Chicago Public Schools

Ideas in Motion: Exploring the Intersection of Poetry and Dance

5 Apr 2021

Just in time for National Poetry Month, the team at Dancing with Class had the opportunity to explore the connections between poetry-writing and dance with guest artist Marlin M. Jenkins, an accomplished poet, educator and dancer. Our teachers plan to incorporate some of what we learned from [...]

Women’s History Month Dance Spotlight: Maria Tallchief

1 Mar 2021

Maria Tallchief (Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief) This month we pay tribute to acclaimed ballet dancer and teacher Marie Tallchief, who lived from Jan. 24, 1925 – Apr. 13, 2013. Maria Tallchief was born on an Indian Reservation with the Osage tribal lands covering hundreds of miles including the [...]

African American History Month Spotlight Pearl Primus By Gerda Peterich

African-American History Month Dance Spotlight: Pearl Primus

25 Jan 2021

African-American History Month Dance Spotlight: Pearl Primus This month we pay tribute to Pearl Primus, a dancer, anthropologist, choreographer, teacher and – ultimately – a doctor who lived from Nov. 29, 1919 – Oct. 29, 1994. Primus was born in Trinidad but her family [...]

SMART Goals for Children in 2021

4 Jan 2021

January is all about making New Year’s Resolutions, but let’s say good-bye to the resolutions and hello to some SMART goals for children in 2021. It is important for people of all ages to learn how to create a simple, SMART goal and the steps to achieve the goal. Learning about [...]

Holiday Dance Traditions Around The World

30 Nov 2020

The winter holiday season ushers in a time of engaging in family and cultural traditions for many people around the world. In addition to celebrating in your own ways, learning about traditions that are celebrated in other cultures can broaden your view of what the holiday season means. In this [...]

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When Partner Dance is Physical Therapy: Addressing Disabilities in the Classroom

2 Nov 2020

Partner dance can be used as an alternative to physical therapy. This article addresses common issues people with disabilities encounter in classroom and dance settings. In order to raise awareness to the issues a group of people encounter, it is important to talk with a person within that [...]

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Dance As a Form of Activism

1 Oct 2020

This month, Dancing with Class explores activism through dance. We will explore a wider range of activism by using dance to protest, research, and raise awareness for important issues. Activism comes in all forms. Activism can show up in different settings beyond protesting in streets. It [...]

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

8 Sep 2020

What is Hispanic Heritage Month and Who is it About? The United States of America dedicates a month (September 15th-October 15th) to honor the contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Before we go further into learning [...]

How to Keep Dancing Through a Pandemic (we need dance now more than ever!)

11 Aug 2020

Dance provides expression, connection, laughter, release, and hope. These are all of the things that we need now more than ever. Dance provides the human connection many people are missing right now, and while we cannot use touch to connect, we can still feel close human connection by [...]

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4 Creative Movement Games To Enjoy Outdoors

5 Jun 2020

Today we are providing 4 movement-based activities that encourage kids to go outside (safely), interact with nature, and develop their social and emotional skills. While summer break starts this month for many, this summer may feel different due to previous and current COVID-19 restrictions. [...]