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Apr 2, 2008 11:49 am US/Pacific
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Dance Opens Doors for Students and Teachers
Jefferson Award Winner: Dr. Albirda Rose-Eberhardt
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ―
"Let's take it from the top!" calls Dr. Albirda Rose-Eberhardt.
Her young dance students count off and begin their routine. But they're learning a lot more than the steps.
"The tool of dance opens up the doors to all of the socialization, the discipline, the academics," Dr. Rose, as she's known, explains. "That can be transferred from the dance studio into the classroom, into the workforce, into whatever you do."
This college professor first conceived of this children's dance program in the 1970's. Her idea: to bring dance to underprivileged neighborhoods where children weren't being exposed to the arts.
But she didn't stop at just teaching the youngsters. She recruited volunteer teachers from among her college students.
San Francisco State senior Jenna Lohm says, "I want to be a kindergarten teacher eventually, so it gives me experience being with kids."
Jenna studies under Dr. Rose in the university dance department. But on this day at Visitacion Valley Community Center in San Francisco, she's in charge.
"It's fun being a student and a teacher at the same time, which is great, because you get to teach what you learned to another generation," Jenna says.
Dr. Rose says it's all about students learning from teachers, while teachers learn from students.
She says, "My thing was ok, I could layer this program to have the college students help the community and the community help the college students. And so there's that reciprocity."
"I like the dancing and it's fun and I like when we perform," says eight-year-old dancer Hasana Robinson with a shy smile.
Hasana and her friends go after school and on Saturdays to rehearse for an annual show.
"My favorite part is everyone (is) nice and we always dance and exercise," she says.
This after-school program here at the Visitacion Valley Community Center is just one of five locations where Dr. Rose offers after-school dance class and it's all free and taught by volunteer students.
When asked why she does all this, an answer comes easily to Dr. Rose:
"Because I love the children and I love dance and somebody did it for me. And it made all the difference in the world."
So for making a big difference for children and college students using the rhythm and culture of dance, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Dr. Albirda Rose-Eberhardt.
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