Shall We Dance? Schools' New Exercise Program Is Strictly Ballroom

Thanks to grants from two local foundations, fourth-graders at four Spring Valley elementary schools are getting their exercise in a fun new way—ballroom dance.

The program—offered at Bancroft, Casa De Oro, Highlands and Kempton Street elementary schools—is taught by certified ballroom dancers in 12 classes over a six-week period. Intergenerational volunteers and classroom teachers also assist.

Longtime ballroom dancer and Bancroft Elementary School Principal Lois DeKock said the classes have been well received.

“The program has been wonderful,” DeKock said. “It's something our students would otherwise never have the chance to experience. Our teacher, Mr. W., is fabulous! He knows exactly what to do to keep the students interested and involved.”

Ginger Radenheimer, learning support resource teacher for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, said the ballroom dancing program serves as a way to keep children excited about school while finding a unique and fun way to incorporate the arts and exercise.

“Our goal was to provide a fun way to promote the arts and increase exercise for students while at the same time building confidence, self-esteem, and mutual respect,” Radenheimer said. “Ballroom [dancing] accomplishes all this and, at the same time, addresses state education standards in the areas of physical education and visual and performing arts.”

And in a time when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that obesity among young children has more than doubled in the last 30 years, exercise is more important than ever.

Live Well, a La Mesa-Spring Valley alliance committed to supporting community wellness, noted in its Strategic Plan: “In 2007-08 in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, 30 percent of fifth-graders and 32 percent of seventh-graders were not in the Healthy Fitness Zone for body mass index.”

Radenheimer said the original idea for the program came from Sharon Perry, physical education resource teacher for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. Radenheimer and Perry then asked permission from Superintendent Brian Marshall, principals and teachers, and then went looking for funding.

She and her colleagues approached different local foundations to find grant money, and two foundations came forward to support the students and the program, Radenheimer said.

The La Mesa-Spring Valley Educational Foundation donated $8,500 and the Murdock Cultural Arts Foundation donated $3,500.

“Without these foundations, no ballroom dance could have taken place,” Radenheimer said. “Instead, several hundred students received lessons. The students won’t ever forget the opportunity that was provided by these wonderful groups of people. We can never thank them enough.”

Once the funding was in place, Radenheimer said she and her colleagues reached out to volunteers of all ages who would be interested in helping conduct the dance classes. After sending fliers around to ballroom dancing events across the county, the phones started ringing off the hook with people eager to help.

“When people from all walks of life converge to help students, the result is electrifying,” Radenheimer said. “It was just so touching to see every shape, size, age and color dancing together.”

Radenheimer said the students have been able to take the dance classes during school hours because they meet California state educational standards for physical education.

Now that the students have been receiving lessons for the last six weeks, a number of performances have been scheduled for parents and family members.

The students at Bancroft, Kempton Street and Highlands elementary schools showed off their new skills during their first performance Wednesday morning. Students from Kempton Street Elementary will perform at 11:05 a.m. Thursday, April 7. Casa de Oro Elementary School students will perform at 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 8.

DeKock and Radenheimer agree that the classes have been a positive addition to the schools and that the children have been very receptive to the new program.

“Most of the students are really enjoying the lessons and are excited about the show for their parents,” DeKock said.

And DeKock can certainly understand the appeal of ballroom dancing.

 “I had always loved watching people dance,” DeKock said. “I was drawn to the elegance and beauty of moving to music in that form. Twenty years later, I am still taking lessons and loving every minute of it!”

Radenheimer added: “The positive results of the ballroom dance project exceeded our expectations in many ways. Students learned that the arts are an important part of our culture. They increased their own physical activity and became more confident along the way.”

For more information about the ballroom dance performance schedules, contact Ginger Radenheimer at 619-668-5700, ext. 6395 or ginger.radenheimer@lmsvsd.k12.ca.us.