A dance mob hit Newtown High School’s Blue and Gold Stadium on April 24th and Flagpole members were there to capture images of the day. The celebration was part of National Dance Week Foundation’s campaign, “A Chance to Dance” and the launch of the Wingman for Dance.
The Wingman for Dance Program and Rhythm Works Integrative Dance partnered with the National Dance Week Foundation’s special fundraising campaign “Chance to Dance” which provides the education and tools necessary for teachers, students, and parents to effectively facilitate inclusion, giving all children, including those with special needs and learning differences, the “Chance to Dance.”
The day’s festivities included presentations by guest speakers in addition to choreographed dance by over 125 participants representing many of the local dance schools. At the end of the event, both participants and spectators gathered on the football field making the shape of a heart with their hands for a group photo captured by a drone flying overhead.
Footage and photos of the event will be used as part of a contest entry to support and bring awareness to the program as well as used in promotional materials for the official launch of the Wingman for Dance Program.
The Wingman program was developed out of Dylan’s Wings of Change, a foundation established to honor the memory of Dylan Hockley, who was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The foundation’s mission is to help children with autism and other related conditions achieve their full potential.
Wingman is based on leadership principles, peer modeling and recognizing positive behaviors in all children. They work toward breaking down barriers, making it every child’s responsibility to treat one another with kindness and respect, not just the child with differences.
For more information on Dylan’s Wings of Change or the Wingman program, visit: http://www.dylanswingsofchange.org/
Below is a sampling of some of the photographs taken at the Newtown Dance Mob by Flagpole members, Chane and Rhonda Cullens.
