Every month at Footprints Dance Centre, we carve out time in our schedule to prioritize open, uplifting discussion and team bonding within our student body using the Wingman program.
This month, our Wingman Week activity set out to help our students explore identifying genuine character traits. The teachers in each class began the discussion with the following quote: “Thinking is difficult. That’s why most people judge” – Carl Jung.
The teachers then asked the students what they thought the quote meant. Discussions continued to explain how everyone wants to feel accepted and appreciated for who they genuinely are as human beings. This open conversation morphed into a few fun variations on games that prompted the dancers to compliment one another. It was great to see the little beaming smiles when a classmate would highlight one of their best attributes.
Taking the time to discuss that everyone has strengths and weaknesses helps to create understanding and helps dancers to feel safe and accepted among their peers. It emphasizes that we are all unique and valuable for our differences and creates an “even playing field” in the dance studio. Distinguishing between the differences we can’t change and need to accept in ourselves / others and the behaviors that can be changed is an important step in building compassion.
As always, our dancers showed kindness and patience with each other throughout this exercise. We are so proud to continue to foster vulnerability and kindness within our student community.
