Past projects 3
5,6,7,8 Time to Dance, Strengthen, and Create!
Funded Nov 13, 2023Thank you so very much for the professional dance flooring, yoga blocks, and additional mirrors that we have added to our beginning dance room. Students are using the floor to help protect themselves against injuries as we normally had concrete floors for dancing and the yoga blocks are helping them increase their flexibility by assisting their stretches and preventing students from overstretching or pulling muscles. The additional mirrors that were added allow students to see more instruction and follow along to learn the new dance steps and they are able to watch each other and work collectively as a team.
The dance students were SUPER excited about the mirrors because it's something we have been trying to save for our new dance room and they were so impressed when it finally was installed and they started dancing immediately in front of the mirrors. It was a cherishing memory because it showed their dedication and eagerness to dance. The yoga blocks and dance floors are something they're still getting used to but I'm excited to see how they will use it in the future.
Our next steps will include having students group up to work on more group assignments so they can use the mirror and dance floor to correctly practice their steps and the yoga blocks will be useful during our Yoga Fridays when I introduce students to yoga stretches and breathing exercises.
We are so very excited and hope to fundraise for more flooring and mirrors so that our dance room can grow and incorporate more detailed dances and, of course, more engagement and laughter.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hughes
This classroom project was brought to life by Nevada Department of Education.Reflect on Dance!
Funded Oct 18, 2022Equipo Academy Dance Team is eternally grateful for your donation of a mirror for our dance room. We have been working for 3+ years to get a mirror for our dancers and, even though they never let the lack of mirror prevent them from learning choreography and excelling in teamwork, having the mirror for our dances has helped us grow tremendously. We use the mirror to help clean up our dances and allow the dancers to see what they look like when they practice so they know the timing, formations, and counts to stay on beat and perform in unison. One particular moment was when my senior girls were practicing a dance for an upcoming assembly and they had a difficult section of their dance that involved intricate timing and when the dancers would practice sans mirror, they were getting frustrated that they couldn't get the timing down correctly. However, once the mirror was installed, it only took one class period for them to perfect their timing because they could see what the movements were supposed to look like and how to go off of one another to execute the correct timing.
When the dancers first saw the mirror they were ecstatic! Most of my senior dancers have been with me since their freshman years and they have been working so hard over the past years to successfully learn and perform dances but having a mirror has changed everything on such a large, positive scale. They now look forward to practicing in front of the mirror and have been expanding their dance knowledge because they now know what their movements should look like and how their group dances can be cleaner more intricate.
Our next steps is to hopefully get more mirrors! We are improving with one but having more will allow all of my students to see themselves and others from anywhere in the room and be able to stay on the correct timing with the rest of the class. Additionally, for my dance classes, they will be able to see themselves execute new dance steps on themselves and be able to both feel and see how the steps should be properly done. For now, we will cherish the one mirror we have and utilize it everyday. :)”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hughes
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares.Developing Expression Through Dance
Funded Oct 26, 2021My appreciation for the ballet barres for my dance classroom is beyond words! My students are using the new ballet barres to practice alignment, balance, and their overall technique. In the past, we've had to use the backs of chairs for a "barre" because it was the closest thing we had access to. Now, every single student gets to practice with a real ballet barre just like professionals use in the real world! Recently, we had our first ballet lesson of the semester and every student was able to use the barre to help find their balance, increase flexibility by stretching with proper alignment, and even feel how a backwards extension (or arabesque) feels when properly executed. It was a fun-filled lesson that had students pretending they were professional ballet dancers.
Students were very excited when the barres first arrived and they couldn't wait to open all the boxes. We put the barres together as a class and the experience of teamwork, support, and excitement to build something together filled the room like electric energy. When all the barres were finally put together, the students couldn't wait to use them!
The next steps for our classroom lesson is to begin practicing turns (or pirouettes) at the barre so that students can understand how to properly push off one foot to begin the turn as well as how to spot so you don't get dizzy. Students will then take this practice to center floor where they will begin practicing turns, balances, and extensions without the assistance of the barre.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hughes
This classroom project was brought to life by Nevada Department of Education.