DFK2018

This past summer, one of my number one goals was to get myself registered as a Group Leader so DIS could participate this year. At first, all of the information seemed overwhelming, but as I followed Orly’s process, I realized how incredibly organized the steps and the process is. I realized how much of the work she and her team have already done to make it easier for her Group Leaders to guide their events. I realized I actually had the time to make our participation a reality. My goal this year was just to get my feet wet and walk (or dance)  through the process. Orly and Erin supported me in my efforts at the level I believed we could participate. Next year we will do a little more.

I would thank all of our teachers for letting me practice the dance with their classes. I also would like to point out three members of our staff who went the extra mile to help me in completing the tasks in the Aftermath.

• Mr. Etter (Vice Principal and resident techie) is creating the video montage.
• Mrs. Greer (Yearbook supervisor) took the pictures I will be posting.
• Mrs. Etter (Leadership and Theatre teacher) who let me use her students as my core group of kids for the dance. She also danced with us!

A sea of over 500 students and about 75 staff uniting together to Dance for Kindness was amazing.  But, what was truly the most special part of being a Group Leader was the process before the actual day.  In the weeks before the dance, our students began learning the dance during music class. The excitement was infectious. The day of the actual dance was buzzing with excitement.  It was so heartwarming to see our whole school involved and united under the same umbrella of kindness.  Kindness is the best “pill” anyone could be prescribed. I believe the ripples from our DFK will last for a very long time. I can’t wait to have other schools in our district join ours next year for DFK 2019.

Dance for Kindness in NYC was absolutely amazing! We had a great crowd and the dancers really rocked it. Leading the NYC flash mob was an experience I will never forget. I met so many amazing people and made some new friends! I look forward to continue supporting Life Vest Inside and preparing for next year’s Dance For Kindness!

• Maria Huhtinen for teaching the choreography to our participants and leading us in Times Square
• Kanyok Arts Initiative dancers for their enthusiasm
• Times Square Alliance and their employees for their help which made the event possible.
• Core and Penta Water for their generous donations.

What an amazing experience!  This was my first year being a Group Leader and I had no idea what I was getting myself into…I’m a better person for leading the Dance for Kindness 2018!  To my knowledge, the only other public DFK locations in the Southeast United States were in Louisiana and South Carolina. This was a BIG DEAL bringing the event to north Georgia, and I’m so glad I did! What an honor. I gathered a small group of individuals and we had one planning meeting, and then kept in touch via emails and phone calls as details came together. It was easy to get support and involvement for such a great cause. Like my volunteer coordinator, Tricia Jackson, said “who isn’t a champion of KINDNESS?!” We are all champions of kindness and we’re adding to our ranks globally! I was grateful that our local event was a success and we were able to bring such awareness to North Georgia, USA

Tricia Jackson, Susan Wells and Walker Family Connections, John Donahoo and North Georgia Community YMCA, Brad Patterson and Nelson J. Spitler of Lifetouch Photography, Tuck Watts, Tempo Dance Center LLC’s Sarah Kruger, Darla Toker, Sydney Kruger, and Zaria Perry, Tim Lawson,  Carthell Rogers with the Rossville Athletic Center and Coca Cola.

The event was so much easier my second year! Thank you to the entire DFK Team for a wonderful period of growth over the last two years. As I start to travel the world helping animals there may be an opportunity to be a Group Leader or support a Group Leader outside the US. Nikki Gaithers mother in law who has supported the dance for the last 2 years is possibly ready to step up to continue to grow DFKPortland.

Lily Marie Images: Photographer

This was my third year as a Dance for Kindness Team Leader and I must say that my patience was growing thin.  Trying to motivate people to take the time out of their busy lives to dance was near impossible. Just when I was about to give up, I had some new dancers sign up that were so excited, it renewed my hope and helped me to push through.  DFK has shown me once again that Kindness does still exist in the world, and it is up to Me (and You) to raise awareness and spread Love each and every day.

Brynn Aljabi – Lead Dancer

Rosalie Gower – Purple Moon Photography

Andrew Madden – Videographer

It was really an amazing experience, kids had so much fun, even the time was short, it was incredible to see all the people participating in the event. Coordinating was not easy, since it is the first year of the school in San Pedro Sula, but all the participants were really happy and willing to be part of the change.

It was a rainy day when I woke up on the day of our event. My heart was sinking. I thought that people won’t come and I was in the cross road of cancelling the event. I checked the weather forecast and it said it would be cloudy with just showers in the morning but it was pouring rain. Then, I read Justin Cole’s post on facebook to move on despite the smoke situation happening in California. I was encouraged and reminded me to have faith! He further boosted my confidence when he said, “”Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain!” It’s true. So with soaring spirit we pushed through and miraculously, the rain stopped during our entire event and continued to pour again when we finished cleaning up. I just can’t help but praising and thanking the Lord! I can’t also stop thanking those who had sacrificed to make this event a success! To Life Vest Inside  who believes that kindness makes the world afloat, kudos to you guys. Thank you for sharing this initiative to the world. You are awesome and may God bless you more

Jones Ettie, Thùy Dương Nguyễn, Dana Trandafir, Efraim Mark Lidem, Jon Mudd, Alyssa Mudd and Ha Dang, Anh, Jake Villagonzalo and Ha Dang, Jeffrey Ettie, Raquel Recolizado and R-jay Gazmen, QSI Student Council, David Stanton, Lucian Trandafir, Thu, Victorio and Loveria Hitomi, Nhatly, Dung Phuc, Rosemary Bakery, and E-Premium Coffee, Jacquelin Simalong and Paragon Language Center, My husband, Abel and my children, Psalms, Abiel, and Chiaste, Xuan Khoa Hoang of THP, Fiona and Ocean, Nhung, Van, and Tiana

Audience was much more bigger than we expected; the freezemob was the reason of joining
us two families with children. When we started to dance, they joined the audience and wathed us
during whole choreography. They made an applause and asked us about the motive of the action.
Elderly people told us it was really funny and made them smile. The audience consisted of different nationalities.  In all, the event went well and we are proud because of it. These kind of events are
needful in today’s society. Next year we want to cooperate with some high schools in the city for making bigger and more organized group than in this year edition.

– Wiktoria Stachowiak, the co-leader
– Kamil Krzyszczyk, the photographer
– Crisis Management Center, for the safeguard of the event

Throughout the journey of Dance for Kindness I kept asking myself why I wanted to do this Flashmob and why this event is so important to me. And then I saw something that will always inspire me for the rest of my life. People from different background came forward to celebrate, be a part of this event, shared a bond with one another, became close friends. It is through art and culture that helps one to understand the deeper meaning and break the stereotypes. People need space to express, to talk, to be able to live in a world where they feel accepted and welcomed. So for me, Dance For Kindness is not just about the FlashMob or FreezeMob, it’s actually beyond a simple explanation, it’s about realising that we are all citizens of the world and it’s Kindness that unites us.

• Pragati Kalita, very close friend of mine and core team member of DFK. She has always been there to help, motivate. From mobilising to taking permission for the venue or talking with the music system. She took care of everything on the day of the event.
• Bidisha Bhuyan, who took responsibility of t-shirts and mobilisation.
• Kabita Magar, who is a wonderful dancer. She helped all the participants with dance steps and gave dance tutorial.