PRAIRIE DANCE EXPERIENCE

 
The Prairie Dance Theatre in our community with the cooperation with the OKC Public Schools has given our students a special opportunity to attend after-school workshops twice weekly for eight weeks.  Fifteen students are selected based on referrals from teachers and parents for  each semester. They  receive instruction  in different kinds of dance plus theater and  creative writing.  Practical life skills such as interpersonal relationships, health issues, nutrition and etiquette are also presented.  This program strives to nurture in children possibilities for personal growth, inspire hope and develop accountability by awakening each child's sense of personal gifts and skills, by promoting healthy self-esteem and by feeding body, mind, and spirit. Instructors are local community dance professionals with extensive teaching experience and unpaid volunteers.   

 Tonya Kilburn is the Director of the Prairie Dance Program and has done a great job working with our students. On   April 5, 2008  there was a special event for the Prairie Dance program and the students at our school.  In the Eleanor Maurer Theater at the Science Museum Oklahoma, Prairie Dance Theatre celebrated it 30th Anniversary.  There was a time when special guests helped to retell the history of this organization.  There was also a bright hope for the future because this program is so successful. 

The Thelma Parks, Moon Academy and the PDT Youth Company presented a dance program called "Night Hawk's Dream."  "Night Hawk's Dream is based on a dream given to the Prairie Dance Theatre organization by Dr. Howard Merideth.  It shows Lakota traditions but is not a traditional Native American tale.  Choreographed in 1991 by Beth Shumway, it began as a children's show performed by professional dancers for children.  It has been adapted by Tonya Kilburn and was performed on this special day by our students.  Below you will see pictures of this presentation.
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
For this school year, the second graders have been given a very unique opportunity.  The Prairie Dance Theatre has received a special grant to provide a special program.  It involves our second graders receiving dance instruction  including extra flexibility and strengthening exercises for two hours weekly.  At the end of the program, the dance instruction will be evaluated as to whether the students improve in the area of their physical fitness.   On May 19, 2008, these students presented a special program to show us what they had learned for the last six months..  It was called the Super 2nd Graders program. They showed the students different kinds of dances that provide a good aerobic workout as well as artistic dance movements. They did a wonderful job,  The dance instructors have worked closely with our physical education teacher, Mrs. Shanabarger, to make this program successful. The pictures below were taken at the program at the end of the year.