
Charles
J.
Colgan
Sr.
High
School
Dance
Teacher
Jamie
Howes
infuses
creativity
and
expertise
into
every
lesson
she
provides
her
students.
This
hasn't
changed
now
that
her
dance
instruction
is
conducted
online.
"Although
virtual
learning
has
been
challenging,
I
have
to
say
that
things
are
going
as
well
as
they
possibly
could
in
these
circumstances,"
shared
Howes.
"At
the
beginning
of
the
year,
I
charged
[my
students]
with
being
a
part
of
the
movement
to
carry
our
art
form
through
this
trying
time
and
they
have
answered
the
call
effortlessly."
Her
students'
enthusiasm
for
dance
comes
from
Howes'
ability
to
find
new
and
interesting
ways
to
keep
students
engaged
and
performing.
"So
far,
we
have
done
a
few
virtual
get-togethers,
where
our
dancers
are
put
into
'families'
and
each
family
re-creates
a
popular
TikTok
dance,"
Howes
said.
"We
are
also
organizing
dance
movie
nights
via
Zoom,
as
well
as
a
few
master
classes
with
working
professionals,"
she
added.
Among
the
unique
experiences
Howes
arranged
for
her
students
is
a
virtual
dance
gala
with
the
Paul
Taylor
Dance
Company.
After
watching
several
performances,
students
heard
from
dancers
and
directors
about
the
challenges
and
opportunities
they
have
faced
during
the
pandemic.
She
explained
that
even
though
the
students
cannot
be
together,
they
can
still
come
together
virtually
to
share
the
art
of
dance
with
others.
"We
will
be
teaching
a
virtual
class
to
the
patients
at
Children's
National
Hospital
in
D.C.
through
Seacrest
Studios,"
Howes
shared.
"We
have
done
this
every
year
in
person
and
we
wanted
to
continue
regardless
of
the
circumstances.
We
are
thrilled
to
bring
a
little
joy
and
a
lot
of
movement
to
those
brave
kids
at
Children's
National."
Howes
also
mentioned
that
even
when
the
class
is
not
performing
for
others,
the
students
are
just
as
engaged.
"My
dancers
are
dancing
in
their
kitchens,
bedrooms,
and
basements,
using
chairs
and
walls
for
ballet
barres,
but
day
in
and
day
out,
they
show
up,
cameras
on,
full
dress
code
ready
to
work,"
she
said.
Howes
credits
the
dance
community
in
general
with
the
resiliency
she
sees
in
her
students.
"The
dance
community,
as
a
whole,
has
been
so
innovative
and
relentless
through
this
time,"
she
said.
"I
thought
it
was
important
to
show
our
students
how
the
arts
can
continue
to
serve
audiences,
create,
and
thrive
in
this
virtual
world."