Prodigy Cultural Arts Program brings break dancing beginner’s class for kids
TAMPA, Fla. - For 25 years, the University Area Community Development Corporation’s (CDC) Prodigy Cultural Arts Program has enriched the community through various art, music and dance programs.
Once a week, kids from 5-9 years old meet to bust out their dance moves for a Prodigy Moves beginner break dancing class.
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"My goal is to have them be well-rounded, so that whatever direction they take their dance, they have some form of foundation in that," Prodigy Moves Dance Instructor Carrie Harmon said.
Big picture view:
Harmon teaches the kids toprock, which are movements while standing that are also used many times to start dance routines. Kids learn freezes, which is fancy for poses, and power moves, which are the fancy moves. Footwork is the key component for the dance style.
"The footwork on the floor is what distinguishes it from all the other dance styles, because no other dance style has that," Harmon explained.

While much of the class is focused on learning specific skills, a highlight of the class is the freestyle sessions, where students surround a performer that’s coming up with moves on the fly.
"My favorite part about this job is when you see it, click with them. You see them progress, and you see them just get that little bounce. When they get that move, you see them come up the air, and then you get that little bounce," Harmon said. "It's like a level that they didn't know that they could go, and you can see it in their body and their confidence, and then it carries on in all areas outside of dance class."
The lessons the kids take outside of class are what is most important to Harmon.
"It's more than just a dance class. It's a community and an outlet for them to express themselves. Even if they don't become dancers, they have this outlet. They have discipline. They know how to take corrections," Harmon said. "The arts, it's way more than just a hobby. It's an outlet. This is a gift that people can have that nobody can ever take away from them."
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What you can do:
The Prodigy Cultural Arts Program is celebrating their 25th anniversary with showcases all over the Tampa Bay area. See the flyer below for more details:

For more information, visit www.uacdc.org/prodigy.
The Source: The information in this story was provided through an interview with a Prodigy Moves dance instructor.
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