The Transformative Power of Dance

It’s 8:12 in the morning, and six students are flitting here and there, eagerly helping me set up pylons. For a moment, I pause, and as my eyes scan the schoolyard, Shyanne’s dad strolls over and introduces himself. “My daughter is really excited,” he says. “She stayed up late to practice the dances.”

Seven more students run towards me, and the group grows as my colleague Chris Grady connects the speakers to the sound system and one of the students’ favourite songs begins to boom. By 8:30, the group has grown to over 25. Today is the first Wake Up Wednesday (WUW) this school year. Close to 50 grade 3 and 4 students have joined the dance club, and they will all take part in leading the school through three dances today.

As the bell rings at 8:40, 46 students fidget with nervousness and excitement as they stand in front of the entire school. We look at a sea of familiar teachers, students and family members. Collectively, we start by noticing the pale blue sky with undertones of turquoise, the towering willow tree swaying beside us, and by appreciating the urban landscape we are fortunate to gather on today through a group landThe thumping of a drum opens our first dance song, then beats loudly as students cheer in response to the familiar music. Everyone moves in unison to the dance we all remember from last year. At one point in the song, I turn around to check in on the 46 leaders, and I am filled with joy to see their faces lit up as they lead their school and community. acknowledgment.

The thumping of a drum opens our first dance song, then beats loudly as students cheer in response to the familiar music. Everyone moves in unison to the dance we all remember from last year. At one point in the song, I turn around to check in on the 46 leaders, and I am filled with joy to see their faces lit up as they lead their school and community.

I have been running Wake Up Wednesday at Oakridge Junior Public School for six years. On mid-week mornings in the fall and spring, the whole school – including staff, students and community members – gather outside to connect through movement at the beginning of the school day. This initiative began as an effort to support students' wellbeing and mental health but blossomed into so much more. Led by students, Wake Up Wednesday promotes student leadership and nurtures a sense of community. Engagement is off the charts, and teachers have shared how these mornings help their students focus and self-regulate. Even parents and caregivers stay and participate, reaping the benefits.

Dancing is both a form of expression and a way to exercise, and research shows it can positively affect mood, sleep and well-being. Research from Harvard shows that dancing has such beneficial effects on the brain that doctors use it to treat people with Parkinson’s disease. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine discovered that dance can improve brain health.

I have experienced the transformative effects of dance both personally and as an arts educator for over 20 years. Dance is a voice for English language learners and neurodiverse students, and a powerful tool for kinesthetic learners and students with ADHD. Dancing involves mental effort and includes social interaction. When we dance, dopamine and endorphins are released, so dancing first thing in the morning helps reduce stress and can put us in a calm, positive mood. Dancing also brings us together, creating a sense of belonging, unity and camaraderie. So in short, dance is good for us!

Nurturing Student Leadersip and Student Voice

WUW leaders co-create choreography and have a voice in choosing our songs. They are committed to this initiative, practicing weekly throughout the school year, and are so engaged that I have to remind them to eat lunch on practice days. Mel, who graduated from Oakridge two years ago, often stops by during set up, noting how much she misses the club and asking if she can return.

During one dance club practice, I play the new song “Toast” as we body storm movements. (Body storming is sort of like brainstorming, but using physical expression to explore ideas, themes, or issues.) Jamal jumps in to share his move. We piece together movements from five students. Jamal stays with his best friend to offer more ideas for the choreography until I send him off to eat his lunch. The next day, Mary and Anita burst into my classroom, wanting an extra practice this week to show a new version of one of their moves.

Leaders teach the dances to the rest of the school through tutorial videos and at school assemblies. Sometimes, they visit other classes in teams of two to teach other students. Dance club members also enjoy naming the moves they create. “I love making dances the whole school uses,” Antoine shares at one of the practices.

