School residency

Lindy HOp Program for 6th and 7th graders

In 2025, Project Connect initiated its school residency program in partnership with Dancing Classrooms.  This residency program consists of a complete 10-lesson curriculum on Lindy Hop history, jazz movement, and social studies, invites musical guests to the classroom, and concludes with a Project Connect performance featuring student created dance routines. It introduces students to the rich history, culture, and movements that have shaped Lindy Hop.  Students build confidence by exploring their self-expression and creativity through dance improvisation and collaborative partnerships.  Like all Dancing Classrooms programs, this residency is rooted in the core values of connection, inclusion, and joy—principles that lie at the heart of Black American social dance traditions.

The first video shows sixth- and seventh-grade students proudly performing their own original Lindy Hop routines accompanied by live jazz music during the culminating performance of our Lindy Hop school residency. Their classmates formed a traditional jam circle, surrounding the dancers with enthusiastic applause and encouragement, creating a joyful, supportive atmosphere that celebrated each student's creativity, confidence, and growth.

In the second video, students invited family members, teachers, and guests onto the dance floor for a community celebration. Accompanied by a live swing band, students, Project Connect dancers, and community members danced together, celebrating the residency and the connections that they had built through music, movements and shared experiences.