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The answer to your kid's stay-at-home stir craziness?Ìý
That would be dance, at least according to Joseph Rodgers and his wife SolesteÌýLupu-Rodgers
Rodgers and Lupu-Rodgers co-founded the South ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ classical ballet school Dancing in the Streets ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, where they make dance affordable and accessible.
Rodgers and Lupu-Rodgers believe that all kids should have a chance to dance, regardless of socioeconomic status, body type and ability.Ìý
Students learn ballet, yes, but their experiences at Dancing in the Streets also teach them valuable life skills that can affect how they perform in school and interact at home. Dance can make all the difference for a kid.
That's why after closing in March for the pandemic, the dance school reopened again in May with precautions. Many of the families in the Dancing in the Streets community lack access to reliable internet or multiple devices at home, Rodgers and Lupu-Rodgers say. Virtual classes just didn't work for their community.Ìý
Plus, they heard from parents, these kids just needed to get some exerciseÌý— especially in the midst of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s hot summer.Ìý
Months of closure and a reduced number of students returning, among other factors, mean finances are tight. Still, this ballet studio continues dancing, so far relying on fundraisers and community support. Because making space for any child to learn to dance is just that important.Ìý
For more information about Dancing in the Streets ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, visit Ìý
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