Artist: Jordin Sparks (duet with Chris Brown)

Song: “No Air”

When teaching in the K-12 setting, it’s beneficial to choose popular songs to keep kids engaged. Sanja Korman, teacher at Bellaire High School, in Bellaire, TX, and 2009 K-12 Dance Teacher Award recipient turns to songs like this one by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown to help students connect their dancing with the music.

“As a high school teacher, my music repertoire needs to be appealing to teenagers,” she says. “I try to let my students dance to something that they enjoy listening to, because it helps them relate to the music, which will further enable them to pursue their love for dance.”

Korman especially likes using this duet for partnering, especially lifts. “It allows you to teach your students to express themselves through their motions, while also enhancing the skills needed to perform with another person,” she explains.

To learn more about Sanja Korman and her music choices for high school dance, check out “High School Musical.”