REACHING YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH DANCE
The mission of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy is to make dance a meaningful experience for all individuals. Through this mission, DADA is committed to reaching out into the Los Angeles communities to help forge the widening gap between youth and achievement. Our young people today are trying so desperately to find their own voice and path to create a life experience for themselves. At DADA, we pride ourselves in the fact that our students are excelling both in dance and in their school classrooms. DADA is a microcosm of the world for young people -- empowering them through the discipline and creativity of dance -- giving them the will to succeed.
Even though DADA's enrollment is close to 500 young people, there are still so many young people that need to be reached through dance. In an effort to serve young people outside of the DADA community, who are unable to attend our academy because of financial circumstances, proximity to where they reside, or those whose interests in the performing arts has not been tapped, we are committed to establishing partnerships with other educational and cultural organizations that share our vision for making the arts accessible to all young people in all communities throughout Los Angeles.
This year, DADA served close to 4,000 students and families through the outreach and education initiatives. For the 2007 season, we are raising the bar and expect to serve close to 6,000 students and families from all over Los Angeles.
DADA IN THE COMMUNITY - THE DADA OUTREACH INITIATIVE
LA's Best
In September 2003, DADA began a partnership with L.A.'s Best, a premier after-school program with over 118 educational sites. The DADA partnership served 250 children with tap and hip hop classes twice a week at five elementary schools: Baldwin Hills Elementary School Coliseum Elementary School Elysian Elementary School Hillcrest Elementary School Wilton Elementary School
P.S. Arts
In partnership with P.S. Arts, an in-school program of the LA Unified School District, DADA provided instruction in African Dance and Hip Hop for the entire third grade class at Grand View Elementary School. For 20 weeks, at six hours per week, 340 third graders were exposed to a new experience in dance training. The culminating performance for this residency was so successful that DADA was invited to provide lecture demonstrations at eight of the PS Arts sites.
Youth Opportunities - Watts
In partnership with Youth Opportunities - Watts, an alternative educational program for at-risk high school students in the Watts, South Central community of Los Angeles, DADA provided dance instruction in tap, jazz, and hip hop. With a total of twenty participants, the success of the program was in the intimate setting that allowed for the students to receive individualized attention and truly feel connected to the experience. As a result of the DADA partnership, the Mary Pickford Institute sponsored two of the Youth Opportunities students to attend the DADA summer intensive 2004. The Institute also made provisions to document video the experiences of the two Youth Opportunities students
World AIDS Day Performance
DADA students were invited to perform for the L.A. Shanti Foundation's World AIDS Day “Walk for a Cure” fundraiser. The L.A. Shanti Foundation is an organization committed to providing direct services to those affected by HIV/AIDS.
Brainerd Heritage Fund
Twelve DADA students were invited by the Brainerd Heritage Fund to perform for Charlotte, North Carolina's Queens College. The Fund is the foundation for The Brainerd Institute (South Carolina), which was a school organized by the Presbyterian Church for the newly liberated African Americans following the Civil War.
US District Court
On March 11th, DADA students performed African dance for the US District Court's Los Angeles Diversity Celebration.
Breast Cancer Awareness Infomercial
Debbie Allen, along with DADA parent volunteers, starred in an infomercial targeted to minorities to increase awareness and prevention of breast cancer.
DADA OPENS ITS DOORS - The DADA Education Initiative
Dance Free Day
On December 20th DADA opened its doors to 200 children from ages 4-17 to take part in Debbie Allen's annual holiday gift to the children of Los Angeles - free dance classes offered at DADA. Four of the participants, all young men, were invited by Ms. Allen to receive scholarships to enroll at DADA. One of the young men, Kyle Bernbach, has become a stellar DADA student and is returning to DADA for the 2004-2005 season.
In-STUDIO Residencies
In partnership with Mark Twain Middle School, located in the Venice community of Los Angeles, 60 students participated in monthly dance classes with DADA master instructors. For students such as Cristal Pompa, this was “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
In partnership with Braddock Elementary School, located in the Mar Vista community of Los Angeles, 120 students participated in a one-day dance residency taught by DADA master instructors.
In-SCHOOL Lecture Demonstrations
Throughout the year, DADA master instructors lead lecture demonstration workshops at Los Angeles County schools. This year, 12 elementary, middle, and high schools participated:
1. Santa Monica High School 2. Cross Roads Middle School 3. Narbonne High School 4. Marlborough High School 5. Cimmaron Elementary School 6. Grand View Elementary School 7. Hillcrest Elementary School 8. Playa del Ray Elementary School 9. John Muir Elementary School 10. Billy Mitchell Elementary School 11. Coeur d' Alene Elementary School 12. Baldwin Hills Elementary School. |
