Listing, who will be teaching creative movement to both students and teachers at the selected schools, began at East Layton Elementary late last week. Classes at the other elementary schools will be spread out throughout the year, with Reading Elementary receiving their classes in January, and Columbia Elementary likely to host Listing sometime in May.
"The whole focus will be on creating and using movement to do it," said Listing, who danced with RDT for several years before taking her current position with the group. "It gives kids the chance to get up and use their bodies, as well as create in a very individual way. There's not much chance to do that when you're sitting at desks all day."
The classes, which are made possible by grant money from the groups such as the Utah State Legislature and the Utah Arts Council, are designed to meet state curriculum requirements and focus more on concepts than on teaching actual dance steps.
Depending on the grade levels chosen by each school to receive the classes, Listing will focus on movement exploration including moving in different directions and at different levels, experimenting with musical timing, and creating together in groups.
"There's always quite a mixture of excitement and embarrassment when the classes start, with more of the latter as the kids get older," said Listing. "Twenty minutes into it, though, they're having a great time and totally forgetting they were ever a little leery."
Teachers will receive an inservice about how to teach movement in their own classes, and a dance presentation will occur at each school.
"At some schools the teachers have already been teaching their students movement, which always makes it more fun," said Listing. "We can do so much more at those schools, because the kids are already familiar with the concepts."
Though this year's program entails hundreds of classes and also covers schools in the Jordan and Granite School districts, Listing's enthusiasm for what she's teaching never wavers.
"Dancing has been a part of my life for a very long time. I love moving, creating and using my body in very unique ways," she said. "It always gives me so much energy throughout the day."
She hopes that, as the years pass, more and more of that creative energy will keep coming back to schools.
"There used to be quite a few wonderful arts programs in the state, but a lot of that funding has been cut," said Listing. "Lately, though, there's been a real call from parents and educators that they'd really like arts back in schools to balance out all that other learning."
jwardell@davisclipper.com
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