Community Magnet Students - Finalists In Conga Kids Dance Comp.

LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2018 – Students from Community Magnet participated as finalists in the Conga Kids Spring Dance Title held at Microsoft Square at L.A. Live on Wednesday, May 23, 2018. The 14-person student team from Community Magnet were among the nearly 3500 fifth graders this semester (6,000 total throughout the 2017-2018 school year) from throughout Los Angeles county.

A non-profit partner of The Conga Room, Los Angeles’ renowned music and dance venue at L.A. Live, Conga Kids is a transformative partner-dance program that develops students’ creative potential and sets a foundation of respect, teamwork, confidence and conflict resolution.

“We are extremely proud of all of our finalists,” said Brad Gluckstein, founder of Conga Kids and co-owner of The Conga Room. “Through the program, the students learn more than just dance. They learn to collaborate with their fellow students, build self-esteem and evidence great leadership skills.”

With UCLA Graduate School of Education as a research and curriculum-development partner, Conga Kids utilizes a standards-based program that teaches students five partner-dances: Salsa, Merengue, Swing, Tango, and Foxtrot. The program consists of 20 classes over ten weeks including a dance culmination event for the entire grade with the parents in attendance.

Conga Kids serves predominately Hispanic and African-American 10 and 11-year-olds in historically disadvantaged areas that often fall behind in arts curriculum and where students’ educational experience is compromised. Many of these students are immigrants or children of immigrants and categorized as English Language Learners. Participating school districts include Los Angeles Unified, Beverly Hills Unified, Lynwood Unified, Pomona Unified, Compton Unified, Mountain View and El Monte City School Districts.

Following the dance championship, a fundraising gala for Conga Kids was held at The Conga Room, co-owned by Jimmy Smits, Jennifer Lopez, will.i.am, Baron Davis and Sheila E., among others to support next year’s Los Angeles countywide program. To learn more about Conga Kids and to contribute to the organization, visit www.congakids.org and click on the the “Donate” tab.

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