“I am proud!” shout the 4th and 5th grade students at Hoover Elementary School after successfully completing the three minute dance routine set to the Jackson Five song “ABC”. The 182 children have just finished Saint Joseph Ballet’s week-long DanceFree Week designed to boost confidence and teach respect through high-energy, introductory dance training.
In 2005 DanceFree Weeks served 22 elementary and intermediate schools in Santa Ana, Orange, Tustin, and Garden Grove, reaching more than 2,500 children. School sites were selected because of their locations in low-income neighborhoods. Saint Joseph Ballet offers DanceFee Weeks free of charge to public schools.
Teachers and school administrators sing the praises of DanceFree Weeks and its benefit to youth and their communities. Sample comments:
“Shy students really came out of their shells and worked hard to get the dance steps down.” – Alex Dorman, Teacher at Franklin Elementary School.
“The students who seldom raise their hands in class were not inhibited to dance in front of their peers. They started to give advice to each other!” – Hector De La Torre, 4th and 5th Grade Teacher at Kennedy Elementary School.
“There are two students in my class that I have never seen smile. During the dance class I saw them smile and laugh. It was wonderful to see.” – Melanie Palmer, 4th Grade Teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School.
For low-income families access to the arts is extremely limited. DanceFree Weeks has filled that gap since its founding in 1985, serving approximately 40,000 students in 20 years. It’s consistently hailed by teachers and administrators for the enthusiasm and positive communication by our instructors and the motivation they foster within students.
If you are a teacher or administrator and would like to request a DanceFree Week at your school, please contact Artistic Manager Ben Tusher by August 1, 2007 at (714) 541-8314, ext. 14, or email [email protected].