Amazed By My Student

I was visiting a school after the big Dance Off and the students were still so excited by the experience. Amidst the pizza, games, and line dancing, I had a chance to chat with Alexis. 

Alexis was one of the most committed people on the team.  We as educators always come across students that challenge us to be even better instructors.  In one rehearsal, Alexis finished and came to me saying, “Miss D., I can do this, it isn’t too hard for me. I might just need more time.”  She worked extra hard and competed beautifully in the competition.

Alexis & Fernando dancing

 I forgot to mention that Alexis uses a wheelchair.  She is neither confined or defined by it’s use but sails beyond it. I wasn’t surprised when she came up to me during the pizza party, but what she said floored me. 

“Before this program, most people thought I only went home and watched TV, that I couldn’t do anything. But this [program] has really opened me up as a person. They can see how much more I can do.”

Dancing with Class is a program designed to increase self confidence but in this group of students, they truly rallied together as a team. To see how joyous they were in supporting each other at the event and the camaraderie even a week later was amazing.  It's amazing to see students astound themselves. Sometimes it just takes time and a little dancing.

Season of Giving

Dancing with Class is wrapping up a successful Fall Season, having recently completed our Fall Dance-Off for CPS schools as well as our Chicago Park District program. At each event, I reminded students that there are wonderful gifts they can give any time they like that don't cost a thing. Namely, compliments to other people and the joy of sharing a dance. When reminded to do so, students take the challenge of "paying a compliment to someone they do not know" very seriously. A young boy came up to me after an event last night to report on the number of compliments he had paid to others that evening. He was joyful to share this news. He was experiencing what the joy of giving is all about. By doing something nice for someone else, he was also giving a gift to himself. Spread the joy this holiday season!

Disbelief

May 16, 2013

The moment when forty eyes look at you in disbelief, just because you said “Class is over”.


Definitely worth it.
 

Dance Family

I've been working with an amazing group of 7th and 8th graders the past few weeks on choreography for their end of year festival.  They are doing a wonderful job with salsa, cha cha, and merengue, and the majority of them are learning the footwork for the first time.  They are picking up on the choreography so well I find myself challenging them beyond what I had planned.  It's exciting to see their faces when they get the movement down - the pride they feel is just priceless.

Today was my favorite day there because everyone showed up, they remembered last week's choreography, and were eager to learn more.  That alone makes my day.  But it was one of the comments a girl made at the end of class that made me smile.  She is one of those students who is very polite, cooperative, and works very hard even though the movement doesn't come easily.  She happened to glance down at my Visitor's badge that the front office gave me to wear and asked why I had to wear it.  I replied that it was policy for everyone who teaches the after school programs to wear one.  She then said, "But you're not a visitor.  You're part of our dance family."

What a powerful statement.  And by far the best compliment I've ever received.

One Brave Student Made My Day

I started a new school yesterday teaching third and fourth graders.  The moment I arrived, the coordinator told me that most of the students were terrified of dancing.  Terrified.  I've been told before that the kids were nervous or scared, but terrified was a little shocking.  The boys told me right away that they didn't want to dance with a girl and vice versa.  When teaching partner dancing, this can be a problem!  Luckily, I came prepared with some ideas so they would get over the "ick" factor.

As with every class I teach, I always ask them if they've seen partner dancing on television before.  Almost all of them have seen Dancing With The Stars or So You Think You Can Dance.  This helps get the conversation started about dancing with the opposite gender.  However, it doesn't mean they want to do it!

I taught the kids their first dance, the merengue, in a circle all doing the same footwork.  This they were just fine with.  There was no touching involved.  The moment I mentioned that the next class we would partner up with our teammate, they all groaned, shrieked, and said, "No way!"  I had to think fast.

I noticed a few of the boys were really getting into the dance, and I thought I would try to use one of them to help me show the class how cool partner dancing could be.  So I asked the boys if any of them was brave enough to dance with me.  Of course, five of them immediately backed up and shook their heads.  Then I looked to my left and say one shy boy raised his hand.  I have never been so grateful to an 8 year old before!

His name was Santiago, and he said he would dance with me.  I asked him to hold out his hands.  The class groaned, but he did it.  I held his hands and showed the class the entire merengue routine in a hand hold position.  He did an amazing job keeping his feet moving as I turned into the different positions to show the class what they could do with their partner.  The smile on his face was all I needed to know this was a great idea.  But what sealed the deal was when I led Santiago into his turns and the entire class went, "Oooooohhh!  That's cool!" Santiago was a star, and they were almost sold on the idea of holding hands with their teammates.

I say almost because even though they cheered their classmate on, at the end of the hour I showed them escort position and lost them once again!  Holding on to the boys' elbow was still too much to handle, but I have more tricks up my sleeve to handle the cooties' outbreak they think will erupt next week.

The Wonderful Minds of First and Second Graders

I had the pleasure of teaching my first class with a great group of 1st and 2nd graders at Dawes Elementary this week. They are learning two Dance Around the World dances, so we began by talking about dance and why they think people dance.

I was amazed that they responded with, "To show other people our culture," or "To show everyone we're happy", and, my favorite, "To get better and better so we can dance at parties."

We talked about their first dance from the Philippines, the Pandango Sa Ilao, which they kept calling the "Fandango Sake Lao." They got the pronunciation in the end, and who can blame them for taking some time to get it? That's a mouthful for adults!

I told them to close their eyes and pretend they were on an island, but when I asked if they could smell the saltwater, one student said, "No. I smell hot dogs." (They were dancing in their lunch room.)

It was all I could do to keep from laughing. This is going to be a great session, I just know it.

Favorite Dances

When I asked the kids to choose their favorite dances, their answers reminded me of all the different perspectives on dance, and all the various opportunities you can explore within the art.

A very energetic Elliot loves to swing dance and salsa. He feels as though "I get to do my own thing" more in those dances than the others. In the counts when they get to freestyle a bit, Elliot is a choreographer. Hopping on one leg, tuning, jumping, shimmying are all moves he likes to throw into the routine, surprising me every time.

Rebecca likes the more formal dances, tango and waltz. She says that, "In tango we get to be dramatic. It's fun to pretend to be someone else." She also feels as if, "waltz is hard, so I feel good when I get it right." Her perspective reminds me of ballerinas in the role of Odile in Swan Lake, mastering some of the most difficult choreography while enjoying and exploring the character even more.

Merengue is a favorite of a lot of my class. A couple students say "merengue is the most fun because it's fun to dance with your partner", "it's like we are at a party with our whole class." These kids are my social dancers. They enjoy the community and companionship of dance. Making eye contact and having fun together is something I've experienced in every social dance experience I've had.

It's exciting to recognize the diverse passions within my class, and how reflective they are on what it means to be a dancer. There is no single definition of what a dancer is, what a teacher is, what an artist is, that they can find their own! No matter what inspires them, I'm so happy to share this art, and even more happy that their personalities shine through.