Congrats to the Student Dancers at Ruiz Elementary, a Go for the Gold School!

December 12, 2012 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign

We were thrilled to see Ruiz Elementary, a Go for the Gold school, spotlighted recently for a unique achievement.

We were thrilled to see Ruiz Elementary, a Go for the Gold school, spotlighted recently for a unique achievement. Ruiz students performed a variety of ballroom dances at the 2012 Dance Gala of the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD). By hitting the dance floor, Ruiz students had the chance to sparkle for a statewide audience while promoting fun physical activity. Plus, because Ruiz is known both for its committment to wellness and to the arts, their success highlights an important connection between the arts and physical activity. 

Student dancers from Ruiz participated for the second year in a row, and Principal Dana Butler called it “a phenomenal experience.”

Read on for more about Ruiz and about the students' experience (including their backstage anecdotes of crashing into tables while practicing!). The article goes on to explain: “Ruiz also is focused on the overall wellness of its students, and has been nationally recognized for its health and nutrition programs, including one of CPS’ original learning kitchens and community gardens. This in addition to the many performance opportunities at the school, which allows its 930 students to show off their talents in music, art, dance and theater.“

Here's a video of their 2012 performance: