Young Dancers Spread 'Glee'

By Julie M. Fidler

A group of young Batesville dancers works after school and on weekends, resulting in a performance much like that seen on the hit TV show, “Glee,”  minus the singing.

The 55 fourth- through sixth-graders at West Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School learn everything from jazz to disco to hip hop.

Teacher Danielle Green has been with the dance program at West since it began in 2004. The dance team formed in the 2005-06 school year. Its makeup is split pretty evenly between boys and girls.

“This year, we’ve done ‘Through the Years,’ with musical icons like Elvis and the Beatles,” said Green. “We go from them to the Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys and the Black-Eyed Peas. So, we end with what’s current.” She said the team recently started learning a jazz routine.

To keep up to date, Green attends dance conventions like “The Pulse on Tour,” featuring famous current choreographers. “Last year, I went to Dallas,” she said. “Over spring break this year, I may be able to go back.”

Last summer,  Green went to Broadway Dance Center in New York City and took 10 hours of classes. “It was a lot of fun,” she said.

According to the teacher, “disco is really a big deal. The kids are all doing it and liking it.” She said educational standards require her to teach different time periods and cultures. “We do all of it.”

Each year, over 100 students try out for the dance team, and the numbers grow by at least two or three a year. Cuts have to be made.

“Even if we’ve have kids move, I’ve seen not as many drop off (the team) this year,” she said. “They’ve held with it and stuck with it. Try-outs are involved.”

To be fair, Green brings in outside judges and score tabulators for try-outs.

“A lot of times, I’ll pick a score to have as a cut off and take that many children (for the team),” she said. “There are cuts. But, a lot of times, those kids come back the next year; and most of them make it.”

Not all children join as expert dancers, Green said.

“There are some children from year to year,” she said. “They may not be the best dancers. Then, all of a sudden, it begins to click. They come on (stage), and it’s amazing.”

Some have even switched to West Magnet for the chance to dance, said Green. Her first group of fourth-graders are now high school sophomores. Many are either on the football or dance teams or are cheerleaders. “We’ve got representation of West throughout our school district,” she said.

The children seem to gain a lot of confidence through the program. “That’s the big thing,” said Green. “It gives them confidence do things they’d never have gotten to do. Taking these classes would not have been possible. It’s a wonderful program. Due to performance confidence, our academic tests scores have gone up.”

In 2008, the West Magnet Dance Team won grand champion status in Arkansas Dance Spectacular. Since then, the AAA oversees dance competitions. Due to the championship, the team received an Arkansas State Senate Citation.

More recently, the team has performed in Branson, Mo., at the shows “Red, Hot and Blue” and “Spirit of the Dance” and at Silver Dollar City. They’re currently preparing for the Branson show, “Liverpool Legends.” They’ll also perform again at Silver Dollar City. Two years ago, the team danced in front of 19,000 people at a University of Memphis basketball game .

They also perform during games at Lyon College and Batesville junior and senior high schools. Last month, the team danced at the Pink Zone basketball game at University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

Public recitals are coming next month. The fourth- through sixth-grade team performs at 6:30 p.m. April 29 at Independence Hall on the campus of University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville. Recitals for kindergarten and first-grade dancers are May 5, and May 6 for second- and third-graders. All of the recitals are at UACCB at 6:30 p.m.