Suzanne Davis

Have fun dancing the waltz, merengue, foxtrot, cha-cha, and many other ballroom dances while integrating the Kentucky Core Content for Assessment in Arts and Humanities.  As a retired classroom educator of twenty- seven years Suzanne Davis has incorporated dance in her daily classroom instruction even before core content and state assessment in Arts and Humanities were established. She certainly realizes the value of dance as a tool to reach all children.  The early part of her teaching career was spent educating “at–risk” children in reading in grades 1-8.  From there she taught 6th grade children in all academic subjects.  Ms. Davis received her Master’s in Education, Rank I, and also her Gifted Education Certification.  For 15 years she taught a 5th grade self-contained gifted classroom. In addition to the academic core curriculum she instructed children in Arts and Humanities in the dance component.  In 2006 she was selected as “A Teacher Who Made a Difference”, an award given by the College of Education at the University of Kentucky.  Also Ms. Davis was instrumental in obtaining a Title I grant entitled” Learning through the Arts”.  Recently she completed residencies in Montgomery County and Fayette County for 4th and 5th graders.
 
As an adult she has taken ballet and jazz classes but with the rise of ballroom dancing Suzanne truly found her passion.  For the past several years she has been a student at the Arthur Murray studio taking ballroom dance lessons.  Presently Ms. Davis is working on obtaining her Associate Bronze I-II certification in ballroom dancing.  During the time at Arthur Murray, she has been trained in smooth dances such as, waltz, foxtrot, rumba, as well as rhythm dances, such as cha-cha, merengue, salsa, and swing.
 
Because of her love for ballroom dance, she has developed and implemented a program for 3rd–8th grade called “Ballroom for Kids” in a partnership with Arthur Murray studio.  Ms. Davis created, developed, and initiated a three-week program at an elementary school in conjunction with the Family Resource Center where students were taught ballroom dancing and the fundamentals of dance from the Kentucky Core Content.  Suzanne has instructed children of various ages and adults at the local library.  Some of the classes were entitled “Dances of the 60’s” and “Swing Dance of the 30’s and 40’s”.
 
The most important quality she possesses is her ability to relate to children of all ages and all mental capabilities.  Although Ms. Davis is very new in the field of ballroom dance her enthusiasm and years of working with children help to establish a rapport with even the most at–risk child.

Ballroom for Kids
The goal of this project is to encourage and foster the love of ballroom dancing. In addition this project will assist educators in the Kentucky public school systems to meet the core content academic expectations in Arts and Humanities.  Although the major focus is dance, this program is multi-disciplinary and includes social studies, music, and practical living skills. This program can be designed to fit each school although grades 4-12 are ideal.  It is best if students are divided in small groups of 25-30 students for a class period to allow more individualized instruction.  The length of the residency will determine the number of dances but all students will be introduced to the basic core content.

Children will be performing ballroom dances while exploring the history and culture of the particular dance. To encourage parent involvement, students will perform the dances for other students, parents, and the community.   Children will choreograph their own dances, which will allow the students an opportunity to develop creativity. Research indicates that in many “at-risk” students’ culture, music and dance is very much a part their life which provides a natural transition to ballroom dancing. Dancing is an area in which all students can achieve.   Not only will this program assist classroom teachers with dance but also it will promote social skills and build self-esteem.  Not all children will be athletes but certainly ballroom dancing will be a form of exercise all children can enjoy throughout life.

These are a few of Kentucky Core Content in Arts and Humanities that will be addressed:

Elementary
AH-E 2.1.31 - Discuss how expressive dances are composed with a variety of locomotor and non-locomotor movements that incorporate the elements of dance: Space, time, and force
AH-E-2.1.31 - Discuss how the elements of dance and the expressive qualities of movements contribute to the idea of the dance
AH-E2.1.3.1 - Describe how locomotor and non-locomotor movements are used to create a simple dance with a beginning, middle, and end
AH-E-2.2.31 - Explain how dance has been a part of cultures and time periods throughout history
AH-E-2.2.32 - Discuss the three purposes of dance
AH-E-2.2.33 - Describe, using appropriate terminology, differences and commonalties in dances of different cultures

Middle School
AH-M-1.2.1 - Students will identify or describe how elements of dance are used to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings in dance
AH-M-2.2.1 - Students will analyze or explain how diverse cultures and time periods affect dance
AH-M-2.2.32 - Identify and describe dances from different cultures (Latin America, Caribbean)
AH-M-3.2.1 - Students will identify or explain how dance fulfills a variety of purposes.
AH-M-4.2.1 - Students will create an individual or a group dance with 2-3 other people using dance elements (space, time and force)

High School
AH-HS-2.2.1 - Students will analyze or evaluate how factors such as time, place, and ideas are reflected in dance
AH-HS-3.2.1- Students will explain how dance fulfills a variety of purposes
AH-HS-4.2.1 - Students will create an individual or a group dance using dance elements (space, time and force) that communicates thoughts, ideas and/or feelings.
AH-HS-4.2.2 - Students will demonstrate appropriate alignment, strength, and flexibility while performing dance movement
AH-HS-4.2.4 - Students will perform social, recreational, and artistic dances from various historical periods and cultures