My name is Elizabeth Burden and I dance and work for BodyVox and I'm here at Salish Elementary
and we are working with the 5th grade class going to perform Switchfoot for the young
audience gala on February 11th.
Today was the very first day that we had 30 kids in the gym. They had seen BodyVox 2 come to their
school last week to perform and so they actually saw the piece that they're going to perform
and today Adrienne and I worked on some skills, some steps that all not all the kids will be
doing but all the steps that are in the piece Switchfoot and it's kind of just to give them a
taste of what their bodies are actually going to be doing in two weeks.
So the residency at Salish Ponds is really I think a representative of work we do. Coming from
education I know in a very personal way the impact that arts have on children, their development
and their education. We know that the arts are very positive for kids and research is proving out
that the arts can promote achievement in core literacies like reading. We also know that through
the arts children develop 21st century skill sets. These skill sets are around collaboration,
cooperation, communication, critical thinking, problem solving. These attributes are fostered
as students participate in the arts in real in-depth authentic art experiences.
When kids are engaged, kids are motivated, we know they're going to work harder, they're going to
try harder and they're going to be more successful. There's no question about that.
Why are we here? I think to open the door to kids to movement they think dancer and they think oh I
can't do that because dancers you have to train you know and yeah if you're going to be a serious
ballet dancer yes you do have to train but to know that dance is for everybody all movement is dance
they're they're all dancers and to enjoy that and to appreciate that and hopefully they can take
that on the rest of their life to know that they can move their body in a fabulous way and it's
considered dance. So like day one today they're very tentative and well it's a new experience
and so and then being introduced to new steps new ways of moving your body.
My name is Adrienne Ryder and I currently teach the kids classes at Body Box and I'm working
with the residency program. Well the first day today was exciting for Elizabeth and I because
this time for this fifth grade class we're not just restricted to teaching a curriculum,
we get to be very creative with them being dancers we both love that. I think it's going to be really
exciting the kids have a lot to offer I think they're going to bring it by the end of the two weeks
and have a great piece for the coming. Hi my name is Celeste and I go to Celeste Ponce elementary
school. I think it's pretty cool because you get to like feel free and then like you could just
practically do anything like you could find a beat in anything.
So today we're about to start the fourth day of our residency here at Salish and we're really
excited the past three days have gone great we have about a minute of choreography done
out of about three total so after the first three days I'm really excited to see how they react
to this new choreography they've been doing great and have made incredible progress.
So today is the last day of practice with the kids and we've had a great week so far we've made a
lot of progress and today we're going to clean a whole bunch we need to make everything really
together and make sure they know all their moves we're going to go over it a whole bunch and they're
going to be great. The hardest part of learning dances is when you do a lot of walking steps
and you take your big knees up and you put them down and then like because it's all in a group we
don't do it separately so it's hard. It's important to move around the school day because you need
your exercise and you need to like play around for a little while to get energy out and get energy in.
It's going to be nervous like I'm going to get nervous but I think I can do it.
I'm feeling pretty good I think they've made strides from Monday and with today a lot of repetition
and everything I think they're going to do a great job tonight at the gala. If I've had a blast
these kids are great they're so much fun to work with so I'm excited for them I love to dance I love
to dance for people so I hope that they can get that energy and that feeling and while they dance
for you guys and enjoy it have fun.
This is like the entryway yeah so when you're walking in you know how to do it so you're just
going to come out and then get in your spots okay. So we're here in the green room now we have their
kids and their parents we get pizza in a little while and we just had our tech rehearsal. I think
I'm more nervous than they are. The tech rehearsal went okay it's a little intimidating with a big
ballroom decorated with tables and everything like that. Lots of things for them not to touch and not
to hit and really I think they did great. I think I am freaking out a little bit but as long as
they don't and just have a good time and get into it I think it's going to be great.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Don't be nervous you guys are looking at me
like I'm crazy. You guys are gonna be fine. I am crazy kind of.
