Grantee Spotlight: Together in Dance

Together in Dance is an arts in education organization that provides creative movement and musical theater residencies to diverse school communities throughout New York City.  The emphasis is on collaboration as children learn about the respective art form and create together.  Together in Dance engages the entire school community by offering professional development to participating teachers and family workshops during any given residency cycle.

Our Musical Theater Brings History Alive! residency program is unique in that children learn material from the Broadway lexicon that is connected to the social studies curriculum being taught.  During a professional development workshop prior to the residency, teachers help choose a theme that is relevant to the classroom studies – Some themes in the past have included Civil Rights, Immigration, Cultural Diversity, and The American Revolution.    Teachers also develop their own understanding of the process their students will engage in, by writing the chorus to the finale which will be performed by their students in a culminating performance.  During the residency, each class writes a verse for the finale number in addition to learning a song from a particular Broadway show, choreographing it and writing or memorizing an accompanying scene.  Family workshops are an opportunity for families to follow the process of the in-school residency by learning a song, choreographing it and performing it for each other, along with their child. At the conclusion of the residency cycle, the culminating student performance is presented to family members and students from other grades.  By touching the various stakeholders in the school community, the musical theater experience becomes an integral part of the school culture.

“The performing arts proved to be an incredible catalyst for interest, engagement and learning in the social studies curriculum. No student will forget what they learned while taking part in this amazing integration of the performing arts and social studies with Together in Dance!”  5th Grade teacher, Brooklyn, NY

Learn more about Together in Dance here.

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