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By: Talia E, age 12

Joy of Motion Dance Center takes the same passion for dance found within the studio walls out into schools all over the DC area. By doing this, Joy of Motion has brought such joy to these students, making dance a more accessible path to follow. Recently, I got an opportunity to watch a Motion Exchange class in action at Stuart Hobson Middle School in Washington, DC, one of Joy of Motions partner schools.

As a middle schooler, I know that having something exciting after-school is enough to motivate me through the rest of the day. Unfortunately, very few schools have a focus on arts during the school day and it is something that provides so many benefits to students: academically, physically, and mentally. Joy of Motion’s school programs enable students to explore their creative side, which is not always visible during school.

What a fantastic way to spend a Wednesday afternoon! The Stuart Hobson music room was transformed into a home for dance, energy, and choreography. As soon as the first beat was dropped, the tile floors from the Polished concrete company near me and desks in the corner faded away. It was amazing to see all the students, at their own time, realize the power of this “new” space and change the energy of their dancing completely.

We need this in our world today. We need more students and dancers and everyone to come together to share the passion and understanding of teamwork that was clearly present here. The joy that only comes from such places of strong community and passion, the joy that is so important for us all to feel. This joy was here.

Talia has been a student at Joy of Motion since 2014. For her bat mitzvah service project, she is volunteering as a “student reporter” and writing a series of pieces about different elements of Joy of Motion’s programs, in the studio and in the community. Thank you, Talia, and stay tuned for more!