GREENSBORO, N.C. — A Greensboro dance teacher is making it her mission to make sure to introduce kids to dance who may never get the chance to express themselves in that way.
"I believe that dance is an opportunity for children to really let go of things that may have them bound," Princess Johnson said.
Johnson opened Royal Expressions School of Dance in Greensboro 10 years ago but more recently created a program to give back to the community.
"What we are doing is really different," she said.
Dancing Dreamers is a 12-week outreach program that's built around movement and dreams for kids ages 9-14.
"So it's just really giving them a chance to literally feel themselves being something different than what they ever imagined," Johnson said.
The program started as a pilot back in 2018, but will continue after getting a $5,000 grant from the North Carolina Arts Council.
Johnson says the program is all about helping the kids develop self-confidence and belief in their dreams.
"We want the kids to dig deeper and really think very positively about themselves," Johnson said.
The curriculum goes beyond just dance. The children are motivated to both write and speak.
"It's really cool to see their confidence levels go up," Johnson said.
At the end of the 12 weeks, the kids perform a routine they choreographed
Johnson says by having the kids visualize their dreams through the form of dance, it makes the impossible seem possible.