Kids Learn Poise Through Dance

A Look At New York City Schools' Ballroom Dancing Program

(CBS) 
For Rosemary Tejada, the course has had an added benefit. She says, "I've gotten to be better friends with guys because I've known my partner since first grade, but we didn't really communicate a lot. But now, with ballroom dancing, we've communicated more."

At the end of every course, all the schools compete in a series of competitions. Tejada and her partner, Julian Perez, have made it to the semifinals.

"Here at the competition, I am really excited, but I'm also nervous," Tejada says.

To compete, teams must be profiecent in five dances: swing, rumba, foxtrot, tango and merengue. But each couple also has a specialty, and Tejada's is swing.

She says, "In swing, you really move a lot, and you feel in a happy mood. I get to express my feeling when I dance."

Just by looking at the kids dance, it is easy to see them getting excited about something as old-fashioned as ballroom dance.

Dulaine notes, "There is a camaraderie that develops between them, and there is a camaraderie to excel."

He adds, "Quite honestly, I'm not interested that they remember every single step they learn, but learning to touch someone with respect is the key thing to all of this ballroom dancing."

In this competition, Tejada and her teammates won a silver. But Dulaine hopes they've also gained an interest in a pastime that promotes grace, manners and civility.

He says, "All of those children love to dance; they have their imagination, and this is what we need to nurture."

If you'd like to learn more, there happens to be a documentary movie about the program that just came out, titled, "Red, Hot Ballroom."