Elementary Students Learn Respect, Manners and Social Skills through Ballroom Dance

In the Wednesday, June 5 issue of the Winston-Salem Journal reporter Arika Herron writes about a dance program that students in 15 elementary schools are participating in.

Here’s an excerpt:

At first, Gabe Russell did not enjoy dance class.

“We had to dance with girls,” Gabe lamented Tuesday morning at a four-school dance competition to mark the completion of the Dancing Classrooms program. But after a few lessons, it grew on the Union Cross fifth-grader and his classmates, who spent 10 weeks learning dances including the tango and the fox trot. Fifth-graders from 15 elementary schools across the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County district completed the program, designed to teach students respect, manners and social skills through ballroom dance.

“They learn to respect each other, their teachers, their parents,” said Ann Guill, site director for Dancing Classrooms and executive director of the nonprofit Take the Lead North Carolina. “They learn teamwork.”

A select group of students put their new skills to the test Tuesday, demonstrating proficiency in the meringue, tango, fox trot, swing and rumba dances for a host of judges in the gymnasium at South Fork Elementary.
Students from South Fork, Union Cross, Konnoak and Old Town elementary schools participated in the competition – a new addition to the 4-year-old program. Students were judged on dance form, rhythm and enthusiasm.

“I was looking for a lot of enthusiasm,” said David Hawk, a teaching assistant with Dancing Classrooms and one of the day’s judges. “I want to see them having fun with it.”

For the full story go to  Winston-Salem Journal