SocialAbilities
B'moreAbilities Special Arts Center program "SocialAbilities" provides a fun and dynamic learning environment for anyone to come express themselves through various kinds of social dancing. Students of our program look forward to learning how to dance in a social atmosphere, while having a friendly and welcoming place to come and meet new friends.
BASAC social dance classes are perfect for those checking out ballroom dance or interested in learning how to dance for social events. You don't need a partner or any dance experience for a social dance class, and you can drop in any time. Class will introduce you or your child to the most popular dances:foxtrot, waltz, swing and salsa, and will give you the skills to feel comfortable at weddings and proms or have fun at a local swing or salsa dance as well as dance clubs. There's no need to dress up or wear ballroom dance shoes, although if you have a pair, or a pair of dress shoes (or even socks), it makes dancing much easier. A fun experimental way to Build Leadership, Learning, & Life Skills – For individuals in the Baltimore metro areas that may have social skill difficulties with their peer group or lack assertion/confidence through disabilities. 80% of Communication is Non-Verbal or Body Language. Dance is one of the ultimate ways to teach students to read non-verbals or body language. Dance is a form of expression, but can also promote healing in a number of ways. Students will learn how the mind and body are interrelated and how to reduce stress. Through ballroom dancing and other forms of dance students will learn:
Ages 3 and up. Benefits of Social Dancing
WHY DANCING WORKS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL LEARNING?
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING Dancing requires a certain amount of motor and cognitive planning. The leader must move in the line of dance and keep from running into other couples on the dance floor. CENTRAL COHERENCE At the same time as the leader is moving in the line of dance and keeping track of where other dancers are in the immediate vicinity he/she is also focused on following the details of the dance patterns in the particular dance. This takes practice as any dancer can tell you. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION During ballroom dance they are able to identify numerous non-verbal communicators because ballroom dancing requires close contact and synchronized movement. Here are some of the non-verbal communicators that several social skills groups listed during a brain-storming session: NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION DURING DANCE 1.Eye contact 2.Body orientation 3.Pressure and position of hands/arms 4.Body odor 5.Perfume or other artificial smells 6.Breath 7.Posture (body frame) 8.Body stiffness 9.Hair 10.Facial expression 11.Dress 12.Space 
MALE/FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS
Dance is an excellent means of becoming comfortable around the opposite sex. This is an area that is critical for those on the spectrum who have had little male-female interaction. Girls will often comment that because of dance they feel much more relaxed around guys. Guys learn a lot about female sensitivities when they are in dance lessons. Knowledge of how others are impacted by one’s behavior is integral when dancing with a partner. This focus on the other person in order to make the dance “work” is a wonderful tool to teach social relatedness. There are many more hidden benefits of social dance that make it an excellent activity for those on the spectrum. It is a skill that can be continually improved on and performed throughout the lifetime of an individual. I would recommend it as a great physical activity as well as a social one. |
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