I just have to say – I love Dancing with the Stars!! So do 10 million other people. It’s one of the very few shows I watch and it is not about murder, death, finding dead bodies or solving crimes. It is just group of celebrities and professional dancers dancing, week after week, with new costumes and new dances. But it’s so much more. It’s about art. It’s about creativity. It’s about what can happen when you tap into your creative side. 

Dancing with the Stars oozes creativity; the dances, the costumes, the sets, the lighting, the music, the choreography, the script and the show itself are wrought with inspiration. Every form of the arts is represented and celebrated. Week after week people come together to plan, make and do art. They sweat it out in the rehearsal rooms. They laugh, fall, press in, give up, and get back at it – all in the pursuit of learning the art of dance. It’s physical. It’s hard. But there’s something about doing art – in whatever form – that compels us to give ourselves to it. Art makes us want to give it all, to dig in, to be willing to fall while we reach for more, to succeed beyond our wildest dreams. And along the way we find ourselves. 

The arts are serious business. It’s a billion dollar industry that touches every part of our lives. And it’s not just about being the star of the show. The arts are serious business when it comes to learning one’s craft. It takes tenacity, diligence, hard work and a passion to see you through the hills and valleys. The choreography – the costumes – lights – sets – every dance – every week – the professionals strive for the most, the best. Yes, creativity and innovation are everywhere – but it’s all driven by hard work and a spirit of excellence. The arts are a serious business that requires training, practice, patience and a willingness to learn from failure. They help us, especially visual learners, develop global thinking. They help us generate new ideas. They help us remain healthy both inside and out. 

So why is it that the powers that be in education, the ones that hold the purse strings, don’t think the arts are serious enough to be included as part of a child’s learning? Why is it STEM and not STEAM? Why are we so focused on data and calculations? What do we have to do to get them to respect the Arts? 

Maybe they just need a few turns around the dance floor.