OUR EXPERIENCE WITH DANCING CLASSROOMS By Julie Jacobson Kendle

Photos by C.J. Hurst

Photo subjects are Olivia and her partner Patric

Years ago (pre-marriage, pre-chil- teaching when I was just 12) my so much easier to think about in- dren) I watched the award win- kids are not trained in ballroom stead of difcult. She really likes ning documentary “Mad Hot . They’ve enjoyed some kids, and that’s awesome, and Ballroom”. Little did I know that community-ed classes and she respects kids.” someday I would volunteer in they love skiing, swimming, act- that very program with my yet ing, and the arts. They would not As a professional dancer and unborn daughter, both of us en- have been able to show you a teacher, it was fascinating for thusiastic participants. rumba box or basic, so this me to observe the method that program was going to be a great is universally used by Dancing Two years ago, Dancing Class- introduction to Classrooms to teach children to rooms came to Minnesota under for my daughter. dance. It is a scripted approach the direction of Andrea Miren- that teaches , , da and Ember Reichgott Junge, To share this experience with Rumba, , Tango, and co-presidents of the afliated Olivia, I became an ofcial Class- patterns in a clear-cut order. non-proft Heart of Dance. Re- room Assistant, and every Tues- However, the program is much becca and Bruce Abas, owners day and Thursday morning, I more than about teaching kids to of Four Seasons Dance Studio, helped Linwood Monroe’s Danc- dance. It is a program designed and I both have children at Lin- ing Classrooms teacher, Djenane to teach them respect for one wood Monroe Arts Plus, a St. Paul Saint Juste. “Ms. Djenane” is origi- another, build confdence and arts magnet school. We talked nally from Haiti, has lived in Cuba, self-esteem, and teach them the about how we’d love to see this South America and now Min- origins, history, and characteris- program at our kids’ school. Fast nesota, and is one of the most tics of each dance. The teachers forward, and with the support positive whirlwinds of energy can then connect the informa- of Principal Bryan Bass and the I have ever met. She is fun and tion to subjects they are studying incredible team of teachers, our funny, and she respects the kids in the classroom. I thought that dreams became a reality just in and knows how to connect with the formulaic approach to teach- time for my daughter Olivia, who them. I interviewed my daughter ing might be stifing, but I can is a 5th grader this year. to get her perspective on her ex- see how its universality makes it perience in Dancing Classrooms, possible for teachers across the Despite my career in the ballroom and she lit up when I asked about world to deliver the information dance world for the past 25 years Ms. Djenane. In Olivia’s words, consistently. Plus, with verbal (the rumors are true, I started “She’s fun and she makes things teaching cues like: “Step onto the

16 Minnesota Dancer - March 2017 / www.usadance-minnesota.org me. I think there was a quick bond. We were able to laugh at ourselves and each other. I made mistakes in front of them. I think that must be powerful for stu- dents, especially those who don’t speak English. It was a level play- ing feld.” - Nicola Turner. [Author’s note: There are a large number of English language learners at Linwood Monroe].

“Overall, we agreed that we cer- tainly came together as a class community faster than normal due to the fact that kids had to share such close personal space with one another from day fve of school! They certainly developed a sense of trust that would other- wise take several weeks to gain. We also learned how to have fun cheese, back onto the crust” (we with each other and understand were a human pizza!) how can I asked Olivia if she liked dancing that it is okay to make mistakes you not have a good time?! with everyone in the class. She and that everyone does makes said, “It was fun and it feels like I mistakes, even the teachers! We Certainly the most powerful part know everyone better”. This was had to show our vulnerability of the program was watching something that intrigued me, with each other. There is power in the transformation amongst the wondering if the class felt more that.” - Sarah Norby kids. On the frst day of class the bonded at the end of this intense kids learned the Merengue inde- 10-week residency than they By the end of 10 weeks, these pendently, but soon it was time might otherwise feel, especially kids had worked amazingly hard to hold hands and try their new in 5th grade when kids start to be and were gearing up to perform steps. Ugh! The horror! The dis- more clannish and start the great for the rest of the school and their gust! The giggles! Things only es- migration toward puberty. I re- parents. Just like many of us par- calated when they had to try the cently asked the 5th grade teach- ticipating in a dance competition, very same steps in dance frame. ers for their feedback, particular- all it takes is the pressure of extra Under the calm positive tutelage ly on that topic, and this is what eyes watching to get everyone to of Ms. Djenane they grudgingly they had to say: stand up a little taller and smile danced in dance hold with one a bit bigger. They had drilled the another, some excitedly while “I think one of the most powerful , practiced walking into others seemed to think this was pieces was the student-teacher the auditorium and onto the a new form of 5th grade torture. created right away. I stage, and “twirling” their part- Interestingly, by the second class, was not the expert for once, but ners at the end of each dance, the uncomfortable giggles de- as much a learner as they were. and now they were ready to rock creased by about half, and in the I was forced to come out of my and roll. And they did! These kids ensuing lessons dancing in part- comfort zone and be vulnerable had so much fun, and you could nership became the new normal. with students who hardly knew see by the faces in the crowd and

17 Minnesota Dancer - March 2017/ www.usadance-minnesota.org by their hoots, hollers and cheers that the crowd was completely impressed and dazzled by how much these children had learned in such a short period of time.

Two weeks after the school per- formance, a smaller group of Lin- wood Monroe children attended the Colors of the Rainbow Team Match, along with kids from nine other participating metro schools. The diversity of back- grounds that the kids represent is well refected in the name “Colors of the Rainbow”, an inspiration to see in the otherwise predomi- nately Caucasian ballroom world. Despite a heavy snowfall outside, all of our team members made it and looked dazzling in their competition fnery. A unique as- pect of this team match is the full pre-competition rehearsal that the team match and she said: “It dance with these wonderful boys allows the students to practice was really fun! It was fun show- and girls, watching my daughter all of the dances to music on the ing people what we can do, and practice her dance moves around dance foor in front of the audi- it was fun showing people that the house, and seeing them grow ence, and then the whole thing kids can dance in case they think as a whole grade closer together. happens again, this time with we can’t. It was a lot of work but I don’t think we should ever as- judges giving their marks. I would do it again!” As for me, sume there’s anything these kids I had a marvelous time all fall can’t do! The house was packed with fam- semester getting to know and ily, friends, and teachers, and the kids enthusiastically reprised their performances and cheered for their teams. It was a wonder- can be danced in either fully deafening experience, and an open embrace, a very close embrace, or at the end of the day the Linwood a combination of open and close. The close embrace is often described by Argentine Monroe team took third place out tango dancers (milongueros & milogueras) as a three-minute hug. of ten schools. I’ve been thrilled mntango.org and proud at competitions in Dedicated to Fostering and MORE INFORMATION AT THE TSoM WEB SITE my past, but nothing is quite like Supporting Argentine Tango Teachers, Practice Workshops, Dances (called Milongas), watching your own child and her in Minnesota the Tango Calendar, Special Events, and Much More fabulous teammates do so well and feel so much pride in them- selves.

I asked Olivia how she felt about

18 Minnesota Dancer - March 2017 / www.usadance-minnesota.org