Innovative Dance Teacher Creates Unique Experience for Children
Michael Dillon recently hit a roadblock when planning his annual dance summer camp in San Francisco due to city-wide restrictions put in place where week-long indoor camps were prohibited. Known for his "out-of-the-box" thinking, Michael worked around these restrictions while keeping his dancers engaged with a week-long, outdoor scavenger hunt!
During the scavenger hunt, participants discovered more about the beautiful city of San Francisco. The children learned about many of the unique aspects of the Irish culture including dance, history, and Irish sports. Irish Dance steps were incorporated into each day in a fun and engaging way for the children.
As new Irish Dancing "beginners," most of the children had never met in person but had formed friendships during zoom classes earlier in the spring. The fact that they were able to do something fun with their new friends and dance teacher was beyond exciting for the children, many of whom had not participated in an organized activity outside their homes for many months.
Each day began with a scavenger hunt in a different location around San Francisco. Each locale brought a new set of clues. The kids took to the task to solve the riddles, discovering historical gems about San Francisco. Some of the exciting clues included "What age was Roger Emmet when he died?" and "What made the gold fire hydrant near Dolores Park?" (Discover the answers below.)
After an hour of running around, the kids were ready to dance. Hour-long sessions were held outside on location, providing great entertainment for the public that passed by.
Sandwiched in the middle of the dance sessions was a different activity each day. Gaelic football, drumming, hurling, tennis games, and croquet provided just the break needed before diving back into an hour of dance.
Kathleen Deeley Smith ADCRG shared her drumming skills with the group, in a fun and creative way.
According to Dillon, "No, the dancing wasn’t up to the usually grueling par but community scored big time. I will do this again for sure."
The week ended with a group of exhausted but ecstatic kids who were very enthusiastic about continuing their dancing journey. Learn more about Michael Dillon's Irish Dance School at www.bayareairishdance.com.
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What age was Roger Emmet when he died?
25 years old. A sculpture of the Irish patriot, Robert Emmet, still resides where it was unveiled by Eamon De Valera in front of the California Academy of Sciences building in Golden Gate Park. De Valera was on a fundraising tour of the United States in support of Sinn Fein and the Irish Volunteers.
What is special about the gold fire hydrant near Dolores Park"
In 1916 most of San Francisco was destroyed by the massive fire that erupted from gas lines that were broken during a devastating earthquake. With most of the city's water pipes broken, a major issue was the lack of water to put out the fire. This fire hydrant was the only one that remained functional in the entire Mission district. It is now painted gold as a memorial.
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