Nexus Care connects with Kids through Dance

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Hands up who loves dancing!
One amazing Nexus Care staffer
is taking the boogie into the classroom. 

Nikkita Ford, Nexus Care's Community Programs Coordinator, has been running dance classes in two northside schools throughout 2018.

"I love the freedom that comes with dancing; it’s a way of expressing yourself," Nikkita said. "It’s an emotional release and it speaks when our mouths aren’t able to. Dance is great not just for getting active but also for body confidence and awareness."

Dancing since high school, Nikkita has been teaching dance for three years, and took her dance shoes into schools with Nexus Care in April this year with fellow teacher, Vickie Yates.

"We’ve seen a lot of growth in confidence in the kids and teens we teach," Nikkita said.

"We love seeing them bound into dance excited for class and eager to create their own dances now that they’re more confident in themselves and what they can do with their bodies.”

So what's so great about dance classes in schools? Nikkita reckons there's a lot!

"Dancing is a great physical activity but it helps with the kids' energy levels, too, and helps them to pay more attention in class because they’ve got the oxygen and blood circulating," she said.

“It builds cognitive skills in coordinating the mind with the body.  It’s also an opportunity for kids to socialise outside of the regular classroom.  

"Dancing encourages discipline and motivation to keep trying when we don’t get something right away, and it encourages creativity and self expression.”

And it seems like the young dances agree.

"I love that Nikkita and Vickie are very open.  They go step by step through the class, and when I dance I have joy because the teachers smile and make me happy," one Year 5 girl said. 

Nexus Care Executive Manager, Josh Plumb, was excited by what he heard coming back about the dance classes.

“Nikkita and Vickie are doing an amazing job of connecting with the students they encounter in the dance classes, and that really speaks of their heart, and the heart of Nexus Care,” he said.

These dance classes wouldn’t be possible without the support of generous donations from our supporters.  While school wraps up for another year, please consider donating to the Nexus Care Christmas Appeal to help local families and school kids during this season.  Learn more here or visit pushpay.com/g/nexuscare to donate.

Article by Jennifer Kerr, Nexus Care Advocate