Based on the belief that education should include experiences that address the total development of the child, Dancing Classrooms North Texas (DCNT) was piloted in the Fall of 2006 to the Independent School Districts of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. DCNT is a ten-week program provided to all fifth graders during their physical education class that focuses on the social development needs of fifth grade children. DCNT uses ballroom dancing (Merengue, Tango, Foxtrot, Rumba, and Swing) to increase social development. Children who experience ballroom dancing not only develop an enhanced appreciation for music, but they also derive numerous benefits that are critical to their physical, social and emotional development.

The pilot research has shown that the children engaged in the DCNT program have improved their ability to relate to peers from other cultural groups, improved their social skills, improved their ability to manage their behavior, increased their respect for others, and impacted childhood obesity. DCNT is committed to working with the greater Dallas/Forth Worth school districts to explore how our schools can better meet the developmental needs of our kids. Providing enriching and engaging social and emotional experiences is key to meeting that objective.

As of Fall 2009, DCNT serves the Hurst Euless Bedford Independent School District (HEBISD), Dallas Independent School District (DISD), Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD), and Dallas County Private/Charter schools. DCNT currently serves an estimated 6,500 children each year of all race, gender, religion, and socio-economic classes. Since the pilot of DCNT in Fall 2006, DCNT has touched the lives of more than 10,000 fifth graders who have now become more well-rounded sixth and seventh graders, more importantly more well-rounded individuals to develop our future.

With major funding trom the Amon G. Carter Foundation, Martha Sue Parr Trust, and the Crystelle Waggoner Trust, Tarrant County Youth Collaboration serves as the Dancing Classrooms project implementation manager and will partner with the UTA College of Education for research and development.  

Dates of Interest:

June 13-14th:

June 27-28th:

Training for new Teaching Artists at the UTA MAC Center (Room 102) from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm