Tiger Times Interview
A Student Publication for the Dupree School and Community Vol. 2 Issue 1
One of the biggest events happening in the elementary right now, is the ballet class that occurs during the after school program. For this month's issue, we sat down with the instructor, Amanda Held, to get an inside look at the program.
Hi! My name is Amanda Held and I have been with the Sioux YMCA for 18 months now. I grew up in Wisconsin and danced with Arabesque Dance Studio for 10 years.
Do you think you inspire your students?
That's a hard question to answer. If you came to my class, it'd be very obvious that the girls are excited about dance. I was just the agent that brought them the opportunity to channel their energy through dance. I hope that my class inspires them to be active and teaches them another way they can express themselves.
What ages group do you prefer to teach?
I enjoy teaching both of my classes. I have one class of kindergartners through 2nd graders and one class of 3rd graders through 6th graders. For most of the girls, it's their first time dancing, so it's been really fun sharing the joy of dance with them. The little girls are like sponges--they catch on so fast and are very serious about learning. The older girls just want to have fun.
How do you describe your ballet classes?
We like to have fun, but I try to teach something new every class. Each class starts with stretching, then a ballet warm up, steps across the floor, and our recital dance. If we have time at the end of class, I put on a free dance song. We're working hard now because each class will have a dance in the school's spring concert.
How do you handle difficult students that don't participate?
I haven't really run into this issue. The girls are excited to be in class. Sometimes they get distracted and off-task, but I just redirect them. I've found the easiest way to do this is to start the music and start dancing instead of begging them to focus.
Why do you teach ballet classes?
Dance has always been a source of joy for me--a time when I could forget about all the stresses of the week. It's a fun way to get moving and a skill I could easily share. Since I moved here, I have not heard of any opportunities for girls to take ballet. I started teaching at the Y and it was very popular. Because our space is so small, we partnered with the Dupree School 21st Century After School Program and now we can reach more youth from many different communities!
One of the biggest events happening in the elementary right now, is the ballet class that occurs during the after school program. For this month's issue, we sat down with the instructor, Amanda Held, to get an inside look at the program.
Hi! My name is Amanda Held and I have been with the Sioux YMCA for 18 months now. I grew up in Wisconsin and danced with Arabesque Dance Studio for 10 years.
Do you think you inspire your students?
That's a hard question to answer. If you came to my class, it'd be very obvious that the girls are excited about dance. I was just the agent that brought them the opportunity to channel their energy through dance. I hope that my class inspires them to be active and teaches them another way they can express themselves.
What ages group do you prefer to teach?
I enjoy teaching both of my classes. I have one class of kindergartners through 2nd graders and one class of 3rd graders through 6th graders. For most of the girls, it's their first time dancing, so it's been really fun sharing the joy of dance with them. The little girls are like sponges--they catch on so fast and are very serious about learning. The older girls just want to have fun.
How do you describe your ballet classes?
We like to have fun, but I try to teach something new every class. Each class starts with stretching, then a ballet warm up, steps across the floor, and our recital dance. If we have time at the end of class, I put on a free dance song. We're working hard now because each class will have a dance in the school's spring concert.
How do you handle difficult students that don't participate?
I haven't really run into this issue. The girls are excited to be in class. Sometimes they get distracted and off-task, but I just redirect them. I've found the easiest way to do this is to start the music and start dancing instead of begging them to focus.
Why do you teach ballet classes?
Dance has always been a source of joy for me--a time when I could forget about all the stresses of the week. It's a fun way to get moving and a skill I could easily share. Since I moved here, I have not heard of any opportunities for girls to take ballet. I started teaching at the Y and it was very popular. Because our space is so small, we partnered with the Dupree School 21st Century After School Program and now we can reach more youth from many different communities!