Melli Hoppe is a dancer based in Michigan City, Indiana. She has been a teaching artist for Arts for Learning for over 17 years. With a B.A. in Dance from Columbia College and an M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College, she introduces students to the fundamentals of choreography to create dances based on the academic curriculum such as math, history, and the language arts. "Dance makes the curriculum come alive,"she says. "I am able to reach kinesthetic learners by integrating dance with other subject areas. Students learn group problem-solving skills and build self-esteem when they work in small groups to create their own dances." Most young students have little or no experience with contemporary dancing before working with Melli. In this way, she opens their minds to an entirely new art form � -- and to new ways of thinking and moving. "I strive to make sure students enjoy dancing as they work together with their peers. I also hope to make sure they have a strong sense of accomplishment after they perform for their peers.