Kids Dance Day!
“This is amazing!” a third-grade student screamed as he barreled through the “Tunnel of Love” and into Eden Park. One after another, students from across Cincinnati passed through the entrance, receiving their lunches, high-fives from volunteers, cheers, and a first look at what would serve as both their seating and their stage for the next arts-filled hour. As one student had expressed earlier in the day, hopping and skipping through the halls of North College Hill Elementary School, “It’s finally here! I can’t believe it’s Kids Dance Day!”
The anticipation had begun weeks earlier when third graders in North College Hill were told they would be part of the first ever Kids Dance Day event with the Dancefix Foundation. The premise? They would be learning a dance they would later perform in a park with 600 other students from eight other schools in Greater Cincinnati. While initial reactions ranged from cautious to terrified, students warmed quickly to the idea once they began their in-school dance practices with their dedicated Dancefix Foundation Instructors. Over the course of three visits, the dance was broken down and taught to them in such a way that the students gradually assumed confidence and comfort. It helped that they were dancing to music they loved, alongside their classroom teachers, and with dance instructors who inspired them all along the way!
Kids Dance Day, a fully funded arts and community experience for local schools, took place on May 6 in scenic Eden Park. The hour-long event, packed with live entertainment from local arts organizations, was sandwiched between two performances of all 600+ students dancing together the choreography they learned during their in-school dance practices. Just imagine a sea of bright orange, green, and blue-shirted students dancing in unison in a beautiful park, surrounded by trees–and be sure to zoom in for their smiles!
It was the first field trip for several students at North College Hill (NCH) Elementary School. It was the first time going to Eden Park for almost all of them. Aboard the bus to Kids Dance Day, the anticipation grew as the students rode past the stadiums lined up along the river in downtown Cincinnati. But, it was the exit sign which emerged moments later that clinched it: “EDEN PARK! It says Eden Park! We’re almost there!” The kids were on the edge of their seats, striving for the first glimpse of the park where they would soon be dancing. There was nervous energy, certainly, but within minutes those nerves were replaced with pure joy at the sight of smiling volunteers greeting them with “NCH” signs and the sounds of a crowd cheering them on as they entered the park. As one student later shared, “I felt famous!”
Greater Cincinnati is full of incredible and generous arts and other non-profit organizations. Just this event alone included performances and experiences from Revolution Dance Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, QKids, Cincinnati KungFu, Drums for Peace, The Well, Cincinnati Art Museum, local artist Evan Verrilli, and Playhouse in the Park. Lunch was provided by La Soupe, music mixed by Cincinnati Music Accelerator, and the setting courtesy of Cincinnati Parks. At the heart of the magical day was the Dancefix Foundation, the team who organized and hosted this event with grace, vigor, and purpose. With a mission to build confidence and enrich lives through dance, our Kids Dance Day hosts were laser-focused on making this the best day ever for all of their participants.
Third-grade students love to complain. They complain about bumpy buses, yucky lunches, boring shows, and having to DO anything! At least that’s what I experienced before Kids Dance Day. On May 6, North College Hill students sang “Wheels on the Bus” the whole way to Eden Park. On the way back to school, they chatted excitedly about becoming kung fu artists and joining a dance team. At the event, NCH students devoured their lunches, counting out the cheese slices (“three!”) and laughing about Oreos that turned their tongues blue. These students were engaged in the live performances while also sketching out their self-portraits on papers provided in their arts activity packets. When it was time to perform their own dance, the students stood up, got into first position, and confidently moved through the choreography they had practiced for weeks prior.
Research suggests that dancing in unison provides a sense of belonging and a boost of happiness, but personally dancing with 600+ students actually proves it. When asked about the group dance experience, one student reported, “I made new friends” and another said he felt like a “pro dancer”. While not everyone likes to dance, everybody does like to feel special and be recognized. If feeling “famous” or “brave” or just plain “happy” could be a measure of success, then, for NCH students, this was the most successful event I have seen. At the end of the day, still on a high from being part of Kids Dance Day, I can say with all confidence…it truly was “the best day ever!”
