By Holly Hearn

Numerous dancers start their experience in comparable methods. They stand as a young child in a studio on marley floor covering as they grip the barres, sticker labels on their shoes informing their rights from lefts.

For Cristina Duncan, it began more untraditionally: With her involvement in a volunteer dance program kept in her church.

Since of that opportunity to discover her method into dance through a volunteer program, she now offers many impoverished kids throughout St. Augustine access to dance.

When Duncan had her very first kid at 16, her life was altered entirely, however this modification is what brought her to where she is now. She was placed on federal government support however still wished to return to her neighborhood, which is what led her to start an area dance program as a side hustle.

It started with 9 trainees however removed rapidly as word started to spread out.

The program, called Present of Dance, now serves 230 trainees throughout 14 primary schools, one preschool, 3 recreation center, group homes through St. Augustine Youth Solutions and most just recently, the St. Augustine Youth Crisis Center.

I wish to serve individuals that would not have access to dance had we not pertain to their neighborhood, their preschool, or their grade school. That sort of has actually remained without me even understanding it. Serving individuals that could not get their kids to a studio 5 days a week,” Duncan stated.

The advantages of dance for kids are noteworthy. According to a research study by Frontiers in Physiology, kids associated with dance gain a larger variety of motor advancement, which likewise helps in mental advancement as motor abilities permit the kid to move and explore their environment.

An objective of Duncan’s work is to supply an outlet for her trainees who are dealing with difficulties. The exact same research study revealed enhancements in signs of somatization, OCD, anxiety, stress and anxiety and more, which suggests the advantages that dance can have on the trainees that she is assisting.

This is why dance is necessary to many individuals, nevertheless, a program such as Present of Dance takes that even more.

The minute Duncan understood Present of Dance was required in the neighborhood remained in 2019 when she strolled into Webster Grade school. Webster has its own studio area; nevertheless, it was not being utilized at the time.

Duncan saw the trainee’s deals with illuminate and understood she remained in the best location. She seemed like she might motivate her trainees to strive and bringing these trainees into a genuine studio was something she understood her trainees required.

The structure of Duncan’s work is assisting those around her. She is presently getting ready for the Present of Dance’s spring recital, held Might 4 at Tocoi Creek High School, which includes great deals of her daily work.

She takes a look at each dancer’s outfit to ensure they all fit effectively and to ensure they do not have any problems and make any required modifications. She likewise makes a point of conference with her instructors and making certain to sign in on what they require and how they are doing.

” I enjoy working for Cristina,” Present of Dance trainer Kelsey Walsh stated. “She has actually opened my eyes in an expert viewpoint, however likewise personally. She constantly highlights the value of being an excellent good example. She is generous and enthusiastic, that makes her an excellent good example to not just her trainees however her workers. She has actually taught me a lot I will permanently bring with me.”

The concept of being a good example is really shown in the manner in which she treats her workers and the chances she offers her trainees. She is constantly more than ready to treat her workers to supper or coffee and ensures she develops strong relationships with them to support them and their work.

She establishes as lots of chances for her trainees to dance, such as recitals, neighborhood fundraiser and partnering with the Dance Group at Flagler College to take part in their display and going to the basketball video games they carry out at to see a few of their own instructors and the rest of the group carry out. Her objective is to make everybody delighted and continue to have dance be an outlet for her trainees and instructors.

Duncan has actually been broadening her work every day. Together with mentor, she is still taking dance classes herself.

When she initially started teaching years back, she was fretted that her skillset would not suffice for the primary trainees that she would be mentor. While she was really worried, stating that she was asking God to have them all be more youthful, she just recently consented to partner with the Youth Crisis Center and teach trainees aged 11-18.

She is constantly growing with her work and broadening her artistry. Duncan will never ever own a conventional studio, as she thinks dance is recovery, especially for kids dealing with hardship and other tough things that aren’t their fault.

” Feeling in one’s bones my individual story and understanding that I will be all right, I understand that they’re going to be all right,” she stated. “If we can include a little positivity and a little light to their dark times, that’s what I wish to do.”