By Kim Cotton

Staff writer

PORT ST. LUCIE - Daniel Dancer managed to keep 1,400 elementary school students in their place in a field in St. Lucie West.

Mr. Dancer, an artist from Oregon, worked with students at Manatee Elementary School to create a giant living painting of their mascot, the manatee. Students lined up around a spray painted outline of the endangered water animal, each wearing a black, blue or white shirt to give the manatee color.

Once students were in place, Mr. Dancer ascended 200 feet in the air, where he photographed and videotaped the created animal.

"You guys look beautiful," Mr. Dancer told the group when everyone was in place.

The manatee was laid out on a field at St. Lucie West Centennial High School because Manatee Elementary had no room on campus due to expansion construction. Students were brought to the site on buses, spending nearly an hour assembling into a shape of a manatee.

The idea behind Mr. Dancer's 'Art in the Sky' project is to give the children a different perspective of their world.

"The one thing I try to teach people is to use their sky sight," Mr. Dancer said. "To see not only your own surroundings, but to look above and see all the parts that fit into our environment. Students learn to see through the eyes of all creatures, which is key to saving our environment."

Mr. Dancer travels the country, bringing endangered animals to life using students. Manatee Elementary is his first in Florida, and his largest one to date.

"The next largest one was with 1,000 people," he said. "My goal is to do one in every state."

The Port St. Lucie school got involved with the project through a recommendation from the Manatee Observation and Education Center in Fort Pierce.

"Daniel contacted us, wanting to do an 'Art in the Sky' project, and he wanted to do a manatee," said Lesley Vincent-Ryder, education coordinator for the center. "Manatee Elementary immediately came to mind because it is such a large school."

When Mrs. Vincent-Ryder contacted Manatee Elementary Principal Mimi Hoffman, she instantly agreed.

"It is just a neat thing to do," Ms. Hoffman said. "Next year we're adding middle school, and with the culmination of just elementary approaching, it is something special to have before we become a K-8."

With some funding help from the school's Parent-Teacher Organization and donations from several St. Lucie County businesses, Manatee Elementary got to bring to life Mr. Dancer's manatee.

"This is such a fantastic experience for them," Ms. Hoffman said. "I thought they did a beautiful job. Everybody did just what they were supposed to."

Both Mr. Dancer and Ms. Hoffman credit the work of everyone involved for the success of the project.

"This whole thing is about collaboration," Mr. Dancer said.

"We couldn't have done this without the community's help," Ms. Hoffman added.

Students were excited about participating in the project. They spent the week leading up to the event learning about manatees from Mrs. Vincent-Ryder.

"I think this is fun," said Crystan Ellis, 11, a 5th-grader in the tail section. "I enjoy art. This has been easy and fun."

This was Mr. Dancer's first project in Florida and he said it will not be his last. St. Lucie West Centennial High School has already inquired about bringing Mr. Dancer to the school next year.

For more information about Daniel Dancer and his work, visit www.artforthesky.com.

The Manatee Observation and Education Center is located at 480 N. Indian River Drive, in Fort Pierce.

For more information about the center, call (772) 466-1600 ext. 3333.

Cotton@hometownnewsol.com