October 19th, 2016

Spartanburg School District One Offers Dance For The First Time

Spartanburg One’s New Prospect Elementary and Holly Springs-Motlow Elementary are Arts in the Basic Curriculum sites. ABC sites receive South Carolina Arts Commission grants to help integrate the arts into basic curriculum and daily classroom instruction.

From the Spartanburg Herald-Journal

Second grade students at New Prospect Elementary School (pictured above) are dancing their way through the water cycle during a Science lesson, as a part of the newly implemented Dance pilot program in Spartanburg School District One.

All District One elementary students in grades 2-5 now have the opportunity to participate in the first ever Dance program offered by the district. Mrs. Kellianne Floyd, who has taught dance in school at all levels over the last 12 years, will rotate between each elementary school in the district throughout the year, allowing students the opportunity to audition for Dance.

Mrs. Floyd sees her auditioned groups every day during their Academic Arts time, and finds creative ways to integrate arts into the core curriculum through STEAM activities. In addition to working with her audition groups, Mrs. Floyd also works with entire grade levels teaching arts integration lessons, such as how to use poetry to choreograph a dance in AB form and using opposite words to create a dance sequence. Social Studies lessons have been transformed as students have had the opportunity to experience Native American dances, African folk dances, and even the Carolina Shag! Through this program, students have the ability to learn critical thinking skills by observing each other’s performances and analyzing the skills implemented in each piece of choreography. Students can make connections between dance and academic subjects such as English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies, and have the opportunity to learn in a completely new way.

All students who participate in the Dance program will have the opportunity to choreograph and perform dances in their schools and community. In April, a group of Dance students have been invited to perform at Operation: Stand Down, an organization for homeless veterans.

Mrs. Floyd received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education from Winthrop University in 2003 and holds a Masters of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management with an emphasis on Recreational Therapy from Clemson University. In addition, Mrs. Floyd holds an Ed. S. in School Administration from Converse College. She has had opportunities to study with master teachers from around the world including Savion Glover, Frank Hatchett, Radio City Rockettes alumnae, So You Think You Can Dance alumnae Kathryn McCormick and Robert Roldan, and has also performed as a dancer in the 1996 Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Atlanta, GA.