PETERSON ‘It can’t help but make you happy’
out of Isabella and Alena’s experiences in the National Honors Society, which helps students create their own philanthropic projects. Inspired by their shared love of ballet and the recognition that they were not the only people out there who needed to get moving and have a little non-academic fun, the two friends began working on Distant Dancers late in August. After many months of homebound life, getting the ball rolling was the best exercise ever.
“We started this during quarantine, so we knew it was important to give the kids and ourselves a social outlet,” said Isabella, who lives in La Jolla. “Our social experiences are kind of cut off, so even if these kids are younger than us, it is really cool to just be with them. School can be super stressful, and life can be super stressful. So using dance to minimize stress through moving and a creativity is so important.”
In addition to coming up with dance lesson plans, Alena and Isabella reached out to local schools and
nonprofit organizations that work with elementaryand middle-school students from underserved communities. After starting with students from the Kid By Kid tutoring program, Distant Dancers is now working with students from a handful of organizations, including the Monarch School, the KIPP School, Bayside Community Center and ArtReach San Diego.
“The Distant Dancers program has helped our students deal with the challenges of life during COVID by providing a fun and safe space where students can enjoy dancing, along with meeting new friends from a variety of schools in San Diego County,” said Gabriel Rosas,a high-school placement and transition counselor with KIPP SoCal.
In addition to getting kids on their feet, Distant Dancers also helps its students exercise the creative and social muscles that may have gotten a little stiff during all these months at home. Since the students come from all over, the classes broaden everyone’s horizons, even if they are just hanging out on Zoom.
“Distant Dancers provides an opportunity for Monarch students who love dance to share that interest and passion with other students from around the city that they might never get to meet,” said Erika Malone, an expressive arts therapist and therapeutic dance teacher at the Monarch School, whose students are all impacted by homelessness. “Many of our students would not be able to afford or prioritize dance classes outside of school time. This program allows them to do that with ease and consistency.”
Since launching the program last fall, Isabella and Alena have brought in fellow Francis Parker and San Diego Ballet students to teach jazz, modern and hip-hop dancing. They have had their students jamming to rock ’n’ roll and country tunes, learning routines inspired by Disney music, and setting their way-back machines to songs from the 2000s.
The tunes and the routines vary, but the mood and the mission of Distant Dancers remains the same, week after playful week. No matter which side of the lesson you’re on.
“The kids have so much fun when they’re dancing, it can’t help but make you happy,” Alena said. “During those 40 minutes, that’s what I hope they get. That you have to devote a bit of time to doing something that makes you happy.”
Re “Recall Campbell?” (Feb. 22): I encourage everyone to review and read the commentaries for a clear understanding of why there is the recall effort of Jennifer Campbell underway.
As a longtime resident of District 2, I know Campbell has not supported many of her constituents in key issues, such as the proposed short-term vacation rentals ordinance that came before the council this week and previous matters like the Midway height limits, again going against the will of many of her constituents.
From her election, it took more than 18 months for her to come before the Mission Beach Town Council to address the community’s concerns only to not be able to speak to the issues being presented by those present. And we now expect her, as president of the City Council, to properly represent all taxpayers of the city? I personally rather doubt it. Read the commentaries and you decide if a recall is needed.
Klaus Mendenhall South Mission Beach