Culture through Ballroom Dance

LIberty High Schools Update:

Fall semester 2011 saw the continuation of dance lessons at both Liberty High and LIberty North High schools.  This occured both in after school classes as well as dance lessons scheduled during coed PE classes.  I recommend, for any high school, placing 2 or 3 ballroom dance lessons in coed PE classes, or fine arts classes such as music appreciation, is the best way to reach the most students.  For High School Students we concentrate on Latin dancing to Pop Music as well as Swing Dance.   These are skills they can use at their normal high school dances.

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IAfter School Dance class at Liberty High School, Feb. 2011.  Good going Liberty High, and Liberty North!  See article in the Liberty Tribune.  http://www.kccommunitynews.com/liberty-tribune/26887834/detail.html

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Delano Ballroom Dance Festival, April 4th, 2011   See pictures on KC Star's website:

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/04/04/2776456/wheelchair-ballroom-festival-at.html

 Dance instructor, Brandon White, and partner, Lorraine Cannistra, performing for Delano dance students.    ______________________________________________                             

 Kansas City Missouri School District Website features our Fall semester Delano High School 2010 wheelchair dance students and their partners in the following article!

 http://www2.kcmsd.net/Lists/News1/DispForm.aspx?ID=1393&Source=http://www2.kcmsd.net/Pages/default.aspx   

 Thanks to Mary Spencer for the above pictures!   Many thanks also to our wheelchair and special needs teacher, Brandon White, leading the class in the above picture.

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         2010 BALLROOM DANCE FESTIVAL!

Tuesday May 11th, 7 pm, the KCMO School District's 40 th annual Performing Arts Festival presented the 5th annual ballroom dance performance at Southwest Early College Campus, 6512 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64113.   The dancers all did a fabulous job.  In addition, the 2010 show also included a special wheelchair dancing presentation.  For video, see our "Pictures and Video" page.

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Fall Semester 2010

So far this semester we have the following elementary schools in the Kansas City Missourin School District participating:  Attucks, Border Star, Delano, Foreign Language Academy, Gladstone, Holliday, James, Paige, Rogers and Wheatley.  All but 2 of those are sponsored by LINC. 

In addition we so far have 4 high school partcipating, Liberty High School and Liberty North, as well as Delano High School students and East High in the KCMO District.  We anticipate 2 more high schools by next semester.  At Delano we are very proud to have highly regarded special needs dance instructor, Brandon White, to assist us in teaching an entire classroom of wheelchair dancers and their partners.  They are making great progress; thank you Brandon!

2009 / 2010 Particpating Schools

Attucks Elementary, Border Star, Foreign Language Academy, and Gladstone Academy from the Kansas City, Missouri School District.  Funding was in short supply to start with, but thanks to an incoming grant, a significant donation and help from LINC, we were later able to add classes in Ladd, Pinkerton, and Swinney elementary schools.  In addition, Southwest Early College Campus joined in late in the semester with Latin dance lessons and participated in the Ballroom Dance Festival for the 1st time.

All of the 6th graders at Center School District Middle School also took ballroom dancing this school year and gave a fabulous performance to show off their new skills. 

Area school districts have been severly hit by budget cuts so we would ask any possible sponsors to check out our "How You Can Help" page.

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Other performances

Our dancers also perform for other events throughout the year.  For inquiries about our dancers performing for your organization, contact Dr. Will Adams at todance@swbell.net  or call 816-781-6514.   

2011 Participating Schools

Winter Spring semester:

High Schools

Liberty High School

Liberty North High School

Staley High School

East High School

Delano High School

Elementary Schools

Attucks 

Border Star 

Foreign Language Acadamy

Gladstone Academy

Holliday

Paige

Rogers

Wheatley

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Black History Programs

Historically Swing Dancing was an African American contribution to our society.  so in honor of Black History month, both Attucks and Holliday presented a swing dance presentation.  All of the student dancers did an excellent job and received very enthusiastic applause!

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Culture through Ballroom Dance was honored by the Kansas City Royals Baseball Club, Sept 18th!   Dr. Will Adams was awarded the Buck O'Neil legacy seats for that night's game in honor of his founding of "Culture through Ballroom Dance" and his community service teaching children etiquette and self esteem through the art of ballroom dancing. 

 Educating children was near and dear to the heart of the late baseball legend, Buck O'Neil, who was a Royals season ticket holder. For each game, his former seats are awarded to someone who most exemplifies his qualities of community service. 

Congratulations to Dr. Adams!   (Click on the link below for video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a7PCHTVYnk