Chicago Dance Gazette

Ballroom Dancing comes to Chicago Public Schools

Character development, physical education, history among lessons of "Having a Ball"

 

In October 2005, Chicago Public Schools officials launched a new program called "Having a Ball," a ballroom dancing-based curriculum as a pilot in 18 schools across the city.

Michael Scott, president of the Chicago board of Education, in making the announcement at Chicago Illuminating Company, 19 E. 21st. St., said students will receive 10 weeks of lesson in the classroom. Those 10 weeks will be followed by a two-week after-school component for students selected to participate in a ballroom dancing competition.

The curriculum is aimed at fifth-graders and is designed to teach students a variety of dances: the cha-cha, the samba, swing, the tango, and the waltz. In addition to learning the steps, students will study the history, culture, geography and music surrounding each dance. Each participating school will identify one fifth-grade class for the program.

“I have no doubt that this program will go a long way toward teaching our kids a lot more than just dancing,’’ Scott said. “They’ll become more socially aware and gain a lot of confidence and self-esteem. We hope that this is the initiation of a wonderful program that will expand in years to come.”

Scott said he was inspired by the movie “Mad Hot Ballroom,” a documentary that chronicled a similar program in the New York City school district but is about far more than just dancing.

Joining Scott for the announcement will be Pierre Dulaine and Yvonne Marceau of New York's American Ballroom Theater , who are the founders of the 10-year–old New York City school district program. Dulaine also is the subject of an upcoming movie starring Antonio Banderas.  

CPS’s “Having a Ball” program includes three competitions—a regional, a semi-final, and a final—beginning in February. Each school will identify six co-ed couples to participate.

The 18 pilot “Having a Ball” schools were selected by lottery from 136 schools that would best benefit from a curriculum that has among its goals the enhancement of student fine arts and physical education programs. The schools are:

* Agassiz , 2851 N. Seminary
* Beethoven, 25 W. 47th
* Earhart, 1710 E. 93 rd St.
* Ebinger, 7350 W. Pratt Ave.
* Hamilton, 1650 W. Cornelia Ave.
* Jensen, 3030 W. Harrison
* Johnson, 1420 S. Albany
* Madison , 7433 S. Dorchester
* McClellan, 3527 S. Wallace St.
* McCutcheon, 4865 N. Sheridan
* Nash, 4837 W. Erie St.
* Nobel, 4127 W. Hirsch St.
* O’Toole, 6550 S. Seeley Ave.
* Parkman, 245 W. 51 st St.
* Pershing West Magnet, 3113 S. Rhodes Ave.
* Reavis, 834 E. 50 th St.
* Turner-Drew, 9300 S. Princeton Ave.
* Westcott, 409 W. 80 th St

CPS officials are working with a Ballroom Dancing Steering committee, made up of civic and corporate partners: Donna LaPietra, of Kurtis Productions, the committee chair; Bob Bloomer, of Chartwells-Thompson; Michelle Boone, of the Joyce Foundation; Homer Bryant, of the Multi-cultural Dance Center; Warren Chapman, of the Chase Foundation; Libby Chiu, of Urban Gateways; Les Coney, of AON Corp.; Kassie Davis, of Chicago Community Trust; Gregory Day, of Chicago Dance; Randy Duncan, choreographer; Martin Gapshis, of Progress Printing; Tommye Giacchino, of Chicago Dance; Sandy Guthman, of Polk Bros. Foundation; Leslie Hindman, of Leslie Hindman, Inc.; Katherine Humpfries, of Hubbard Street Dance Company; Linda Johnson Rice, of Johnson Publishing; Candace Jordan, supporter of the arts; Gail Kalver, of Hubbard Street Dance; Lisa Laboriqua, of Latin Street Dancing; Connie Lindsey, of Northern Trust; Nancy McKeever, supporter of the arts; Marta Michulka, of Chicago Illuminating Company; Marilyn Miglin, of Marilyn Miglin, Inc.; Isobel Neal, art consultant; Abby O’Neil, philanthropist; Elise Paschen, of Poetry Chicago; Sugar Rautbord, businesswoman; Anne Roosevelt, of The Boeing Company; Harriett Ross, dancer; Sarah Solotoroff, of Chicago Community Trust; Danielle Thomas, The Boeing Company; Abe Thompson, businessman; Audrey Tuggle, supporter of the arts; Richard Turner, of Peoples Energy Corp.; Dori Wilson, of Dori Wilson Public Relations; and Neal Zucker, of Corporate Cleaning.

 

The Chicago Public Schools is the nation’ s third-largest school system. It includes more than 600 schools and serves about 425,900 students.

 

Press Relase Oct. 17, 2005

Celeste Garrett

CPS Office of Communications