Students build real connections in club

From Dallas ISD Staff Reports

Every week at Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy, students in Baile Con Nosotros come together in celebration of dance and culture. 

It all started in 2021, when, in between periods, students began listening to cultural music and dancing in Ellyn Stroud’s classroom at Robert T. Hill Middle School. After seeing the camaraderie and happiness it brought her students, she knew she had to keep it going after she and several of her eighth graders transitioned to Bryan Adams.

Beyond keeping school spirits high, it allowed students to bring a piece of their heritage to Bryan Adams, reflecting how they celebrate and spend time with their families.

“I noticed there wasn’t really a place at school for that part of their lives,” Stroud said. “The idea was to bring that same energy and cultural celebration to our school events to engage families and the community. That’s why the name of the club, it’s not just the baile [dance] club, it’s Baile Con Nosotros [come dance with us].”

Each week, the student-led group dives into a wide spectrum of Latin American dance genres, including norteñas, huapangos, bachata, jarabe tapatío and cumbia. The meetings follow a two-part structure: the first half focuses on skill-building and technique, like mastering spins, while the second half opens up into free dancing, where members connect and let loose. For many members, the club serves as a bridge between home life and campus culture.

“Students can feel like school is a place where they have to put on an ‘academic face,’ separate from who they are with their family,” Stroud said. “Bringing their culture directly onto campus creates a greater sense of belonging. They feel like, ‘My school celebrates who I am. I’m hearing the music at school that I hear at home.’”

Senior Elijah R. helped found the club and has served as its president for five years since middle school, leveraging his years of dancing at family celebrations to welcome peers from all backgrounds. “I used to be part of dancing groups that do quinceañeras, so I’ve been dancing since I was little,” he said. “We just like to enjoy life and have fun. Baile Con Nosotros helps get students of other cultures to join in. We learn their dances, and they learn our dances at the same time. That way, no one feels left out.”

Junior Evelin H., who moved to Dallas from Mexico, agrees that the group’s non-judgmental environment is what makes it special.

“We try to make everyone feel comfortable, whether they know how to dance or not,” she said. “It helps students feel school spirit without feeling judged.”

Stroud emphasizes to recruits that the club is meant to be a low-pressure practice space. Unlike traditional dance teams focused strictly on choreographed stage routines, Baile Con Nosotros centers its mission on community interaction and energy. They prepare a five-minute choreographed performance for upcoming celebrations, and their favorite moment comes after the performance ends.

Members step off the stage and directly into the crowd, pulling students, teachers and parents onto their feet.

“Getting people to dance is really the core function of the group,” Stroud said. “It’s down-to-earth. It’s about loosening people up, having fun, and helping students embrace their heritage.”

The group’s impact continues to expand across Bryan Adams. They frequently collaborate with the campus mariachi program, choreographing dances to live instrumental songs for joint showcases, and perform at major events like the Hispanic Heritage Festival, the annual Black History Month Showcase, pep rallies and the drill team’s spring show. 

“The club is completely student-led, my role is simply to provide the space, encouragement and structure,” Stroud said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to give students a space where they can build real connections, celebrate who they are and make school feel like home.”