Echo Glen teacher dances into international championships

Teaching a full load of math and PE to some of the District's most challenging students at Echo Glen Children's Center keeps Susan Nieswander on her toes all day. But Latin dancing really keeps her on her toes at night.

"I usually practice about 10 hours per week," Nieswander said. All that hard work paid off this summer when she and her dance partner won the Senior Latin Dance competition at the USA DanceSport National Championships in California. That earned them the opportunity to represent the United States at the international championship in Helsinki in September. There, they placed in the top 27.

Nieswander's toes have always twinkled. She's ballroom danced for more than 20 years. Since 2002, she's consistently placed in the top three in national competitions, and last year she represented the U.S.A. in Spain. She's also qualified to dance in Belgium in 2007.

The International Latin competition requires Nieswander and her partner to perform five dances: The samba, cha-cha, rumba, paso doble, and jive.

While competing takes a tremendous level of commitment, Nieswander says she gains unexpected benefits that stretch to the classroom.

"Dancing certainly makes me a better teacher," Nieswander said. "Through dancing, I have learned self-discipline and gained self-confidence."

She also brings back the cultural lessons she absorbs while traveling the nation and globe. Many Echo Glen students end up in the state juvenile detention center after harsh, limited childhoods; they gain understanding and a bigger perspective by broadening their world view, Nieswander said.

Pictured above: Susan and her dance partner Robert Renz in Helsinki.