Special moments experienced by you and your students! Your students will have the opportunity to participate in a fun and educational activity, usually a little different than what is regularly done in class. It’s a great way to observe your students’ dance skills but as well as their social skills. And what a great way to finish off the dance program by seeing your students proudly perform at the final presentation!

Tradansa’s programs have been designed to provide teachers and students dance material as well as various methods to learn and teach dance. Throughout the workshops, teachers can assess their students according to the curriculum requirements. Please do not hesitate to request the documents outlining the different curriculum links for your province.

Often when we offer our workshops, we see some students have a little resistance at the beginning of the first workshop. They are often apprehensive about the idea of having to dance with a partner, or possibly not succeeding. We use strategies to get students engaged and involved in fun activities, accessible to all. We never force students to do something that goes against their culture, religion, gender, etc. The traditional dance is essentially a social activity where everyone is welcomed to participate in their own way, respecting their own capacities.

In general, we look to integrate all students in our dance program, regardless of their special needs. In general, students respond well to our teaching methodology and we like to collaborate with the staff at your school to know how to work best with your students. However, you know your students better than us and their ability to participate; the decision, of course, remains yours.

It is preferable that all the workshops take place in the same space as the final student dance performance. Dance requires enough space to move comfortably and if there are large groups of students in each workshop, your school’s gymnasium remains the best place of this type of activity. Also, when learning dance, students create time-space reference points for each of the dances. As well, to maximize the learning time and to ensure the greatest level of success for the students at the final performance, we greatly prefer that all the workshops and the dance performance take place in the gym.

Every year, our team takes the opportunity to find new dances in our travels, meetings with dancers and in festivals. We ensure that your students learn different dances every year. We do, however, continue to structure our dance programs in the same way as well as to use our successful teaching methods.

Upon her arrival, the dance specialist will meet the school’s contact person, who will be the person she will communicate with if there is anything that is needed. She will then want to:

1) see the gymnasium (the available space for the workshops and the performance);

2) learn how to operate your sound system; and

3) identify where the staff room and the bathrooms are located.

You are the best example for your students: participate actively, dance if you don’t have any physical constraints, encourage your students. The teaching methods we use could also inspire you to continue dancing with your students. You know your students better than we do; your assistance is greatly appreciated in keeping a positive learning atmosphere. If any of your students have special needs, it helps us greatly to be notified at the beginning of the workshop.

The final student dance performance involves all students who participated in the workshops. It’s an opportunity to gather with the school community where students have the pleasure to present what they have learned and to celebrate their team work and success. In addition, a surprise is in store for the parents at the end of the show.

We will take care to organize the student performance, chose the dances as well as the order in which they will be presented and indicate where each group will be sitting in the gymnasium. The school only needs to take care of inviting the parents (if desired) as well as to see to the set up of chairs in the gym for the guests.

During the dance performance, we will ensure the presentation of each of the dances as well as guide the students in their dances. It is common that a staff member likes to welcome guests to the gathering and wishes everyone a great performance.

In general, folk dance is danced during social gatherings where everyone arrives with their choice of outfit. For this reason, we do not seek to have costumes. However, if your class/group has a school t-shirt or would like to wear specific colors, please feel free to organize this with your students.