Post by gatormom on Feb 26, 2009 7:22:38 GMT -5
Show will be grand finale for Waubonsie teacher
Judy Buchenot
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/foxvalleysun/news/buchenot/1447214,2_6_5_FV26_JUDY_S1.article
February 26, 2009
Hi, Mrs. Buchenot, you probably don't remember me but I was one of your students," began the voice on the phone. I have not been teaching for more than 20 years so this call really caught me off guard. As soon as the caller said his name, I could picture his pale face sprinkled with freckles. "I just wanted to tell you that I had to give a speech yesterday for work and I used everything you taught me way long ago in speech class to get through it. I remembered everything from the attention-getter to the conclusion. I wanted to thank you."
Teachers don't get bonuses or promotions but they do have the satisfaction of making a difference in thousands of lives.
Georgia Salerno is one of those teachers who have been enriching the lives of high school students at Waubonsie Valley High School for 18 years. She teaches physical education with a focus on dance. "Some students aren't excited by team sports, so giving them an option to try dance is ideal," she said. The class is organized to introduce students to different styles of dance with units on everything from tap to dances of the decades.
In addition to classroom dance, Georgia also leads the extracurricular dance program at the school. Georgia studied dance at Ohio State University and then received her master's in education with a focus on dance from University of Illinois.
She was hired at Waubonsie to start a dance program. When she first arrived, the extracurricular dance program was run like an intramural sport where all interested students could participate. But the program known as Orchesis (the Greek word for dance) grew in popularity and now students audition for one of the 50 spots in the dance program. The students meet weekly all year.
"The students here are in so many activities that it works out better if we don't meet every day like other sports and activities," she said. "By meeting once a week, more kids can fit dance into their schedule."
Georgia has had great success with the dance program at Waubonsie. She was named the Illinois Dance Educator of the Year in 1996 and has worked with more than 500 students in the extracurricular program. Each year, Orchesis culminates in a dance showcase.
There are now two dance programs under Georgia's direction -- Orchesis and hip hop. Several hundred students showed up to audition for the program. Students were selected and work began on choreographing and learning the dances. The 2009 show will be this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Green Campus auditorium. Tickets will be $8 for adults and $5 for students.
This year's show will be Georgia's last one at Waubonsie because she will be moving to the new Metea Valley High School in the fall. To mark this occasion, Georgia has chosen a theme of "Re-dux" and will revisit some of the more unique dances from the past 18 years. Over the years, alumni have called and asked to come back to help choreograph songs for the show so Georgia is having five Waubonsie alumni choreograph pieces.
"We did a Ninja piece that went to state competition in 2000," says Georgia. "We are going to do it again for the show. It features Japanese drumming with a sort of techno-overlay. We are restaging it this year for the show. We are also doing a duet, two point pieces, two tap pieces, jazz, contemporary -- it is an interesting mix"
Georgia is inviting former students to come to the show since it will be her last one at Waubonsie. To get ready for this show, Georgia started looking through old photo albums and realized that "I have so many fond memories of students."
Some of Georgia's students have continued dancing. She got a call from a former student dancing at DisneyWorld. Another former student, Alvin Ramirez, is a director with Xtreme Dance, which recently made it to the finals on a television dance competition.
The goal of the program, however, is not to turn out professional dancers. It is to allow students to learn the techniques and then experience the thrill of performing in a dance ensemble on stage.
Even if they never dance again on a stage, they can treasure that experience forever, which is what education is all about. If you are one of those students, attend the show this weekend and help Mrs. Salerno say goodbye to 18 years of being the artistic director of Waubonsie's dance program.
Judy Buchenot
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/foxvalleysun/news/buchenot/1447214,2_6_5_FV26_JUDY_S1.article
February 26, 2009
Hi, Mrs. Buchenot, you probably don't remember me but I was one of your students," began the voice on the phone. I have not been teaching for more than 20 years so this call really caught me off guard. As soon as the caller said his name, I could picture his pale face sprinkled with freckles. "I just wanted to tell you that I had to give a speech yesterday for work and I used everything you taught me way long ago in speech class to get through it. I remembered everything from the attention-getter to the conclusion. I wanted to thank you."
Teachers don't get bonuses or promotions but they do have the satisfaction of making a difference in thousands of lives.
Georgia Salerno is one of those teachers who have been enriching the lives of high school students at Waubonsie Valley High School for 18 years. She teaches physical education with a focus on dance. "Some students aren't excited by team sports, so giving them an option to try dance is ideal," she said. The class is organized to introduce students to different styles of dance with units on everything from tap to dances of the decades.
In addition to classroom dance, Georgia also leads the extracurricular dance program at the school. Georgia studied dance at Ohio State University and then received her master's in education with a focus on dance from University of Illinois.
She was hired at Waubonsie to start a dance program. When she first arrived, the extracurricular dance program was run like an intramural sport where all interested students could participate. But the program known as Orchesis (the Greek word for dance) grew in popularity and now students audition for one of the 50 spots in the dance program. The students meet weekly all year.
"The students here are in so many activities that it works out better if we don't meet every day like other sports and activities," she said. "By meeting once a week, more kids can fit dance into their schedule."
Georgia has had great success with the dance program at Waubonsie. She was named the Illinois Dance Educator of the Year in 1996 and has worked with more than 500 students in the extracurricular program. Each year, Orchesis culminates in a dance showcase.
There are now two dance programs under Georgia's direction -- Orchesis and hip hop. Several hundred students showed up to audition for the program. Students were selected and work began on choreographing and learning the dances. The 2009 show will be this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Green Campus auditorium. Tickets will be $8 for adults and $5 for students.
This year's show will be Georgia's last one at Waubonsie because she will be moving to the new Metea Valley High School in the fall. To mark this occasion, Georgia has chosen a theme of "Re-dux" and will revisit some of the more unique dances from the past 18 years. Over the years, alumni have called and asked to come back to help choreograph songs for the show so Georgia is having five Waubonsie alumni choreograph pieces.
"We did a Ninja piece that went to state competition in 2000," says Georgia. "We are going to do it again for the show. It features Japanese drumming with a sort of techno-overlay. We are restaging it this year for the show. We are also doing a duet, two point pieces, two tap pieces, jazz, contemporary -- it is an interesting mix"
Georgia is inviting former students to come to the show since it will be her last one at Waubonsie. To get ready for this show, Georgia started looking through old photo albums and realized that "I have so many fond memories of students."
Some of Georgia's students have continued dancing. She got a call from a former student dancing at DisneyWorld. Another former student, Alvin Ramirez, is a director with Xtreme Dance, which recently made it to the finals on a television dance competition.
The goal of the program, however, is not to turn out professional dancers. It is to allow students to learn the techniques and then experience the thrill of performing in a dance ensemble on stage.
Even if they never dance again on a stage, they can treasure that experience forever, which is what education is all about. If you are one of those students, attend the show this weekend and help Mrs. Salerno say goodbye to 18 years of being the artistic director of Waubonsie's dance program.