General Information

Description

1,000 Chicago Public Schools elementary students learn ballroom dancing as part of their school day, then

enter dance competitions; school officials say the dance classes build confidence, interpersonal and life

skills.

Keywords

Ballroom Dance, Ballroom Dancing, Dance, Ballroom, Students, Public School, Elementary School,

Confidence, Self-Esteem, Relationships, Interpersonal Relationship, Relationship Skills, Life Skills,

Social Skills, Manners, Gentleman, Poise, Culture, Cultural Origin, Ethnicity, Tango, Paso Doble, Waltz,

Cha-cha-cha, Jive, School Day, Competition, "Having a Ball Ballroom Dance Competition", Parents,

Pride, Proud, Chicago Board of Education, Chicago, Illinois, Education, Making a Difference

Chicago Public Schools Use Dance to Teach Life Skills, Confidence, Stepby Step

https://archives.nbclearn.com/portal/site/k-12/browse/?cuecard=44116

Source: NBC Nightly News Resource Type: Video News ReportCreator: Brian Williams/Kevin

TibblesCopyright: NBCUniversal Media,

LLC.Event Date: 05/19/2009 Copyright Date: 2009Air/Publish Date: 05/19/2009 Clip Length 00:02:27

Page 1 of 3© 2008-2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Citation

MLA

"Chicago Public Schools Use Dance to Teach Life Skills, Confidence, Step by Step." Kevin Tibbles,

correspondent. NBC Nightly News. NBCUniversal Media. 19 May 2009. NBC Learn. Web. 12 August

2017

APA

Tibbles, K. (Reporter), & Williams, B. (Anchor). 2009, May 19. Chicago Public Schools Use Dance to

Teach Life Skills, Confidence, Step by Step. [Television series episode]. NBC Nightly News. Retrieved

from https://archives.nbclearn.com/portal/site/k-12/browse/?cuecard=44116

CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE

"Chicago Public Schools Use Dance to Teach Life Skills, Confidence, Step by Step" NBC Nightly News,

New York, NY: NBC Universal, 05/19/2009. Accessed Sat Aug 12 2017 from NBC Learn:

https://archives.nbclearn.com/portal/site/k-12/browse/?cuecard=44116

Transcript

Chicago Public Schools Use Dance to Teach Life Skills, Confidence, Step by Step

BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor:

We're back. It's time for MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Tonight, educators giving students in Chicago's

public schools a chance to learn something that's not part of the usual curriculum - that would be ballroom

dance. It turns out the key to it was making it a part of the school day so students could not cut out of it

and end up cutting a rug. Our report from NBC's Kevin Tibbles.

KEVIN TIBBLES reporting:

His mom never imagined fifth-grader Timothy Webster whirling his way to newfound confidence.

Unidentified Woman #1: I am proud of you. You're a outstanding dancer.

TIBBLES: Timothy and 1,000 other kids from Chicago's often troubled public schools have learned to

dance for the Having a Ball ballroom dance competition.

Ms. MICHELLE REYNOLDS (Oriole Park Elementary): Go ahead and put your dance shoes one.

TIBBLES: For 20 weeks in 40 schools, coming to class has meant putting on the dancing shoes as a

regular part of the school day.

Ms. REYNOLDS: It's for their self-esteem, confidence, interpersonal relationships with the kids.

Mr. MICHAEL SCOTT (Chicago Board of Education President): This kind of program really teaches

people how to relate with one another at another level. And I think it really gives the children a head start

socially in life.

TIBBLES: The students from diverse ethnic backgrounds are also taught the cultural origin of each dance.

Unidentified Boy: I've learned the tango, waltz, paso doble, the cha-cha and the jive.

Page 2 of 3© 2008-2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Unidentified Girl #1: We learned how to get along with others better.

Unidentified Girl #2: I'm nervous, very nervous.

TIBBLES: Nervous, no wonder. On the big night of the final competition, 30 couples remained, and the

hall is packed and loud. But when the music starts, it's poise and perfection. For these kids it's their night

to grow in the spotlight. They are all dancing and they are all stars.

Ms. MALIWAN DIEMER (Chicago Public Schools Dance Supervisor): It's great to give them an anchor

in their lives to be able to reach out and feel like they can achieve and be successful.

Couple number 187.

TIBBLES: Competition intensifies and the field narrows with each round.

Proud parents can't believe their eyes.

Unidentified Man: From the really boy's boy, a rascal, he turned into a kind of a gentleman.

TIBBLES: At night's end it's time for flowers, trophies and tears.

TEXT:

Watch more dancing at nightly.msnbc.com

TIBBLES: And for Timothy a big hug.

Mr. TIMOTHY WEBSTER: No, I didn't think that I would look that good.

TIBBLES: Learning life skills that will last forever one step at a time. Kevin Tibbles, NBC News,

Chicago.

Page 3 of 3© 2008-2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.