At Solomon Schechter Day School, dance is our way of coming together as a community, learning, and celebrating.

Students receive formal instruction in dance once a week with their class; the main focus is Israeli Folk Dance.  From Pre-K through 5th grade, dance is a fun, aerobic exercise that also enhances what is being taught in the classroom.  Dance is an excellent way to work on coordination, balance, gross motor skills and body awareness.  Students also work on sequencing, special awareness, counting, and non verbal communication skills. 

Many of the dance units are coordinated with classroom learning.  Some examples include dances for holidays, dances about the immigrant experience, dances about people in the Torah, and about animals. Students also work on our Hebrew language skills as they listen and understand the lyrics to the songs they dance learn. Together, students explore ways to use dance to express different emotions, feelings, and experiences -- all without words. 

Dance is used school wide to enhance celebrations and build our community; Israeli Folk Dancing is always done in a group and is often done in a circle where everyone participates together.  Students also learn standard Israeli Folk Dances so that they can participate in the larger community at life-cycle events and holiday celebrations.

The Schechter Rakdanim (Dance Troupe)

Solomon Schechter has a 4th and 5th grade dance troupe that is focused on the performance of Israeli Folk Dance. Students who choose to join this group meet once a week and work on more complicated choreography and gain some insight into the choreography process.  The group performs frequently throughout the school year at school events. They also travel and perform in the community -- bringing their love of Israeli dance everywhere they go.