Preschoolers learn to express themselves through dance

Preschoolers listen to stories every day at our Children’s Learning Center but on Jan. 18, it was their turn to tell a story.

The children, though, didn’t use a book to tell their story. Instead, they got up in front of parents, teachers and their classmates and told their story through dance.

As part of a creative movement class taught by Take Root dance company, preschoolers learned how to express themselves through dance to the theme “I Have a Story to Tell You.” During the class, dance instructors asked the children to think about something that happened in their lives recently. Afterward, they needed to come up with three words to describe their story and create shapes with their bodies that represented their words.

“Kids can find different ways to express themselves through movement and through their body that lets them feel free to share and do anything they want,” said Andrew Dettloff, Take Root performer.

Take Root is a contemporary dance company-in-residence at Oakland University. Oakland Family Services' Children Learning Center provides high-quality preschool that ensures kindergarten-readiness for children. There are Children's Learning Center locations in both Pontiac and Walled Lake.