“The Carousel of Thoughts” – A Dance Journey Through the Emotional World With their dance performance, the fourth grades of the special needs school for language of the OBK took their enthusiastic audience on an impressive, nonverbal journey through the emotional world of young people.

The show was clearly focused on the typical worries of fourth-grade students: fear of exams, conflicts with friends, the feeling of not being good enough. In the dance performance, moments of self-doubt alternated at first, only to then clearly shift the focus to solidarity. The dancers impressively demonstrated how community can provide support: reaching out to each other to form small groups and, through dance, making mutual support visible – until the carousel of thoughts slows down and finally comes to a halt.

In the dance project “The Carousel of Thoughts” under the direction of dance teacher Vanessa Hartmann, the social component was clearly at the forefront: “Dancing together strengthens teamwork, empathy, and belonging. Potential conflicts are resolved constructively, successes are shared. Thus, dance becomes a mirror of emotional development – a creative space for expression that addresses inner conflicts, boosts self-confidence, and promotes emotional intelligence,” said Vanessa Hartmann. With an eye toward a hopeful future, the dance performance concluded: the students realized that together they could overcome any challenge. They accepted themselves as they are and felt that they were enough on their own.

“The performance of the fourth grades as part of Culture and School always marks a highlight at the end of the school year and is a firmly established institution within Oberwiehl’s school culture. It is so impressive how the children have gained confidence in their abilities through expressive dance and creative movements,” said Principal Daniela Nyenhuis.