"Dancing Classrooms was really fun and I can't believe it has to stop. But I think having that time in my brain and my body was really beautiful. I'll still have a part of Dancing Classrooms in my heart and I'll never forget it. It was awesome."  

-Jose, fifth grader, Harambee Elementary School

May 9, 2017 was a day of celebration for Heart of Dance! Our first annual Dancing with Heart luncheon included over 200 supporters and we celebrated two years of Dancing Classrooms' programming. 

Speeches presented at the luncheon can be found below by clicking on the names below!

Co-Founders Andrea Mirenda and Ember Reichgott Junge opened the program, telling the audience about the progress of the past two years and their vision for the future. Andrea also shared a poem written by Jackson, a fifth grader at Windom Dual Immersion School who does not have use of his legs and dances in a wheelchair.  Read his poem below. Heart of Dance could not be more grateful for the warm and generous response.

The video above was shown and everyone appreciated being able to get a peak into the dancing classrooms. Enjoy it now by clicking above and hear how the story of Maya, a fifth grader at Stonebridge World School. Listen to the difference the Dancing Classrooms made in her life and hear from other school principals!

Fifth graders from Learning for Leadership Charter School and Windom Dual Immersion School (first and second place at the Colors of the Rainbow Team Match) danced to rave reviews by guests. Special thanks to Jose from Harambee Elementary School (view Jose's comments here) and fifth-grader Sam from Windom Dual Immersion School (view Sam's comments here) for their impressive and heartfelt presentations in which they talked about their Dancing Classrooms experience. We also thank Principals Bryan Bass (Linwood Monroe Arts Plus, St. Paul) and VaNita Miller (Field Community School, Minneapolis) for sharing their passions for our partnership.

Learn more about Sam's story KARE 11's video. ---------------------->

Curriculum connection assignments created by the students were exhibited at the luncheon and shown below.

Photos generously provided by C.J. Hurst.

Learn more about this event in Sheer Dance's article on Dancing with Heart.