The Ballroom Classes for Adults in the New Schools

2008-2009

Once again, the time has come to teach the new teachers in our new schools how to ballroom  dance.  Always a fun initiative, volunteer ballroom dancers look forward to meeting the new groups of teachers that will be helping us to work with the children in the program.  

This year, Dance Crazy volunteers are giving free beginner ballroom dance lessons to about 24 new teachers participating in the Dance Crazy program in three new schools: Rensselaer Park Elementary in Lansingburgh, Rosendale Elementary in Niskayuna, and Montessori in Albany.

The volunteers in all three schools report that the teachers are working hard to remember their new steps.  Several teachers meet during the week to practice what they've learned so they will feel ready for the next class.  Several volunteers have commented on the extensive degree of interest and enthusiasm among our new dancing teachers. 

What a great way to kick off our 4th year!  With all of this energy driving the program,  we are well on our way to another year filled with miracles and adventures!

The Ballroom Classes for Adults in the New Schools

2007-2008

Part 1 of the program involves teaching beginner ballroom dance lessons to adults in the six new participating schools. This part of the program concluded in November.  A total of over 70 schoolteachers completed the six week course in ballroom dancing and can now do the first three steps in each of the following dances:  rumba, foxtrot, jitterbug, tango and cha cha. 

All of the volunteer ballroom dancers that are teaching the adult classes reported that the classes went very well,  and that both the students and their volunteer instructors had a ball.

The reason these classes are given to the school staff is to provide the schools with their own supply of assistants that they can use next year in their ballroom dance program, if the schools choose to continue having a ballroom dance program.   If the schools in this years program wish to continue with a ballroom dance program next year and in future years, 'all' they will need to do is find funding to pay the professional ballroom dance instructor.  The schools will not need to worry about finding teaching assistants because they will already have their own internal supply of assistants.

Dance Crazy offers a program to schools that have participated in our program that allows the schools to continue to use our Syllabus and to participate in our competition at the end of the year.  This program is called the Alumni Program, and the cost to participate in it is $300.  This cost includes permission to use our Syllabus, attend our Syllabus Workshop in the Fall, and to participate in our competition.

Updated November 21, 2007