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Thank You, Miss Katherine

A thank-you note from an elementary school-age boy renders a testament to the power of art in a world dominated by test scores. This young scholar has just completed project Minds in Motion, a yearlong program that teaches 4th-grade students discipline, dedication, and self-awareness by leading them through a series of choreographic movements, which must be memorized and expanded upon each class session. Not a ballet class, this program teaches students the benefits of applying themselves to task involving both mental and physical challenges. Not only does the Minds in Motion program teach dance in the participating elementary schools in the metro Richmond, Virginia, area, but it also integrates and enriches the content of the 4th-grade students' other classes (www.richmondballet.com). Cyndi Blount, a new principal at South Anna Elementary School in Hanover County, near Richmond, had a dilemma. If the Minds in Motion program detracted from the standardized test scores by which schools are now evaluated, the backlash would be painful. Yet, how could she discontinue the program, which had become part of the school and community culture? Students and parents expected to be involved as one of the highlights of 4th grade. The PTA raised the funds for the program each year and planned to continue to do so. Blount decided to observe carefully and evaluate the situation at the end of the year. The program was not without detractors. Two families wanted their sons to opt out of the program, and the boys were provided an alternative curriculum enrichment. However, after two or three sessions, the boys decided they wanted to dance, too. They had witnessed their classmates return from their weekly practice full of energy and laughter, getting together in small groups on the playground to practice the steps they had learned, and excited on the day of practice. Indeed, teachers noticed that few students were absent on the designated Minds in Motion days. Hidden in the fun is a planned collaborative curriculum. Each year, the director of the program, Brett Bonda, meets with 4th-grade teachers to choose an area of the content on which to focus. This year, the dance portrays the story of Jamestown which celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2007. Students learn steps to a number of dances telling the story of America's birth while they study the settlement of Jamestown in detail in their classrooms. The culmination of the yearlong dance preparation will include an extravaganza with students from every participating school dancing their way through the drama. WHY TEACH DANCE? The program began 12 years ago when the Richmond Ballet identified this educational initiative to deepen its impact on the community. The ballet created Minds in Motion, modeling its program on work done by Jacques d'Amboise, former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and creator of the National Dance Institute. Thousands of students have since been introduced to the power of dance through this program. Why teach dance? How are movement and academics connected? Physical activity makes the brain sharper. Although some policy makers consider arts instruction an add-on or a frill, others point to a more seminal role. (1) In fact, plans are in process for a national assessment of students' knowledge in dance, art, music, and theater in grades 4, 8, and 12 through the National Assessment of Educational Progress. (2) Diversity and determination grow alongside traditional topics. "Even my boys gained an appreciation for dance," commented one teacher at Chimborazo Elementary School, a Title I school in Richmond. "It got everyone excited about doing something physical." Another commented on the "energy and fun and discipline it taught my students." Cheryl Burke, principal and long-time supporter of the program, has no difficulty convincing the community of the program's value, and students look forward to 4th grade because of it. …