DanceDC

Through The Washington Ballet’s education and outreach program DanceDC, Washington, DC public school students have been served since its launch in 1999. DanceDC is an interdisciplinary dance program that provides a seven week in-school residency to second and third grade classes combining ballet with core subjects in compliance with DC Public Schools (DCPS) standards and the National Dance Education Standards. This arts integration program concludes with a culminating performance at the end of the residency.

The Washington Ballet has endeavored to reach underserved areas of the DC community through DanceDC. Almost 1000 students are served with class programming each year; 77.7% of students currently participating in DanceDC are African-American, 2.4% Hispanic, 9.8% Caucasian and 1.8% biracial or other. As a part of the program, students participate in field trips to see high-quality dance performances by The Washington Ballet and other nationally- and internationally-recognized dance companies.

The Washington Ballet’s DanceDC program fosters a strong relationship between the arts and cerebral learning. The program’s goal is to create higher achievement through ballet using Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences model. The class is taught by master dance educators who have extensive training in the arts and degrees in education. Teachers create lesson plans that integrate dance with core-curriculum subjects such as science, math, language arts and history. The DanceDC syllabus is aligned to the National Dance Education Organization’s standards as well as the District of Columbia’s Public School standards.

Goals of DanceDC:

• Engage in efforts to improve test scores, vocabulary comprehension and provide opportunities for creative thinking
• Study the principles of dance and gain an appreciation for the art form
• Learn teamwork through cooperative learning
• Develop a greater sense of self-esteem, confidence and discipline

DanceDC Culminative Performances 2017.2018

• Bruce-Monroe, October 2017, TBD, Bruce-Monroe Auditorium, 3560 Warder Street NW, DC 20010

DanceDC Highlights

Mayor’s Office on Latin American Affairs Presents DanceDC along with San Salvador City Ballet at THEARC Theater

Students from DanceDC, who are also third grade students from Bruce-Monroe Elementary school, had a wonderful opportunity to open for the San Salvador City Ballet hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Latin American Affairs (MOLA), facilitated by The Washington Ballet. In celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, MOLA held the event at THEARC theater RC in Southeast Washington, D.C. September 8. VIP guests included Mr. Mayib Bukele, San Salvador City Mayor from El Salvador, and Executive Director of MOLA, Jackie Reyes.

Photo by Saki Scheller

Photo by Saki Scheller
 

Current DanceDC Schools:

• Beers Elementary (Since 2014)-Ward 7
• Bruce Monroe Elementary (since 2007) – Ward 1
• John Eaton Elementary (since 2000) – Ward 3
• J.O. Wilson Elementary (since 2009) – Ward 6
• Moten Elementary (since 2016) – Ward 8
• Malcolm X Elementary - Ward 8
• Randle Highlands Elementary - Ward 7
• Sitar Arts Center (since 2000) – Ward 1
• Smothers Elementary (since 2009) – Ward 7
• Turner Elementary (since 2000) – Ward 8

Former DanceDC Schools:

• Garrison Elementary (Ward 1)
• Garfield Elemantary (Ward 8)
• Green Elementary (Ward 8)
• Hart Middle School (Ward 8)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary (Ward 8)
• Patterson Elementary (Ward 8)
• Leith Walk Elementary School (Baltimore)
• Septima Clark Public Charter School for Boys (Ward 8)
• Orr Elementary - Ward 8

For more information about DanceDC, call 202.274.4529