The Growth of Vista View's Dance Program

Vista View Middle School continually seeks innovative teachers who can tap into the needs and interests of its students. For the 2023-2024 school year, teacher Jenessa Wood started a dance program facilitated through PE standards, as well as a dance team that rehearsed after school. The dance program was created in response to student survey data in the spring of 2023, where our Falcons expressed their love for dance and their desire for a dance class at Vista View. 

By June 2024, the program had been successfully established, with 85 students participating in six performances, all of them beaming with joy. The dance team displayed their talents at the District’s Music Festival, the Festival of the Arts, and the first-ever Vista View Dance Showcase.

The enthusiastic response from students has paved the way for an expanded dance program for the 2024-2025 school year. Listening to students' needs and encouraging teacher Jenessa Wood's passion for dance, Vista View is starting the 2024-2025 school year with a new dance program.  Students involved in the dance program are not only developing their artistic talents, but also enhancing their teamwork, discipline, and confidence—skills that will benefit them in all areas of life.

These elective classes will focus on specific genres of dance and provide opportunities to learn and perform dances connected to the cultures of our student body. For instance, students will learn a Latin dance and a dance appropriate for Lunar New Year to perform for the student body and our families. 

Expanding the dance program at Vista View serves as a testament to the District's commitment to providing a well-rounded education. This initiative highlights the opportunities available to Ocean View School District students, where the arts play a significant role in their educational experience.