The only thing Maddie Zitella may be more passionate about than her love for dance is passing along that love to younger children.
The Carmel junior always looks forward to the start of the school year, especially when it comes to the ‘Dance it Out’ community outreach program she helps spearhead. In non-COVID years, Maddie and a handful of fellow Corsair dancers would visit area elementary schools to teach the basics of dance to the children there.
This year, however, with many schools remaining closed, Dance it Out has gone virtual, via Zoom. What’s most exciting is that the class now has the ability to actually double or even triple the size of the program since there is now no class-size limit.
Classes originate from the Carmel dance studio with the first held this past Wednesday and additional classes scheduled for November 4th and 17th, 2020. Maddie and friends teach the basic fundamentals of dance and creative movement, including proper stretching, all culminating in a simple dance combination.
“The experience acts as an enrichment opportunity for 1st thru 6th-grade students throughout Lake County,” explains Fine Arts Department Chair Kacey Valentine O’Keefe, who added that several schools have signed up to participate in this community outreach initiative that’s free for students and teachers.”
“It’s just something I love to do,” says Maddie. “I’ve danced since I was a little girl and being able to share our skills with elementary students is a great way to able to give back to our community. It’s the essence of being a Corsair. It fits perfectly into the culture here of always thinking about and helping others.”