Danvers Rec. Hip Hop Dance Club Teaches Friendship, Community [VIDEO]

The Hip Hop Dance Club, a summer program offered by Danvers Recreation, has taught girls ages four through eleven the fundamentals of friendship and community, all well engaging in hip-hop, playground games, and arts and crafts. 

The program, coordinated by and the Danvers Recreation Department, debuted last summer as "a place where children could come and learn to become friends, learn a craft, and maybe try their hand at dancing." 

Separated into two sessions, the first ran from July 18-21, and the next will start on July 25. The program is run at the

Collaborating with Liza Indiciani's School of Dance in Beverly, four high school dancers volunteered for a second year to lead the dance portions, participate in games, and teach the girls valuable lessons. "[They] help to inspire these young ladies to become better friends, learn how to accept if they weren't invited to a birthday party, how to share things, how to take turns, and how to empower one another," said Purcell. 

Each morning when the girls meet as a group they discuss what it means to be a good friend, and are asked to meet two new people each morning, and sit with someone new every day. 

Some of the projects include a yoga session, a special visit with Frankenstein Art, and crafts. Purcell said on Wednesday the older girls participated in making a collage poster that they can hang in their room, with empowerment words such as beautiful, strong, and healthy displayed. 

"I love it. It's one of the best projects I've worked on," said Purcell. 

Click here more information about Danvers Recreation programs.