by Roy Taylor, Community News Reporter

During March, Northpoint Elementary School teachers will team up with a dance instructor to teach conventional subjects in unconventional ways.

Through the Illinois Arts in Educational Residency program, artist Kate Kuper is guiding students through an exploration of space, energy, and music.

Instead of students sitting in the classroom to learn about subjects such as volcanic activity and American history, they discover their true meaning through dance.

Northpoint Elementary Principal Victoria Freeman said “this is a very creative way to teach these subjects.”

This idea began in December 1991 when the school and its PTA obtained information on applying for a grant from the Illinois Arts Council (IAC), a state agency. “The PTA liked the idea, so we went ahead with it,” Freeman added.

Several parents, teachers, and Freeman then traveled to Chicago to view an “artist showcase”, which is a type of convention where educators can view perspective resident art instructors.

The group was impressed with Kuper’s program, so they returned and wrote a grant proposal to the IAC. The grant was awarded in April 1992, and this month was the mutually agreed upon date to being teaching it.

Kuper will teach her art of dance and movement to each class in the school, but will focus on a “core group” of fifth graders, who will give a final public performance at the end of this month.

An example of Kuper’s work involves teaching about the mechanics of volcanic activity through various dance movements.

“The class is broken up into several groups, and students in those groups simulate the various motions associated with volcanic activity,” Kuper said. The groups include stone wind, superheated water, pumice, lava, magma, mudflows, and a column of ash.

After instructing the children as to what groups they should emulate, it only took them several minutes to create and perform their acts.

“The children are very creative and have great imaginations,” Kuper said.

The fifth grade core group is meeting three hours per week for three weeks, and will learn to express American history during the 1800’s.

“The students will develop a documentary dance drama about the country’s changes due to the transcontinental railroad and the settler’s move to the west,” Kuper said.

The core group will perform the works they have put together Thursday, March 25, 7 p.m. at the school. Performances by the other classes will also be featured.

Musical accompaniment for the program will be provided by Rocky Maffit, Kuper’s husband. Maffit is an accomplished pop artist who will perform a piece created especially for this event.

In addition to the obvious educational experiences Kuper is providing, this exercise also teaches the students how to cooperate and work together, Freeman said.

“There are so many competitive activities for children, and it is nice to see them learn how to work together,” she said.

Kuper said she especially enjoys tasks such as this, sharing dance with those less exposed to it.

“It’s my way of being a kid again,” she said.