More than
Dance How dance education benefits students
beyond the stage
BY GINA GALLUCCI-WHITE
18 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022
gives them that opportunity to feel good
about themselves, and I think especially in
today’s world it is so important for kids.”
Creating a Safe Space
Hope McDonald, owner of Kentlands-based
Bella Ballet, recognizes that students also
feel good about themselves when they have
an outlet for self-expression.

“Dance allows for children to create a safe
space within themselves and within their
dance community environment to really
open up and express themselves and con-
nect with the world through music and art.”
“Not every child fits the same mold,” she
adds, noting that while some children enjoy
sports, others might find the arts make them
feel alive, connected and valued for exactly
who they are. “(That is important to be)
able to feel like they can express themselves
through that outlet.”
Dance also provides an opportunity to
connect with like-minded peers. Welch
notes the friendships students develop
during dance classes run deep.

“The parents become friends and the kids
become friends,” she says. “You have your
school friends, but you have your dance
friends—and there is nothing like your dance
friends. The friendships last into adulthood.”
PHOTOS BY DAVID STUCK
A according to local studio owners and direc-
tors. And it benefits children both socially
and academically.

Jen Koonce notes parents have told her
about the value of the transferable skills
their children learn in dance from her
Vienna-based Adrenaline Studio, such as
confidence, teamwork, coachability, respon-
sibility and speaking up.

Many parents enroll their children hop-
ing dance will help them, she says, and after a
year or two of dance, the feedback she receives
is that the students have much more confi-
dence and are participating more in school and
other activities.

“There is just so much value in dance for
kids,” she says.

Welch says once students master a skill
and are able to demonstrate it, their confi-
dence in that mastery spills over into other
areas of their lives, too, such as being in front
of others in interviews for jobs and colleges.

Dawn Crafton Dance Connection finds
placement of dancers in age- and skill-appro-
priate classes allows them to thrive in that
environment. “If the class is too hard for them, it doesn’t
build confidence,” Welch says. “If it is too
Skills for Success
Gaining confidence is one of the big- easy, they are bored... So, giving them a
gest takeaways from a dance education, venue where they are right in the sweet spot
s artistic director for Dawn Crafton
Dance Connection in Rockville, Kelly
Welch has had parents come up to her
with tears in their eyes saying how much
their children have changed after just a year
of dance classes.

“These performing opportunities build so
much confidence in the shyest of kids,” she
says, noting many children come out of their
shells through performing. “That part of my
job is so rewarding. Just watching the growth
is amazing.”
Apart from physical strength, athleticism,
discipline and knowledge of a new skill—
all takeaways you would expect from an art
form such as dance—there are other bene-
fits that are more surprising.

Local dance studios in the DMV are seeing
social and emotional development in dance
students that permeates these young lives
far beyond the stage.

Studio leadership delves into several ways
dance has had an impact on their students,
from building confidence and providing a
safe space for self-expression to bridging a
connection to the arts world.




McDonald says she hopes her
students take away a feeling of
empowerment and fulfillment from
dance as well as a positive body
image. “We try to work tirelessly
to create that so that dance is that
beautiful positive experience (and)
when children leave they just feel
good about who they are,” she says.

“That is the most important thing.”
studio.The program has been run-
ning for nearly 20 years.

In addition to their annual recital
and competition teams, Dawn
Crafton Dance Connection also has a
performance troop that holds shows
in the community sp others can see
the joy of dance.

One group that has experienced
a growing interest in dance is boys.

Many local dance studios have seen
an increase in boys participating in
A Gateway to the Arts
dance, which was once seen as more
Koonce finds dance unique in how it
of a sport for girls.

connects many different art forms.

Welch has older male students
Welch, too, sees dance as a gateway
who have gone on to dance in col-
to a passion for these art forms in
lege, with one receiving $100,000 in
her students.

scholarships and another now get-
“In my opinion, I feel like dance is
ting ready to graduate and pursue
the interpretation of music,” Koonce
dance professionally.

says. “I feel like dance connects all
“I am getting more and more boys,
of the (arts). It is visual. It is musi-
and it is so exciting for us to see,” she
cal. It is physical. It is everything…For
says. “The boys just bring a whole
me, it helps foster a connection to all
different dynamic to class.”
the senses.”
Adrenaline Studio has one of the
Many children develop a love of
largest dance programs for boys in
rhythm and of feeling the music,
the area, including having all-boy
Welch has noticed, which translates
and co-ed teams on different levels.

to a majority of her students partici-
Koonce uses neutral green, black, gray and white studio colors in her
pating in school activities such as band or chorus.

“I think it just cultivates a lot of their passion for the arts,” she studio, as well as a lightning bolt symbol.

“I’ve learned how to create an environment where it feels safe and
says. “It spills over into a lot of different parts of the arts.”
To reach students who might not have had an opportunity to encouraging to boys,” she says. “I feel like that has really helped and
explore the arts, Adrenaline Studio has an afterschool community fostered the growth.” T
outreach program in which classes are taught in schools and com-
To find out more about the opportunities offered at these local studios, visit
munity centers.

Koonce says many kids will reach out afterward about joining the bellaballetdance.com, adrenalinestudionova.com and dcdcdance.com.

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