Dance Dance Resolution, At Hillhouse

“Get out your heads and get into your bodies!” Hillhouse High School dance teacher Millette Nunez instructed her students, as each of them danced to the upbeat rhythm of Afro-Caribbean guitar and drums.

That was the scene last Thursday in Hillhouse’s dance and acro class that Nunez teaches. In the first-floor classroom, Nunez taught her 18 students the beginning of a student-made choreography for their new unit in African dance. 

Before jumping into the rhythmic footwork of the choreography, senior Janae led her classmates through their daily stretches. Thursday kicked off a new graded task Nunez had for each of her students: they had to be student-teachers for a day and lead their peers through a warmup. 

“The point is to make sure you know how to warm up the body independently of class,” Nunez told her students.

As Janae spent several minutes guiding the class through stretches — like shoulder and neck rolls, and knee and ankle circles — Nunez reminded her to ​“trust yourself, you’re doing great,” and settle her nerves.

Throughout Thursday’s class, the group discussed insecurities, healthy posture, and self-esteem. They looked at a few PowerPoint slides to learn the history of Sub-Saharan African dancing. Nunez described it as ​“empowering,” as needing ​“total body articulation.” 

Last week was also the class’s first week having newly installed wall mirrors.

At the start of each class, Nunez collects students’ phones in a bin. She told one student on Thursday, ​“Put the iPad away, please. You can put it in the bucket with your phones, I don’t mind holding it for you, my love.” 

She explained that her collecting students’ phones is ​“not a punishment, I just want you to be present.”

The class didn’t just dance on Thursday; they also did their daily journaling of affirmations and what they’re grateful for. At the end of each class, they also journal about what new things they’ve learned about their bodies and how they felt about the lesson.

Ninth grader Camdyn Johnson said she enjoys the dance class because practicing different movements improves her skills as a Hillhouse cheerleader. So far this year she’s learned ballet steps, which she enjoyed because she’s never done ballet. 

“Dance gives me something else to focus on, like movements and that’s it,” she said. ​“It gives me a moment in the day to focus on my body.” 

While learning Thursday’s dance, Nunez instructed the students through steps — like a pas de bourrée — and reminded them to ​“get out your heads and get into your bodies.” 

The group used the classroom’s new mirrors to keep their footwork in unison while they danced to ​“Afro Tropical” by IVANN.

By the end of class, the students had journaled about the new words they learned, like ​“scapula” and ​“obliques.” They were also able to answer questions from Nunez, like ​“What do we call that thing in the body where two or more bones meet?” The class correctly answered, ​“A joint.” 

Senior Diamond Furlow said she’s been doing dance since she was 6 years old, and she said she looks forward to the Hillhouse dance class each week because it has introduced her to new dance types, like bachata. She said she also enjoys learning more about the health of her body because ​“it’s stuff we should know, because we all have bodies.”

She said the twice-per-week dance class also provides her with a ​“break to learn in a different way.”

During Thursday’s class, Furlow danced her way to the back of the classroom to urge her younger classmates to find their rhythm and confidence at the front of the group.

She concluded that being in the class with first-time dancers has allowed her to ​“see things in a different way” and work at a slower pace when needed. 

Nunez said the installation of the classroom’s new mirrors helped her students significantly. She was able to ​“see them come alive” and have more confidence in their dancing. 

This year is the third year Hillhouse has offered the dance and acro course taught by Nunez. 

Nunez is a graduate of Co-op High School and a Beaver Hills resident. She previously taught Spanish at Hillhouse between 2001 and 2008. She then taught partner acrobatics to adults internationally for ten years. 

She described herself as a ​“movement enthusiast” who aims to ​“try to get kids to feel good about themselves and their bodies.”

Upon her return to New Haven, Nunez specifically requested to go back to Hillhouse. She planned to teach Spanish again until school admin approached her and encouraged her to introduce the dance and acro class.

She frequently reminds her students throughout her classes to get out their minds and into their bodies because she believes in the importance of finding healthy coping outlets at all ages. 

“Like sports, the arts save kids,” Nunez said.