Fifth graders show off moves

Sure, you’ve seen fifth graders do the “griddy” dance, but have you seen them tango, waltz, rumba and foxtrot?
More than 70 students at Barton Elementary School, 4237 Colfax Ave. S., Minneapolis, demonstrated those steps and all their ballroom dance skills on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023.
Barton received a “Dancing Classrooms” grant through Heart of Dance, an organization that brings the benefits of ballroom dance to people who might not normally get the chance to experience it. The students have been part of a dance residency since September and this recital is the culmination of everything they have learned.
“I give our students so much credit for being brave enough to try this activity and now perform in front of their parents and the whole school,” said Barton Principal Jeannette Sather. “Once these fifth graders got over the idea that they had to hold hands, and possibly stand very close to one another, we saw a real change. They gained confidence in themselves and respect for their dance partners. Yes, they learned the technical steps to the dances, but we found the social and emotional learning was even more important.”