This thread is meant to be an offshoot of the one on the cuts in funding for PE. <P>I knew I had seen something recently on Charles Osgood's program "Sunday Morning" on CBS about public school children learning and competing in ballroom dance throughout New York City. <P>It's a wonderful program. These children are having a great time: it's movement, it's fun, it's playful, it's respectful, it's social, it's confidence-inspiring, etc.<P>This is through the American Ballroom Theater outreach program. There are now classes at 26 public schools throughout NYC.<P>To read more:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.exploredance.com/dancingclassrooms.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.exploredance.com/dancingclassrooms.html</A> <P>Also check out this one about 300 kids learning to ballroom dance in the Bronx:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.digido.com/mkweb/eddietorres.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.digido.com/mkweb/eddietorres.html</A>

It seems like this topic belongs in The Studio? Just a suggestion!?

Well, I had considered where to put this, but I had first seen this story on a news program, and therefore, I thought the emphasis was on addressing the actual bringing of the arts to children and watching them go through the process of first rejecting it and then giving it a try, and finally becoming so enamored that they embraced the idea of competing. I thought that the studio was more to actually break down various aspects of class content. But -- I defer to the judgment of a moderator.

Actually, now that you mention it Christina, I do remember having ballroom dancing in middle school (we called it Jr. High School waaaaaaay back then). We learned many different styles - was lots of fun. <P>The boys would stand on one side of the gym and the girls on another and oh that chasm in between was soooooooo big!! LOL<P>In my opinion, if it this is being proposed as part of a PE program - I would leave it in "Issues"......since it matches the other thread.....but moving it is ok, too.<P>This idea fits in with what I would like to see as a PE program - the learning of skills not just calisthenics. <P>I have to tell you that I was one of the very few - actually the ONLY girl who got asked to dance. Yes, one young man walked across that "chasm" to ask me to dance. What neither of us told our classmates - who were amazed at the boldness of this move - was that this young man and I were cousins. LOL The other guys thought he was so brave - and the girls were jealous. HA HA <P>But we knew that the teachers would just arbitrarially assign partners - so we figured (he and I) it was better to dance with one's cousin. Well, at 13 yrs. old that seemed less threatening.<P>I can see where doing this for PE would not only be fun, teach a skill in social dancing, but also some social skills.

Social skills, yes, and also a 'way out' of the somewhat impoverished lives many of them otherwise lead. This story had much more of an impact on me because I got to watch the footage of these children contemplating and then enjoying the acquisition of some 'gentility.' <P>Yes, yes, yes -- when an actual, beneficial skill is involved, how much more wonderful than a series of squat thrusts and jumping jacks.

Basheva, just so ya know it wasn't waaaay far back when it was Jr. High. It depends on the school here but we have Brixner JR. High, Ponderosa Jr. High, and Henley Middle school. it works all ways. <BR>-zoe

Within our state we have SOME middle schools (7th and 8th grade)<P>And some JR. HIGH Schools 7,8 and grade 9 I think.

So, now you are all making me feel young again LOL - until I hit ballet class tomorrow.

I got the best (or should I say worst?) of both worlds: I went to jr. high for a year (it was grades 7,8, and 9) and the next year they switched it to a middle school (grades 6, 7, . <P>Basheva, you don't seem old to me!<P>

<BR><font size=1>The Canadian junior dance team of <BR>Sarah Liang and Yaroslav Yasel <BR>represented their country last year <BR>in the Junior World Championships in <BR>Italy. Their favourite dance is the <BR>rumba, which features a mix of <BR>slow and quick steps.</font><P>From the Richmond News, 01/02/01:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Teenagers dancing up a storm <BR>Youths are participating in the SnowBall Classic dancesport championship this weekend in Vancouver</B><P>This pair of teenagers is guaranteed never to be wallflowers at school dances.<P>Three-time B.C. ballroom dance champions Yaroslav Yasel and Sarah Liang will be performing in the world-class SnowBall Classic championship next weekend in Vancouver.<P>Dancing together for the past four years, Yasel, 15, and Liang, 14, have travelled the world together and won countless competitions.<P>The Richmond pair was the first Canadian Junior dance team ever to be chosen to represent Canada in the Junior world championships in Italy last year.<P>"It’s a lot of fun," said Yasel, a Steveston secondary student. "The Italians really take their dancing seriously. In Canada, dancing is more social. There it’s part of the culture."<P>While in Italy, Yasel and Liang managed to get in a few world-class lessons that can run as high as $130,000 for a 45-minute session.<P>Yasel’s parents, Viktor and Irina, own Yasel Dancesport Ltd. dance studio and taught him to dance competitively at the age of eight. By 11, he needed a partner.<P>Liang’s parents, taking dance lessons themselves, heard Viktor was teaching a ballroom dancing class for children and decided to enrol her in lessons.<P>"I didn’t like it at first, but now I’m glad I started," Liang said. "I used to be very quiet but I had to talk to a lot of people in the competitions. I started getting to know the other kids and learned to express my feelings more."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><a href="http://www.richmond-news.com/02101/life1.htm" target="blank"><B>more...</B></a><P>