Explain to me your role at Santa Barbara high school and how you work with Creative Netwerk.

I'm the dance teacher at Santa Barbara High, I get to teach four different levels at the high school. We have beginning, intermediate, advanced and then we have a performing ensemble, which is the dance team. I teach multiple styles: ballet, contemporary, hip hop, modern, tap. My goal is to get the kids to move, even if it’s just to try dance. Some of them don't want to do PE and then and then they try dance and they end up enjoying it end up taking it for years. I love having Creative Netwerk just come in and help during the day. I've always liked to bring in other instructors so that the students learn different styles, and not just my style of hip hop because everyone has a different style of dance and way of teaching. 

Do you have any of your own experiences with dance?

So my family is a big fan of music in general. When I lived in the Philippines, my parents would just be in charge of entertainment. And my sisters would choreograph and I would be a part of it. And so that's how it started. Then we moved to Long Beach, California, I remember seeing my sister and her dance program at the high school. She was going to it while I was in elementary school, I was like, “I want to be in something like that”. And then it was a passion that I enjoyed. Starting in high school, there was a dance program just like my program now. I took the classes and then enjoyed it. The thing was, my parents couldn't afford to put me in a dance studio. It was hard, but I knew I loved it. I joined cheer trying to do the uniform dance. Then, in college, I was in a hip hop dance team and that's when I really started my training with hip hop. I was also taking dance courses in jazz, ballet, contemporary, tap - everything I could get my hands on - just because I loved it. I was a kinesiology major. I wanted to be a physical therapist. Then I found his job as a middle school PE tutor. The teacher there was like ‘Hey Beth. I have 60 students in my class. So can you teach half of the class, whatever you want to teach.’ And I asked, ‘Can I teach dance? I'm a dancer.’ And so that PE teacher said okay. That's when I realized how much I loved teaching dance and pursued getting my teaching credentials and become a teacher.

How did you learn about Creative Netwerk and why do you feel like it’s a fit for SBHS?

I've known Kelli and heard about her work with Everybody Dance Now! from a long time ago. I thought it was so wonderful that we had programs like this for students after school, because I really am the only one teaching during school hours in our district. The fact that students have to wait until after school to take part in dance is really sad to me - because some students have to take care of their siblings, do homework, etc after school and can’t take part - so when Kelli reached back out to me with Creative Netwerk last school year wanting to come in, I thought it would be so wonderful. I've seen the kids become more focused and interested in learning what the CN staff are teaching. They felt more connected. I feel like they're connected to me too, but it took a while. But when Creative Netwerk started coming in, I saw my kids build more confidence. They feel safe with the Creative Netwerk teachers. And so I love that. It’s impacted the students’ willingness to explore other genres rather than just hip hop. Having guest teachers come in from Creative Netwerk, it opens up their willingness to just try.

What has your experience been like partnering with Creative Netwerk?

It's been so positive. I love the energy they bring every day. It's just so contagious, you know? And so when they work with the kids, they just have so much energy. It also means that I'm able to pull aside students that are struggling and try to give them my one-on-one attention during that time, which is really helpful. Mike and Kelli - they just have so much knowledge - and they're so down to earth. I think that the kids really enjoy it. The kids learn to be vulnerable, to improvise. A lot of the kids wouldn't do that before. It normally takes time for the kids to open up,  but when I see Creative Netwerk come in, the kids do it in a couple of days. That's pretty amazing. Seeing the safe environment that they create is just joyful to see.

What do you hope SBHS students will learn from you?

A lot! I just want them to be inspired to learn who they are ultimately gain confidence and appreciate themselves. In high school, kids are trying to find who they are and learning about themselves. I'm hoping that the power of music impacts them, and I’m hoping that they're able to just really connect to themselves and then their peers and be able to share their stories and their culture, their backgrounds. Then they find that they have more similarities than differences, really. And even if they do have differences, they can learn to celebrate those differences, so I'm hoping that they can be really compassionate kids, too.

What do you see for the future of Creative Netwerk and the SBHS partnership?

It's really nice to see former students who stay local in Santa Barbara become leaders. I see those students continue their dance careers. Creative Netwerk has inspired students, and I hope they can continue this work of programming during the school day in all schools in the district. What's so good about it is that we're reaching all the demographics - all kids of different backgrounds, cultures, ability, skills - we're just able to reach all of them. I can’t wait to see that continue.