Havlicek Elementary students learn ballroom dancing

BERWYN – It's not every day you see 10- and 11-year-olds dressed up in formal attire, dancing the tango or rumba. But that's exactly what the fifth-graders at Havlicek Elementary School in Berwyn learned as part of Dancing Classrooms, a 10-week program that teaches children a variety of ballroom dances, while focusing on both academic and social skills.

The students in each of the school’s four fifth-grade classrooms showcased their newfound dance skills May 11 at the program’s culminating “Ballroom Showcase” event. The students performed a variety of dances, all of which they learned over the course of the program. Each class met twice a week with a professionally trained dance instructor during the school day, where the students paired up to learn the fox trot, waltz, swing and many other popular dances.

District 98 Superintendent Carmen Ayala was very excited to bring Dancing Classrooms to Havlicek because of the many benefits to the children. She said it not only teaches dancing, but also fits with many other curriculum areas, including social studies, writing and math, as well as social and emotional development.

“It teaches children how to respect each other, and it promotes self-confidence,” she said. “At first the kids weren’t engaged, but to see now how the boys walked with confidence to ask the girls to dance, and to see how the girls accepted, and how they dance together, is beautiful. The social interaction is a big plus. It’s how we connect to each other. The program does have an impact on bullying because it teaches respect for others through dance.”

Dance instructor Kristen Rehfeldt said many of the students didn’t want to “go near each other” at the beginning of the program, but that changed as they learned the dances. She said by the end, the kids were standing up straighter, looking each other in the eye, and were able to touch each other.

“These are things that they’ll take and bring with them outside the classroom,” she said. “Maybe the boys will hold a door open for a woman, or maybe they’ll have more meaningful conversations because they can look people in the eye. Just little things like that they’re gaining from ballroom dance that they take to their real lives.”

Dancing Classrooms was started by professional ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine in 1994 in New York City. It’s since grown to many school districts across the country. The program has been in Chicago for just three years, but it is continuing to expand into many school districts across northern Illinois and Indiana.

The program’s mission is to “cultivate essential life skills in children through the practice of dance.” Laura Burke, executive director of Dancing Classrooms Greater Chicagoland, said by the end of the 10-week program, the children are “ladies and gentlemen.”

“This program is unique because it gives kids an opportunity to learn something new. Plus, it’s good exercise, so it benefits their health,” she said. “The kids love it, and they’re sad to leave when it’s over. The parents love it too. They say their children have changed by the end of it.”

In addition to learning the dances, children learn about each dance’s country of origin. They researched each country and its history and culture and then wrote a report on what they learned. Many students presented their reports at the Ballroom Showcase.

“There are full academic implications along with the social and emotional components,” Ayala said. “In District 98, we’re concerned with educating the whole child, and this was an opportunity to provide some new experiences for the children.”

Ayala said she was approached by Berwyn Alderman Ted Polashek about implementing the program in the district and chose Havlicek as the pilot school. Because the program went so well this spring, Dancing Classrooms will be in every school in the district next year, so all fifth-graders will be able to have the same experience as the students at Havlicek.

“I was really pleased. The program was very well-developed,” she said. “You could see on the kids’ faces that they really enjoyed themselves. The comments I received from parents were very positive. They were really excited, too.”