East Hampton Middle Schoolers Will Trip The Light Fantastic At Mad Heart Ball

The local version of “Dancing with the Stars” will unfold on Friday, February 7, at East Hampton Middle School, as the 15th annual Mad Heart Ball takes place from 6 to 8 p.m.

As in past years, students in grades six through eight will show their best moves in ballroom dance staples, such as merengue, swing and salsa, in both grade-level and open competitions before an audience of friends and family.

Forget any notions of teenage awkwardness.

“I think there is a large percentage of kids who really enjoy the social interaction,” said health teacher Lea Bryant. “I think they enjoy the music. I think they enjoy getting better each year at it — because by the time they are in eighth grade, they are grooving.”

That is all the more remarkable, given that the students get all of two weeks of physical education time — each class is 43 minutes long — to learn their dance steps under the direction of instructor Bethany Dellapolla. Students who sign up for the class contest, which is limited to 16 couples from each grade, also must devote five days of recess to learn their routines before the big night.

“I put the music on and I try to move quickly,” Ms Dellapolla said of her approach to cramming as much instruction as possible into her limited time with the students. “For the most part, they are very enthusiastic and want to learn it. The fact that there is a competition helps.”

Along with the class competition, there is an open competition among students in all three grades for those who don’t want to take part in the more formal competition.

“Most of the time, the eighth-graders win,” Ms. Bryant said. “They have an advantage, because they have been doing it one more year than the others.” But, she was quick to add, in the open competition, there have been more than a fair number of seventh grade and even sixth grade couples who have come out on top.

School nurse Barbara Tracey said the dance competition is part of the school’s Bonac On Board to Wellness curriculum.

Dancing is not only a valuable aerobics exercise but “it helps with social skills and communication,” Ms. Dellapolla said. “It makes you more aware of your body, and it’s great for your mind: It keeps you sharp.” Besides, it’s a lot of fun. “People dance socially all the time. I think everybody gets something out of it,” she said.

Faculty members got the idea of introducing dance to their students after seeing the film “Mad Hot Ballroom,” which told the story of several New York school children’s introduction to ballroom dancing. The staff showed the movie to the kids as a way to introduce the idea of the competition.

“Some of us had taken ballroom dance, and when the film was over, as they raised the curtain, we did the tango and rumba,” she said.

The dance competition is always held in February, which is American Heart Month, not because of its proximity to Valentine’s Day.

“It really does look like a Valentine’s dance, because of the way the gym is decorated,” said Ms. Bryant, “but it’s not about dating.” In fact, in the week leading up to the contest, the school announcements remind students that they do not need a date to attend the event. “This is a come-and-have-fun activity,” she said, “and just because you are competing with someone doesn’t mean you are going to the dance as their date.”

Last year, one particular couple stood out. “They were so good. They practiced at home. They had their own routine,” Ms. Bryant said. “They lit up the dance floor. They even had corresponding outfits.”

This year, the school is expecting a special treat of another sort: Ms. Tracey said at least half a dozen former students who participated in those first couple of dances are planning to come back to join in the fun.