Sint Maarten Harmony: Tango Project Concludes with Success at St. Dominic High School

SINT MAARTEN (SOUTH REWARD) - The Sint Maarten Harmony project, an innovative initiative focused on exploring the complexities of human sensitivity through Argentinian tango, has successfully concluded its activities at St. Dominic High School. This interdisciplinary project, supported by Creative Culture Europe and the Goethe Institute, aimed to integrate tango as a tool for physical, emotional, and social wellbeing among students in Forms 2, 3 and 4.

Project Overview

Sint Maarten Harmony, which ran from February 2 to March 9, 2025, was an international collaboration and cultural exchange of educators from Helsingborg, Sweden, and St. Maarten’s St. Dominic High School.

A series of tango workshops led by guest teacher Tatsiana Bauder from Sweden were designed to improve physical skills, balance, and proprioceptive capacity, while fostering a deeper connection with emotions and the body. The Sint Maarten Harmony project also promoted Argentine tango as an international socializing tool, encouraging cultural inclusion and community building.

Student Engagement: Weekly sessions were conducted for students of Form 2, 3 and 4 at St. Dominic High School. Guest teacher Tatsiana used the Argentine tango to enhance students’ physical skills. The collaborative movement of learning the tango simultaneously contributes to well-being through the social activity of dancing while also focusing on healthy lifestyles and emotional connections. These sessions included discussions on respect, personal integrity, and equality, promoting a culture of care and mutual respect.

Emotional Wellbeing: The project contributed to students' mental wellbeing by encouraging a deeper connection with their emotions and bodies. Dancing allowed for a personal process of emotional expression and connection with others.

Cultural Integration and Socialization: By teaching Argentine tango, the project promoted international socialization and cultural inclusion among students. This helped foster a sense of community and respect for diverse cultural practices with which the students were unfamiliar.

Teacher Development: Several teachers participated in activities with the students to learn the pedagogical framework of movement as a tool for non-formal learning and psychological comfort management.

Overall, The Sint Maarten Harmony Tango Project at St. Dominic High School successfully integrated dance as a tool for holistic development, fostering both personal growth and community cohesion.