BUST A MOVE
McMaster dance program gets middle school kids
hopping
Down, then up. Then freeze. Then pivot to the right. Then freeze.
That’s “the robot” dance move in its fundamental form.
More than 25 students were channeling their inner robot as part of a two-day instructional hip hop dance program taught by members of the McMaster dance program Friday. It’s the third time in as many years that McMaster has taken its dance moves to Westview Elementary School.
When the robot grew tiresome, there was also an assortment of other tricks to sharpen: the pin drop, head twists and neck rolls. One student even busted out “The Bernie,” a move made famous from the 1989 classic Weekend at Bernie’s, where you jiggle your body around like a dead man.
One of the McMaster instructors, Josh Taylor, 28, said dance helps build confidence.
“Kids who can’t excel in the classroom come and try dance, and sometimes they find they are better at that,” he said. “Sometimes you find these kids impress their peers with some really good dance moves.”
The classes ran for 50 minutes each and included a warm-up, freestyle (where students could perform classics such as “the shopping trolley” and “the lawn mower”) and a breakdown of fundamental dance techniques.
Sierra McPhail, 12, said the hip hop classes were fun and she enjoyed the frenetic pace. “It really gets your heart pumping.”
McPhail says she has learned a thing or two from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Cheerleaders. “I practise once a week and work on sideline pre-game and halftime dance moves — so it definitely helped me with hip hop.”
Curtis Tye, Westview’s principal, said hosting the dance classes is part of a broader push for the school’s arts program.
“Dance is an expression,” Tye said. “These dance classes work on selfesteem, collaboration, and helping others in a non-threatening way.”