Skip to content
logologologo
  • Theory of Change
    • Advocacy
  • What We Do
    • For Children
      • Early Childhood
      • Studio Lab
      • Teen Choreo Lab
      • Summer Dance Camps
    • For Parents
      • MPACT
      • Early Childhood
    • For Artists & Educators
      • Professional Learning
      • Building Cultures of Dance
    • With Schools & Organizations
      • Building Cultures of Dance
      • Professional Learning
      • MPACT
  • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Our Supporters
    • Our Pedagogy
    • Opportunities
    • Volunteer
  • Donate
    • Programs
    • Capital Campaign
  • News
    • Announcements
    • Research
    • Blog
    • Media & Press
  • Luna’s 30th
  • Contact
logologologo
  • Theory of Change
    • Advocacy
  • What We Do
    • For Children
      • Early Childhood
      • Studio Lab
      • Teen Choreo Lab
      • Summer Dance Camps
    • For Parents
      • MPACT
      • Early Childhood
    • For Artists & Educators
      • Professional Learning
      • Building Cultures of Dance
    • With Schools & Organizations
      • Building Cultures of Dance
      • Professional Learning
      • MPACT
  • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Our Supporters
    • Our Pedagogy
    • Opportunities
    • Volunteer
  • Donate
    • Programs
    • Capital Campaign
  • News
    • Announcements
    • Research
    • Blog
    • Media & Press
  • Luna’s 30th
  • Contact
  • Theory of Change
    • Advocacy
  • What We Do
    • For Children
      • Early Childhood
      • Studio Lab
      • Teen Choreo Lab
      • Summer Dance Camps
    • For Parents
      • MPACT
      • Early Childhood
    • For Artists & Educators
      • Professional Learning
      • Building Cultures of Dance
    • With Schools & Organizations
      • Building Cultures of Dance
      • Professional Learning
      • MPACT
  • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Our Supporters
    • Our Pedagogy
    • Opportunities
    • Volunteer
  • Donate
    • Programs
    • Capital Campaign
  • News
    • Announcements
    • Research
    • Blog
    • Media & Press
  • Luna’s 30th
  • Contact
Stories That Move Us
lunadance
July 27, 2018

Story #3 – Dance Builds Community by Cherie Hill

In 2011 Marcia moved to the Bay Area from Wisconsin with her husband and two daughters. Intimidated by Oakland’s massive population, Marcia worried that her family would not fit in or find the tight knit community they had experienced before. At her local park, Marcia ran into a former Luna Dance MPACT teacher who encouraged her to take Luna’s free family dance class at the West Oakland Library.

On a cold and windy day, Marcia, her husband and two daughters bundled up and headed out for their first MPACT (Moving Parents and Children Together) dance class. Though shy at first, Marcia’s family broke out of their shell, leaping, turning and dancing full out. They continued attending weekly classes and the bond between them deepened into taking greater risks in movement. They jumped into the following session at Lotus Bloom and began to form long-term friendships.

Four families hug, kiss, and hold hands, greeting each other before class.
Shaky arms, shaky legs, and shaky gallops fill the room.
Children and parents create shapes to move over, under, around and through.
The energy breams with feelings of joy, love, security and comfort.

With each class the communal bond between Marcia’s family and three other families blossomed into play dates, babysitting-swaps, and eventually the formation of a cooperative preschool. From West Oakland Library to Lotus Bloom, then to Cesar Chavez Library and 81st Ave., each of these families followed MPACT classes when they were offered by Luna.

I spoke to Marcia, recently, and she told me that without the community created by MPACT for over three years, she and her family would have been lost in Oakland. Marcia is just one of many parents who share with me how significant MPACT classes are in building trust and community. Parents and children find MPACT a safe and nurturing place to play and dance together–increasing confidence in each dancing participant, enhancing the immediate parent and child relationship, and invigorating a sense of unity that carries on outside of the dance room.

Post navigation

Prev
Next

1831 Solano Avenue #7788
Berkeley, CA 94707

Say Hi

administrator@lunadanceinstitute.org
(510) 883-1118

     

Home

Theory of Change
What We Do
Who We Are
Donate
News
Luna’s 30th
Contact

Professional Learning

Workshops
Institutes
Community
Resources

Registration

Cart
My Account

Site Credit: SQUARE M

Drawings: Valentina Alexander

Videos: Heather Stockton, Youth Uprising, Luna staff

Photos: Kreate Photography, Lauren Forbus, Michael Ertem, Lanny Weingrod, Marshall Berman, Luna staff & board

Copyright © 2020 Luna Dance Institute
All rights reserved.