LAFAYETTE, La. (Daily Advertiser)- Students grabbed the hands of siblings and best friends Thursday, March 21, 2019, night as they clambered down from the stands in the L.J. Alleman Middle School gym.

It was Family Folk Dance Night for these Woodvale Elementary students, and they filled the neighboring school’s gym along with parents and teachers. Many of them wore yellow Woodvale shirts.

Music teacher Jessica Wiltz wove between the dance couples scattered across the gym floor, speaking into a small microphone to give instructions.

She led them step by step in the Sasha, a Russian folk dance that has partners say certain words before clapping hands, slapping their thighs and do-si-doing a few times. Then they switched partners.

Some kids began paired with their big sibling or friend from school. Some parents  slapped their children’s hands and tried to speak Russian, while many others remained in the stands with their phones out to record the action. Just about everyone was smiling.

For the full article and details how the students celebrated other ways throughtout the week for Music Week, visit The Daily Advertiser.