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How much does
it cost? How do schools fund the program? Everything happens! SITE based (general), PTC/PTA funds, GATE, fund-raising, business underwriting. Some schools combine funding sources. Special state and federal categorical funds or grants may be used as the program addresses multi-cultural issues. Think creatively! What grades will you work with? The program is effective at ALL levels, from K through high school. Please call to discuss what is best for your needs. What is a typical dance
week schedule? What is the maximum number of classes/students per session? The preferred maximum is around 70 students per session or 3 classes for grades 3 - 12. For K - 2nd grade, 2 classes or 45 students aproximately. Some schools insist on 1 class per session to achieve the highest quality, maximum exposure and increased opportunity for activities. How long is a
session? For
grades K - 2, 30 - 40 minutes is common. How many sessions can you teach each day? A common arrangement is 3 sessions between 8:30 a.m. (or the start of your day) and 11:00 a.m. (or whenever the custodian needs to prep for lunch, assuming we use the multi-purpose room/cafeteria). If any of K-2nd grade is included, two 30 minute sessions count as one. Other common arrangements: 4-6 sessions each day (includes morning and afternoon sessions). How many students
can you work with during the week? Can you accomodate special day/special ed? With the current system of inclusion, high-functioning students can usually handle the activities. For other students, we can discuss your expectations and wishes, in advance, and, if necessary, schedule a separate class. You can divide the special day students into the other classes so the ratios will accomodate the learning pace. If you keep a large special day class together it may important to have them work with a lower grade level in order to accomodate the learning pace. The dances do get more complicated as the week progresses. What kind of room do you need? K - 6 sessions are often held in a cafeteria/multi-purpose room. Visits to K or other special needs classes are possible if we run out of usable time before lunch starts. At middle or high schools, a gym is often used, as the residency may be scheduled as part of P.E. Can we hold the performance or barn dance outdoors on Friday? If space or scheduling is a problem (weather permitting), the Friday performance and/or barn dance can be held on a blacktop outdoors with students bringing their chairs to watch, but indoors is preferred. Can we invite parents to watch the Friday performance during the day? Yes! We can't fit both the student body and the parents into the multi-purpose room! Can we hold the barn dance outdoors on Friday night? This has been done very successfully (weather permitting). We'll need a sound system whether inside our outside and possibly lighting, depending on the time of year. Do you need a microphone? Unless the residency is limited to one class per session, a sound system with mic cable, mic, and mic stand is usually required for all the classes, Friday's performance and the Friday night barn dance. Our multi-purpose room is too small to accomodate the entire student body for the Friday performance. Who should get to watch? If you choose 4th grade, for example, the Friday performance could be for the 3rd graders to expose them to what they will learn if you have the program again. If I work with multiple classes and grades, we can perform for each other only (no nonparticipating classes in attendance). If you have a smaller school, and I work with the entire student body, we perform for ourselves. For middle and high schools, a Friday performance may not be necessary. It is of higher value at the elementary level. What kind of space is needed? Where do you hold the classes? Classes are usually held in the multi-purpose room/cafeteria but may be held in a smaller, empty room if there will be only one class per session and if that room can accommodate a circle. Imagine your largest class making a circle (might end up being an oval). For middle and high school, the classes may be taught in the gym as part of P. E. Are there teacher prep materials? Yes! A free teacher prep packet is given to teachers on the first day. It gives an idea of what will be included with ideas for follow-up discussion and activities in history, geography, social studies, etc. How can we continue the dances after the dance week is over? An instruction book with a CD of the music is available for $25. If it is not made available during the dance week, please contact us and ask about it. Can anyone come to the Barn Dance? I strongly recommend that you limit the invitation to include only the students who participated in the program. Do include parents and students who participated in past years. A problem arises when younger siblings attend and try to do the dances that they never learned. Often students go home during the residency and teach the dances to their families, so if informed family or friends attend, that's fine, but I prefer to invite only the classes who have worked all week in the program. It's hard for students to learn the dances adequately on the night of the barn dance, if they did not attend all week, and it is disruptive to those students who did attend. Is this program available outside of California? Yes! Please call for details.
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