Dancing is now part of Parkway’s Physical Education curriculum. The Parkway School District has added a new class to all the high schools rosters called Movement to Music in order to hit the cultural component of their set physical education standards. It is intended to fill a gap in the variety of P.E. classes taught at South.

The 2015-2016 Parkway South Course Guide describes the class activities as a  “variety of individual individual fitness pursuits, such as Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, Walking, and Aerobics (Step, Dance, and Water). Students will develop their competency in rhythms, dance, and fitness skills that will enable them to confidently and safely pursue personal fitness opportunities.  Music will be incorporated to help entertain students as they engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical fitness.”

P.E. teacher Michelle Dempsey describes the class as “a combination of things. During the year, we pick a few cultural dances and we do a project where we study the dance and then I put students in a small group and then they create a dance to the specific music.” said Dempsey  

When talking to students about the class, there was only praise.

“I like the idea of having a dance class at South. I think that I would much rather take a dance class than the traditional P.E. classes that I was forced to take. If this was a class when I was a freshman or sophomore, I would actually going to P.E. instead of dreading it,” said senior Daniella Catanzaro.   

“It’s really fun. I’m so glad that there is a dance class at South. Ms. Dempsey plays a lot of upbeat songs and really tries to make the class fun for everybody. She shows us all these cool exercises. We do this thing called Body pump that I really like.,” said senior Veronica Cichowska-Caffey.

“I like it a lot. As far as gym classes go, I don’t see it as a requirement anymore. It’s just a lot of fun. My favorite activities we do are Zumba and the cultural dances like the Salsa.”  said senior Maddy Applegate.

Mrs. Dempsey said she loves teaching the class.

“It’s best class I have ever taught. It’s been really fun to figure out a new course and to get to be creative and to get to experience it with really great female students.

This class is for people who like to try new things and people who have not found a way they love to work out yet because we get to try so many different things. We consciously track what makes us feel the best. It’s good for a person who wants to learn how to let loose and let go,” she explains.

“ This class I think is for people who aren’t afraid to dance and people with an open mind mind; you can’t be afraid to try things that seem kind of odd at first,” added Applegate

“Anybody can benefit from the class: especially those who have absolutely no coordination at all,” thinks Veronica Cichowska-Caffey.

Right now, the class only meets on blue days during 6 and 8th blocks. There are currently no males enrolled in the class. The class always starts off with a warm-up dance circle to pop music and then dynamic stretches. At the end of the semester, they would have developed a health plan including fitness training principles and a dietary plan.

Ms. Dempsey points out unique aspect about the class, “There is a whole well-being component to the course. I have consciously not talked about what working out does for one’s appearance and instead I have focused on what working out does for your well-being and how you feel in the beginning of the class, after and overall. It’s really centered around finding what you like.”  

“I like the fact that Ms. Dempsey prints out articles that are about body image and young girls and we will read them and apply them to our health plan and our workouts,” said Applegate