Building Community

One day, as I was collecting pylons after WUW, one of the parents came up to tell me how refreshing it was that students aged four to 12, parents, caregivers, staff and even the school principal were learning all together. Even grandparents sometimes partake!

After another WUW, Michelle, a DECE, shared that she feels like these mornings create an inclusive space where educators can model vulnerability. As I dance alongside my student leaders, I often say, “If you don’t know the steps, just freestyle and move!” I model risk-taking when I forget the steps and use this advice myself.

Coming together as a whole community is powerful and helps create an anti-oppressive, safe environment where students are engaged and represented. Wednesday mornings feel like a vibrant community party as dance brings us all together for 15 to 20 minutes.

Creating Inclusive Spaces

WUW practices are lively, and students explore movement by making use of every free space in the room. Last year, one dance club member, who was struggling in traditional class activities, was able to express complex ideas and feelings about inclusion through movement. Another, who was usually quiet in class, came to life during practice as she used dance as a vehicle to share her ideas. Through the years, members have collaborated to use dance to tell stories of resilience, friendship and kindness.

Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy

Learning what kind of music students listen to, like and identify with is essential. Of course, the songs have to be vetted, but I often go home and listen to the music suggested by my students to get a better understanding of who they are and what they are interested in. I keep a list of requests outside my class and have learned so much about current music from my students. I model being a learner and honour their identities by inviting them to share their interests and cultural backgrounds.

Taking Your First Steps

• Model vulnerability and fully engage as a teacher. If we ask our students to do this, we as educators must show what it looks like to be out of our comfort zone. When I teach dance, I am fully committed, which is a huge reason my students are eager to participate and engage.
• Establish norms such as personal space and starting in a neutral position. Clear expectations will help with self-regulation.
• Create a short list of songs with positive messages and invite students to choose. I always leave room for student selections with appropriate lyrics and messages, and carefully vet songs first.
• Choose a theme with students using the song title, lyrics or tone of an instrumental song. What is the song about, and what might that look like in the movement?
• Use dance strategies such as body storming to generate movement to co-create choreography. For example, when we recently used the song “Be Nice” by the Black Eyed Peas, we talked about things we do that are kind. Ash shared that this could be helping someone up when they fall. Eva suggested we try a “reaching” move. Students explored what reaching looks like in the body in all different ways. “Let’s try reaching at a high level! Let’s try reaching with both hands. Can we add a twist to the reach? What should we do with our feet when we reach?” Students then explored this one movement in various ways until they collectively chose one.
• Weave in the dance curriculum by modelling dance terminology and the elements of dance. Use coaching to explore student-created movements in different ways. “Let’s try Kevon’s movement using different levels” (element of space). “How might we exaggerate Zehra’s movement to use the whole body?” (element of body). “Can we try Mohammed’s movement with sharper arms?” (element of energy).
• Name the move! When students create the movements and see them in their dances, there is an overwhelming sense of pride and ownership. If we use a student’s movement for a dance, I invite them to name it and explicitly refer to it when we teach it to the school. Naming moves also helps with cueing.
• Practice! Once you co-create a dance, practice it and find a way to share it with the school. It can be taught at an assembly, you can dip into the media curriculum to create a tutorial video, or team students up to teach it to other classes. We have tried all options over the last six years, and which ones work best always depends on the group of leaders that year.

Wake Up Wednesday is truly a passion project. I do it because of the shared joy I experience as I look out at the sea of 400-plus smiling faces. I do it because of the buzz of electric energy I feel walking into the school after WUW. I do it because I see the dance leaders explode with pride after WUW as they high-five and ask me daily if we can have practice. Dance is a profound and powerful tool that connects to our social and emotional well-being. On Wednesday morning, positivity is in the air, and there is an intense sense of joy, belonging and engagement. This kind of collaborative experience can transform a school into a community.

Special thank you to my colleague Chris Grady, who has been the WUW DJ and tech crew over the last six years, for making this initiative possible.

Jennifer Matsalla is a member of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto Local.