The last days of the school year 2014-15 at Coral Springs’ Maplewood Elementary had students, “Dancing with the stars!” Every year, Ms. Donna Chiarelli, a first grade teacher at the school and a professional dancer, spends time teaching students within Maplewood’s Aftercare Program and the YMCA’s S/N (Special Needs) Aftercare program, how to dance. Both boys and girl dancers range in age from five years of age to eleven years. Some of the dancers have been dancing with Ms. Chiarelli for over five (5) years.
To a packed house, the Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Chad Biro (a former Maplewood Student of Ms. Chiarelli’s and now a High School student) kicked off the “Galaxy of Dance” show. The dancers performed a combination of Jazz routines, Latin moves and Hip Hop dances. One of the parents commented that what her daughter and the rest of these dancers are learning will stay with them a lifetime.
Ms. Chiarelli’s dancers perform annually at the school and are also invited to perform each year at the Martin Luther King Junior event put on by the City of Coral Springs.
Maplewood’s Assistant Principal Mrs. Carmen Orr was there to thank Ms. Chiarelli for all her hard work and dedication. “I could not have done the show without the help of all the Aftercare Staff, Maplewood and YMCA, and all my High School volunteers,” said Ms. Chiarelli. “You are truly appreciated.”
Next school year, 2015-2016, Aftercare Dance Celebration is already on the calendar!
