What is the Inter-School Dance Fest?
The purpose of the Inter-School Dance Fest was to bring together Dance students from various High Schools to take workshops, meet each other, build community and have fun!
What were some highlights of this conference?
The energy was really amazing. We had two wonderful workshop leaders (Mpoe Mogale and Stephanie Lilley) and the students were able to choose to take Hip-Hop, Contemporary and Jazz Workshops. The students ended the day as a large group learning Afrobeats Dance.
It was really neat to see students from different high schools from all parts of the city become instant friends through their shared love of Dance and learning. They supported each other, cheered each other on and built a community of Dance in one short afternoon.
It was also a great opportunity for the Dance teachers to meet each other, share ideas and get inspiration.
Why should dance teachers sign their students up to do this next year?
This is a great opportunity for Dance students to access workshops in an affordable way. It also allows them to meet dancers from other High Schools and to really have fun learning in a new way. It’s also great professional development for the teachers.
What is next? Will you do this again next year?
We are hoping to have our students meet again this year, possibly to watch each other’s showcases and performances. So far, we are planning to hold another Inter-School Dance Fest next fall!
How can teachers connect with you and sign up?
Teachers can email me at catherine.bawol AT ecsd.net
Anything else you would like to share?
Sometimes (in our District), there are not as many opportunities for Dance programs to collaborate as there are for other subjects like Music or Drama. This endeavor was to give our dancers an opportunity to take part in something outside of their school and to feel like they belong to something bigger. It was also a great opportunity for them to learn from each other and make connections. It was such a positive experience for everyone involved!
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