Transforming lives one step at a time.
Our mission is to build social awareness, confidence and self-esteem in children through the practice of social dance. Dancing Classrooms was founded in 1994 in New York City. The Greater Richmond chapter was established in 2012.
Dancing Classrooms Greater Richmond (DCGRVA), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, is a curriculum based in-school program that utilizes ballroom dancing as a vehicle to teach social awareness and build self-esteem in 5th and 8th grade children. The program is designed to change the lives of not only the children who participate in the program, but also the lives of the teachers and parents who support these children. Over the course of each 10-week (20 class) session the Teaching Artists use the vocabulary of ballroom dance to cultivate the positive feelings that are innate in every child. The maturity necessary to dance with a partner fosters respect and teamwork, which, in turn, leads to better social relationships. 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 confidence, sense of joy, and accomplishment the program brings to every child has been shown to contribute to anti-bullying behavior. Research has also demonstrated that Dancing Classrooms contributes to obesity prevention and school retention.
Dancing Classroom is more than simply teaching ballroom dancing; it is about improving lives. Children break through social barriers as they learn about honor and respect. They learn to value themselves and others as they increase their communication skills. Through dance, children learn cooperation and acceptance, and regard for others.
Dancing Classrooms uses a curriculum-based teaching approach to achieve social awareness and build self-esteem. Students are taught the vocabulary of various contemporary social dances in a classroom setting. Each class in the series introduces new steps, reinforcing what has been previously learned through practice and repetition.
DCGRVA's Teaching Artists, working in tandem with classroom teachers, ensure that students connect their ballroom dancing experience with art, music, history, language arts and physical education. This curriculum integration often leads the children to demonstrate a marked increase in creativity in other artistic disciplines such as poetry and fine arts.
Our teaching philosophy is one of inside out versus outside in. The program is not just about teaching dance, it’s about teaching pride, confidence and respect. We take the dance that is inherent in children’s’ bodies and help them embrace that power. We encourage and enable our students to discover the best of who they already are and share it with their partners, their families, and their communitiesconfidence and respect.