Dancing Classrooms
Dancing Classrooms is highly acclaimed nationally and internationally, and its powerful, life-changing influence is well chronicled in the media and in three films, Take the Lead (with Antonio Banderas portraying the founder’s story), Mad Hot Ballroom (an award-winning documentary) and Dancing in Jaffa (building peace in the Middle East). https://dancingclassrooms.org/ (research findings and media)
Dancing Classrooms is much more than a program that “teaches dance.” Dancing Classrooms wraps critical life lessons around the teaching medium of partner dancing. We at Take the Lead (“TLNC”) offer the Dancing Classrooms program to all elementary schools in this area, school by school, through the approval of a school’s principal. Attached is a Program Description with commentary from local principals, teachers and parents about the importance of Dancing Classrooms to their students, families and school communities. Also attached is a listing of our WSFCS and other area schools.
Dancing Classrooms is an engaging, effective, culturally diverse and renowned social-emotional growth, arts-in-education program. The program gives a “leg up” socially and academically to every student we teach through positive role modeling and the joy of music, dance, teambuilding, age appropriate fun and life-long skills. In each elementary school we serve, all 5th graders participate, including special needs students. Our classes meet during the school day as a part of the curriculum for 10 weeks, twice a week. Dancing Classrooms culminates in an on-stage performance of merengue, fox trot, rumba, polka, tango, swing, group dances, modeled and internalized respectful behavior, and student reflections through visual art and written expression. Many schools participate in our annual inter-school Colors of the Rainbow Team Match Competition. TLNC offers students the opportunity to continue dance instruction. Dancing Classrooms meets numerous educational standards. Our Teaching Artists are dance professionals who are trained and certified in the Dancing Classrooms syllabus and methodology.