At Risk Children Dance for Social Change

Last November, as part of Enlaces’ Extension Programs, a Dance Festival was held at the Instituto de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Institute of Our Lady of Mercy in English) of El Chorrillo in Panama City, where fifteen of the 98 students from 4th and 5th grade whom we have been working with since 2013, showed a work sample with four students of our intensive program who participated with an extract of a piece presented in “Mi Cuerpo, Mi Fuerza” (My Body, My Srength in English), a show that made its debut last August.

This was the first time both groups presented their work in front of an audience composed exclusively by their peers. They all showed a lot of concentration, self-control and hard work. In the short sample they used techniques such as presenting their names with their bodies and the Mirror technique, where one leader directs the group as they change positions.

It was a very emotional event, where the dance teachers’ effort and dedication showed as well as the commitment that children have forged in this year of partnership with the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy, where Fundación Calicanto accomplished to include Dance as a subject in their academic curriculum for 4^th and 5^th grade. 

At the end of the event, one of the school teachers asked to say a few words and she said “We all know how restless and uneasy our children are on a daily basis, but something magic happens when they come to Dance class; when they dance they acquire a certain peace and they seem to listen more.”  

In 2015 we plan to add another grade in this school so that more children can benefit from the dance lessons Calicanto offers.

Links:

• Complete Album of the Event in our Facebook Page
• Album in Ins. Nuestra Sra de la Merced's Facebook Page
• Short video of a few moments of the show