The Tradansa Experience

Tradansa’a dance program: what is it all about?  Tradansa’s dance specialists travel to many, many schools over the course of a school year and in almost every school Tradansa visits, a similar version of the following experience always happens:

The students and the staff are excited to have Tradansa come out to their school. If this is the school’s first time inviting Tradansa, there is often a little apprehension being felt by all. The teaching staff is really hoping that the students will be engaged in the workshops and that the final performance will make their students shine in front of parents and the school community. The students are also feeling lots of emotions while anticipating the dance workshop: some students love dance and can’t wait for the activity to start while others are somewhat hesitant as dance sometimes involves partners, hand holding, etc. (elements that get them out of their comfort zones).

In spite of all the emotions felt, the dance program begins and the dance specialist knows she is facing a challenge. When she arrives at the school, she sets up in the gymnasium and does the last of her preparation work. The bell rings and after the school morning announcement and routine, the first group of students arrives for its first dance workshop; the excitement and hesitation are tangible as the students enter the gymnasium. The dance specialist carefully and masterfully delivers the first workshop in such a way that she lets the nervous energy to dissipate, creates a safe place for students to try the new activity, and establishes a good rapport with the students so that she can easily guide them through their three workshops. The dance specialist also focuses on creating an environment where students can enjoy themselves while learning the dances.

The dance specialist smiles when the students leave the gymnasium talking amongst each other saying “that was actually fun!” It is with comments like this one that the specialist knows she has reached the objectives she had established for the group, the most important being to have the students look forward to the next workshop and to the dance material that will be learned together.

The dance program continues with each group participating in its second and third workshops. In only three 40 to 50-minute workshops, each group usually learns 3 to 5 dances and two of these dances are presented at the performance at the end of the dance program.

Are you getting curious to see how the dance presentation finishes… watch the LIVE Facebook video that was taken at École Père Kenneth Kearns:

And once this dance is performed by the large group of students, teachers and parents, our dance program comes to an end. However, everyone leaves with fond memories of the time spent together with Tradansa, the new dance skills and more knowledge about the cultures explored through dance. It has been our experience, when Tradansa returns to a school the following year, the dance specialists are always amazed to see that students remember them and the dances that were shared together; almost every time, students remember the movements, sometimes the music but most certainly the fun they had dancing with Tradansa!

Would a similar version of this “Tradansa Experience” be of interest to your school?

OR something worth repeating if Tradansa has already come to your school?