In a world where ideas about self-image dominate our media, the issue of child obesity in America may seem like a rehashed, unsolvable problem. People tend to become desensitized as opposed to concerned when they hear only surface level complaints or filtered facts about a subject. My Dance Pedagogy class at the University of Pittsburgh is dedicated to taking action. We are introducing dance as a healthy exercise regiment in physical education classes. We will be entering three different Pittsburgh schools on multiple occasions to teach and promote the social, physical, and historical aspects of dance. Our lessons aim to maintain physical activity for at least thirty minutes while engaging in popular and ethic dances. Our program is educational, but under the façade of recreation. We have decided to research and create different dance curriculums involving French, Japanese, German, African, Indian, and Spanish folk dancing as well as varieties of Hip-Hop, Stepping, Tap, and Jazz.
Everybody can get involved in making Pittsburgh a healthier place! By recognizing the positive aspects of dance and then motivating others to join in, a single person can aid in the effort for Americans to salsa, shimmy, and slide their way to positive and consistent lifestyles.
On September 19, 2008 our team will be visiting Arsenal Middle School to perform and introduce ourselves to the students! Keep in touch for updates, pictures, and videos about our progress and experiences in this study.
For further information on the HEALTHY program check out their official press release. It explains the experiment mentioned in my ABOUT page in more detail.
http://www.slick-graphics.com/misc/pressrelease-ecf16.docx
By: Johnny on September 9, 2008 
