"You Can't Step On Your Own:" Dancing Classrooms Fosters Connection and Teamwork for Caroline County Students
The Richmond chapter of the national Dancing Classrooms organization piloted a program in Madison Elementary this winter.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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For the first few weeks of their participation in Dancing Classrooms, there was lots of moaning and groaning from the Madison Elementary 5th-graders.
But after about three weeks, the students were going into the class groaning, but coming out smiling, said Autumn Nabors.
Nabors is the director of secondary education for Caroline County Public Schools and also sits on the board of Dancing Classrooms Greater Richmond, a chapter of the national network that for 30 years has been bringing social dance into K-12 classrooms.
Over the course of each 10-week session, students learn the basics of ballroom dances such as the foxtrot, tango, waltz, rhumba, and swing, from professional instructors.
“The maturity necessary to dance with a partner fosters respect and teamwork, which, in turn, leads to better social relationships,” the Dancing Classrooms RVA website states. “Thus, Dancing Classrooms is not about teaching ballroom dancing. The dance is a tool for getting the children to break down social barriers, learn about honor and respect, treat others carefully, improve self-confidence, communicate and cooperate, and accept others even if they are different.”
The Richmond chapter of Dancing Classrooms was established in 2012, and Nabors’ children went to an elementary school that had implemented the program.
“I was just was really impressed with it,” Nabors said. “It’s not just about dancing—that is the catalyst, but it’s really about getting students to know how to interact with each other and do things they’ve never done before—and in the long run, for it to be fun.”
Caroline County school division superintendent Sarah Calveric’s children also experienced Dancing Classrooms at their school in Richmond, and Calveric shared Nabors’ enthusiasm for the program.
“We thought, how wonderful it would be if we could get it to Caroline,” Nabors said. “We wanted to give [our students] that exposure to something culturally different.”
Dancing Classrooms RVA has implemented programs in Richmond City schools and in a few of the surrounding suburbs, but has not yet extended into rural school divisions, Nabors said. She approached the Board about bringing the program to Caroline, and the board voted to approve piloting it in Madison Elementary School.
“The school’s principal [Teresa Hicks] was ready to be a trailblazer and try it,” Nabors said.
All 5th-grade students at Madison Elementary went through the program, meeting twice weekly for 10 weeks to learn six dance styles.
“A core value of Dancing Classrooms is that every student experiences it—it’s not an opt-in,” Nabors said. “Inclusivity is an important value.”
At the program’s culminating event last week, each 5th-grade class shared two dances and students and teachers gave testimonials about what they learned and will take away from the experience.
“Some of the teachers talked about how it wasn’t just about dancing but about being able to work together,” Nabors said. “Such a key part of ballroom dancing is that you can't step on your own—you have to step with a person.”
The teachers said they’ve noticed that collaboration and cooperation have improved in their classes.
“Students are more receptive to working with someone they don’t know as much, and that hits true to the mission of Dancing Classrooms,” Nabors said.
In a podcast prepared by the students, participants said Dancing Classrooms built their confidence, helped them feel comfortable making eye contact with others, and taught them to love dancing.
Hicks, the school principal, said staff witnessed “a remarkable shift in [the] well-being of our students” over the 10 weeks of the program.
“We witnessed new friendships blossoming, a newfound willingness to persevere—both in dance and in the classroom,” she said. “We also saw a shift in the social-emotional well-being of our students—a new-found confidence, poise, grace, and above all, respect for themselves and others. We can’t say enough good things about Dancing Classrooms.”
The Madison Elementary students have also been invited to participate in the Dancing Classrooms RVA team match on April 29, along with Patrick Henry Elementary and Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic school in Richmond.
“Each school gets to bring 24 students, and they compete in a friendly competition that is scored by actual professional dancers,” Nabors said.
Nabors said the Caroline County team and Dancing Classrooms are working on funding to bring the program to all three county elementary schools.
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