Seattle elementary ballroom dancing program's 'graduation day'

Letter from America

http://www.nwcn.com/video/yahoo-video/Seattle-elementary-ballroom-dancing-programs-graduation-day-122698609.html

Seattle elementary ballroom dancing program's 'graduation day'

by LORI MATSUKAWA / KING 5 News

NWCN.com

Posted on May 26, 2011 at 6:47 PM

Updated Friday, May 27 at 9:50 AM

SEATTLE -- They are "ladies and gentlemen" in their pretty dresses, coats and ties. They bow, curtsy and treat each other with the utmost respect. They are ballroom dancers.

Back in October 2010, the fifth graders at Highland Park Elementary groaned when they heard they would have to touch each other while moving across the dance floor. Now, it's no big deal.

"It's all about elegance and being mature about it," observed student Shelina.
After ten weeks of learning the foxtrot, meringue, tango, waltz, swing and rumba, the fifth graders were ready to proudly show their schoolmates all they'd learned.

"It's a great opportunity to be who you want to be and not be shy around other people," said Lexi, who says she's a lot less shy since learning to dance.

The classes are part of "Dancing Classrooms" a program sponsored by Carpe Dance of Seattle. The program uses ballroom dancing to encourage social skills in fifth graders, improve self esteem and have fun, too. Instructor Vanessa Villalobos says most of all, it helps young people learn to embrace new challenges.

"When it's something you don't know or someone that you don't know, there's this resistance. That's what we started with. So having them just touching (hands), that's fabulous!" beams Villalobos as the students twirled and rock-stepped.

The younger students in the audience were totally engaged and began rocking and clapping during the performance.
Even though some of the boys were significantly shorter than their dance partners, no one really cared.
"It's very fun," smiled a boy named Tu. "If you have stage fright, you will overcome it."

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