Dancing to Connect 2017
GabonBattery Dance Company conducted a Dancing to Connect workshop in Gabon over the course of seven days in June 2017. Participants of the Dancing to Connect Program completed survey questionnaires both before the program and after. The goals of the questionnaires were to evaluate the effects of the Dancing to Connect programs on participants, and to learn of aspects needing improvement or change. The total number of respondents to the pre-program questionnaire was 57, and 63 for the post-program questionnaire. The program was led by Program Director Emad Salem and Teaching Artists Sean Scantleberry, Robin Cantrell, Mira Cook, Clement Mensah, and Bethany Mitchell.
Dates
Project Specifics
- 42% of participants fell between ages 11-19, 34% fell between ages 20-29, 15% fell between ages 30-39, and 9% were older than 40.
- 34% of participants were male, 66% were female.
- 43% of participants spoke French as their native language, 25% spoke Fang, and 11% spoke Punu.
- 76% of participants identified as Gabonese, 21% as French, and 3% as Cameroonian.
- 99% of participants were from Libreville and 1% was from Nzeng-Ayong
An analysis of the pre-program and post-program surveys yielded significant results. Over the course of the Dancing to Connect program there was: * a significant improvement in the participants’ confidence in their abilities as students (200% increase) * a significant improvement in the participants’ abilities to listen to others (49% increase) * an improvement in the participants’ ability to consider themselves leaders (34% increase) * a significant improvement in the participants’ confidence in themselves (22% increase) * a significant improvement in the participants’ abilities to express themselves in group settings (17% increase) * a significant improvement in the participants’ perception of Americans (8% increase)
