Join the Dance (Canada) Verified listing

PLEASE HELP SAVE THE CHILDREN'S DANCE!
WHO WE ARE:Join the Dance is a registered Canadian Charity and the founding of Ilsa Abraham, a Social Worker and Bob Rutherford, a retired Vice Principal/Educator. JTD is dedicated to supporting and empowering  10-15 years old children at their most critical time of social emotional learning through innovative Character Development/Arts in Education initiatives in school.  
Join the Dance and Dancing Classrooms are fully endorsed by the Toronto Public and Catholic Boards, and also serves schools of the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board. We are proud to have the dedicated community partnering and support of the Palais Royale Ballroom since 2007, the endorsement of the National Dance Council of Canada, and the special  interest and generosity of the Scotia Bank over the years.
MISSION STATEMENT:
To promote lifelong physical, mental and emotional well-being, as well as enhance academic experience, social awareness and relationship building skills, in young people, through the transformative power of ballroom and partner dance. 
VISION: 
To enable all children and youth an equal opportunity to build critical self-esteem and confidence through proactive character education that will enhance their ability to achieve and succeed now; as well as throughout their future adult lives.
JTD is the official representative in Ontario, Canada for Pierre Dulaine’s internationally acclaimed Dancing Classrooms™ , (of Mad Hot Ballroom and Take the Lead fame), that was introduced by way of a pilot initiative to our public and catholic school system in Ontario in March 2007.
Dancing Classrooms is a social development program that utilizes ballroom and contemporary dance as the tool to generate social change and improve academic interest to achieve in the participants, and to enhance the overall school culture.
Many of our participants enter the “ballroom” reluctantly...ALL leave in the joy of being real champions beyond the dance. “I can’t wait for the next time””; “can my partner and I demonstrate the step?”; “it’s okay, I know the steps I will help you “.; “can I read my journal entry the next time?”. From reluctance to involved, caring and respectful team members; true “partners” beyond learning steps is the most compelling testimonial of which our dedicated team is proud and pleased each and every year since 2007. And all accomplished in just ten weeks, including a celebratory in-school concert that allows our graduates and their teachers to showcase their newly acquired dance, social skills and above all pride and confidence!
WHO WE SERVE: Each year since 2007, JTD on average serves three to four thousand students ages ten to fifteen years old of the elementary and middle school system in Ontario. Many of our schools exist in communities of greatest need. Repeat participation is over 65%.
WHY SUPPORT DANCING CLASSROOMS?
HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR STORIES:
An 11-year-old deaf and hard of hearing boy learned to dance. He developed a confidence he’d never known before. He gained respect from his peers. He grew into a young man with the tools he needed to build a successful life.   This boy’s father told me the program had changed his son’s life. For the first time, he told me, his son felt totally included and accepted.
A painfully shy, isolated ten year old girl with a more than challenging home life hides initially  under her desk. She slowly emerges to become engaged and involved with the warm encouragement, kindness and respect of her classmates as they too gain greater sensitivity and compassion. She will dance only with her Teaching Artist, but she dances!  
A single parent Mom remembers the incredible impact Dancing Classrooms made on her 10-year old special needs son now twenty years old and seeks us out. She shares the immense happiness and pride she felt as she watched him perform with his classmates at the school's showcase, and her astonishment at their outstanding teamwork and confidence after just ten weeks. 
Her son is now in the workforce. He has learned to manage well the impact of his significant disability. A disability that will be with him forever, but she says so will the joy of our dance. Now, more than anything else she would love to have her youngest, a daughter, who just entered Grade 8 to have the same experience. She is actively advocating for Dancing Classrooms at her daughter's school.  
EVERY DOLLAR TRULY COUNTS!  LARGE OR SMALL, YOUR GIFT WILL HELP TO KEEP DANCING CLASSROOMS IN OUR SCHOOLS MOST IN NEED!  www.jointhedance.comRead more