“Dancing Classrooms North Texas’ mission is to build social awareness, confidence and self-esteem in children through the practice of social dance. Our vision is to help create schools and communities where every child is connected, respected, and provided a safe environment in which to thrive. Dancing Classrooms North Texas (DCNT) began as a program of the Tarrant County Youth Collaboration in 2006. DCNT now serves more than 7,000 students annually and is proud of its partnerships throughout the years with Arlington, Birdville, Dallas, Fort Worth, Hurst Euless Bedford, and Grand Prairie Independent School Districts, as well as Dallas Catholic Diocese Schools and Uplift Education Charter Schools.
Dancing Classrooms North Texas*
“Dancing Classrooms is not about teaching ballroom dance. The dance is a tool for getting the children to break down social barriers, learn about honor and respect, treat others carefully, improve self-confidence and physical fitness, communicate and cooperate, and accept others even if they are different.
“Dancing Classrooms is a 10-week/20 session social, emotional and physical learning development program for 5th and 8th grade children that utilizes ballroom dancing as a vehicle to change the lives of not only the children who participate in the program but also the lives of the teachers and parents who support these children. Many school districts throughout North Texas have a high need for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs to engage students. SEL is the process through which children acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. SEL programming is based on the understanding that the best learning emerges in the context of supportive relationships that make learning challenging, engaging and meaningful. DCNT provides schools a social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum coupled with physical activity, allowing for student engagement and effective classroom instruction.
Dancing Classrooms North Texas*
“Dancing Classrooms uses a curriculum-based teaching approach to achieve social awareness, build self-esteem, respect for others, diversity and anti-bullying practices. Students are taught the vocabulary of various contemporary social dances in a classroom setting. Each class in the series introduces new steps, reinforcing what has been previously learned through practice and repetition.
“Every $25 raised through North Texas Giving Day provides two children with the opportunity to gain the social and emotional benefits of DCNT for the full semester residency. For every $1500 raised on NTX Giving Day, DCNT is able to add another school program to our benefits. NTX Giving Day has generated over $20,000 for DCNT over the past 2 years of participation serving nearly 15 classrooms and over 600 children and youth in North Texas schools.”
-By Tacia Torres, Dancing Classrooms North Texas Executive Director
* Graphic and photo provided by Dancing Classrooms North Texas
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In seven years, North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $119 million into the North Texas community. In 2015, $33 million was raised through more than 118,000 gifts benefiting over 2,000 nonprofits.
On Thursday, September 22, support Dancing Classrooms North Texas by linking here and spreading the word. #NTxGivingDay