Rachel is third from right in black and taupe dress.
Michelle East presents
A Parent's Perspective Regarding Dancing Classrooms
Featured in the June Edition of Minnesota Dancer, Michelle East chronicles the transformation of her daughter, Rachel, through the Dancing Classrooms program this spring at Harambee Elementary School in Maplewood. Here are a few highlights:
"My daughter was not happy when she found out that she would have to dance with boys from school. She thought it was going to be embarrassing and old fashioned."
"From the first class it was clear to me that she was intrigued....As the weeks went by I watched her blossom with this new activity in her life. Suddenly, school was not so dreary, but rather fun. I could see her growing in confidence with her newfound skills, and watched her maturing right before my eyes."
"My daughter and three other classmates also had the opportunity to perform on the Twin Cities Live on KSTP. We went shopping for a new dress to wear. The together time was special as we talked about the dances and which dress would work best....At the TV station the children were nervous, scared and excited....They performed the Swing in front of the cameras. It was an exhilarating experience that we will remember always."
"Finally it was the day of the big competition we had been working towards from the start....I could see that my child had been transformed from a somewhat sulky, can't take my headphones off preteen, to a vibrant and engaged young adult."
