Colors of the Rainbow Team Match 2016

By Kimberly Peterson

“He’ll Remember This for a Lifetime!"

That's what one parent said of her son as they left the Heart of Dance Colors of the Rainbow Team Match on May 15 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Bloomington. Fifth graders from eight Twin Cities schools danced full out in an all-school competition before a roaring crowd of parents, families and schoolmates, and a professional panel of ballroom judges. You could see results of ten weeks of Dancing Classrooms in the elegance, respect, and teamwork from students who'd learned tango, swing, rumba, foxtrot, and other ballroom dances.

Teamwork, Respect, and Joy!

Fifth graders shared their joy of the heel-toe polka as they switched partners, and danced with students from other teams they never even met!

Congratulations to All!

We applaud our dancers from all eight spring semester schools. Every student received a medal, and each school received a trophy. Congratulations to first-place team Stonebridge World School of Minneapolis! And our heartfelt thanks to the team of professional ballroom champions and judges who volunteered their time: (from left) Shinya McHenry, DanceLife Ballroom; Eliecer Ramirez, Costa Rica Ballroom; Alina and Alex Spencer, New York; Nathan Daniels, National Ballroom Dance Adjudicator; and Michelle Hudson, Cinema Ballroom. Our thanks to University of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club and U Partner Dance for their sponsorship of the Team Match.

Help Us Double our Classrooms!

When a Wellstone Elementary fifth grader dropped a generous gift into our donation box, we couldn’t help but be choked up. This was a gift from her heart. You can help Heart of Dance grow Dancing Classrooms in Minnesota with your support at heartofdancemn.org. Do you want to bring Dancing Classrooms to your fifth-grade students or family in 2016-17? Contact emberrj@heartofdancemn.org.

Tribute to Prince!

Prince’s legacy is about bringing everyone together to celebrate the joy of music and dance. Our fifth graders became one Purple Team as they danced the Stomp to Prince’s hit, “1999."