning the words, practicing their choreography, and making props for their performances. The four songs included the following:
Kinder/1st grade class: YMCA by The Village People. Easy dance moves, easy lyrics to remember, and you can shorten it without making the edited version sound choppy.
2nd/3rd grade class: We are Never Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift. Catchy chorus, song is versatile and you can make the choreography as difficult or simple as you want depending on the group of students you have to work with. Ours was simple.
4th grade: Gangnam Style by Psy. Most of the lyrics are in Korean so your lead can just mouth their mouth and pretend to know the words. This song also had a dance made for it so choreography was easy for students to learn. Side note: we changed the Lyrics from, “Hey sexy lady,” to, “Hey THINK Together!”
5th grade: Fresh Prince of Bel Air by Will Smith. Most of my students didn’t know what this song was, but it ended up being the BEST group performance. The song is catchy and the lyrics provide opportunities for multiple students to have the spot light.
All of our props were items taken from the classroom or created with cardboard, paint, and a little creativity (OK, maybe a lot of creativity). If you want your show to be longer you can open up the stage to single performers that want to Lip Sync to the crowd as a solo artist.
Pro tip: Create flyers to promote the performance to parents, school administrators, and other important stakeholders that you would like to invite. I would also suggest that you encourage 1 or 2 brave students to MC the Lip Sync by introducing each act before they arrive on stage.

 

If you have questions send a comment below!