Motivational MovesStudent Helps Homeless with Dance LessonsBy Erika Puch, Kent State public relations studentKent State University student Melissa Knestaut started volunteering at a local homeless shelter to make a difference in the lives of its residents. She had no idea what an impact she would make. Through dance, Knestaut, a senior dance performance and leisure studies major, was able reduce levels of stress and fatigue and increase motivation and happiness among people at a homeless shelter in New Philadelphia, Ohio. At first, Knestaut began teaching a very general dance course at the shelter, but later developed lesson plans with goals and outcomes in mind. “I began structuring lesson plans according to the specific needs of the residents after I noticed their enjoyment in the classes,” Knestaut says. Soon Knestaut was regularly teaching dance classes to adults and children at the shelter. Through the dance classes, she aimed to build the residents’ confidence and encourage healthy self-expression, Knestaut says. Taught by Knestaut, adults at the shelter were able to learn a variety of dancing techniques including hip-hop, country western, ballet, modern and improvisation. “One woman said she would only attend the classes if she could learn how to line-dance,” Knestaut says. “So that’s what we did the next week.” Before each class, Knestaut measured participants’ emotions using a Lickert scale. Participants measured high in emotions like fatigue and stress. After attending a dance class, participants’ energy and happiness had increased and fatigue and stress had decreased. Knestaut’s research also revealed that overall life at the shelter had improved. Residents initiated and strengthened relationships and began to feel welcome and comfortable at the shelter, Knestaut says. Knestaut describes her finding as a big eye-opener. “It really reaffirmed my belief in the potential for dance as a therapeutic experience,” she says. “It’s really true that one person can make a difference in others’ lives.”  Read more about Garrison Keillor in "Art is Smart for Downtown" from the Summer 2008 issue of Kent State Magazine |
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