Interdisciplinary Lesson on African Culture Through Dance

Faculty at Saint Andrew's enjoy finding ways to collaborate with their colleagues from other departments in order to create memorable interdisciplinary experiences for their students. Last week, the social studies department teamed up with the performing arts department for a very special lesson involving the connection between African-American culture and dance. 

On Friday, October 20, Mr. Josh Borthwick's African-American History and Literature students left the comfort of their desks and joined Ms. Rebecca Beery in the dance studio for an interdisciplinary lesson on African culture as it was preserved in the dance styles of Latin American and American cultures and traditions, particularly in traditional African dance, capoeira, and tap dance.

The lesson aligned well with Mr. Borthwick's African-American History and Literature class unit on African-American culture in the colonial period, but it also aligned well with the celebration of Hispanic Heritage on campus during the months of September and October.

Mr. Borthwick said of the experience, "The energy and enthusiasm were palpable. The kids were dancing and laughing and enjoying the learning experience, which was awesome. For some of them, this might be the thing they remember most about the course or about their Senior or Junior year; one student even asked if we were going to do this again in the second semester! Further, to learn along with students was a powerful experience for me as an educator. I knew of the African culture and heritage, but I am not a dancer, so I learned along with the students. African-American History and Literature are an interest and a passion of mine and to share that with students made for a beautiful learning experience--one which will make the classroom community and sense of belonging even stronger over the rest of the semester."

See photos from the class HERE and watch the students and teachers dancing in a video HERE.