The Conversation
Teaching Manners And Respect With Ballroom Dancing
My toes are still tapping after learning about a program that introduces budding young men and women to ballroom dancing and proper etiquette. It's called
and it's new to Community Day School in Pittsburgh, but it's been around the area since 2009.
My son is in the school's 5th grade class and has been learning quite a few dance steps with his classmates and learning how to interact with those mysterious girls. Here's a video montage of the program they put on for parents.
Note: I didn't originally intend to share this video publicly... so sorry, not sorry for it being centered on my son, Rowan.
"The mission of Dancing Classrooms Pittsburgh is to build positive social awareness, confidence, and self-esteem in children..."
From the program's website:
" To date, more than 6,000 children in Pittsburgh Public Schools , Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh/ Extra Mile Education Foundation elementary schools, Urban Academy Charter School, West Mifflin Area Middle School , and Environmental Charter School at Frick Park have benefited from this program."
Just like the cotillion classes of my youth that started pretty much at the 5th grade level, students learn different ballroom dances and even some modern dances and they learn teamwork, positive social interaction, plus manners to boot. On top of all that, it's also great exercise and just as important to the kids... it's fun!
Their season of lessons ends with a friendly contest between the best of each class going up against their peers at participating schools. It's a competition in May they call
Colors of the Rainbow
. The winner takes home a travelling trophy until the next year's showdown.
