EVERY. BODY. DANCE.
OVERVIEW: EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Colorado Ballet’s Education & Community Engagement Department has provided high quality educational opportunities for toddlers through older adults in the Colorado community for over 20 years. A fundamental philosophy of Colorado Ballet is to make dance accessible to everyone regardless of their age, ethnicity, background or geography. The Education and Community Engagement Department offers programs to students and community members who cannot easily access dance and who benefit from it greatly. Striving to share the art of dance with as many people as possible, the department makes over 25,000 contacts at over 200 schools and organizations each year, engaging people from all walks of life including youth, families, teachers and people with and without disabilities. In all Education and Community Engagement programs, Colorado Ballet strives to provide quality dance education that shares its mission: Every. Body. Dance.
BY THE NUMBERS
EVERY - To make dance accessible to everyone BODY - To promote dance and movement as part of a healthy lifestyle DANCE - To encourage creativity and expression through dance and foster an appreciation for ballet
This performance was educational and inspiring! The teaching between performances made it relatable, exciting and more engaging for the kids. They were so inspired afterwards to move, dance and explore other ways of being an athlete and artist! — Teacher at a From the Page to the Stage assembly
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SCHOOL PROGRAMS
For many children across Denver, professional dance education may seem like a far off dream.
COLORADO BALLET’S EVERY BODY DANCE CLASSES PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE DREAMS A REALITY. There is no greater feeling than watching our students finish a semester of classes only to realize that they truly are dancers and have the ability to take their new skills with them wherever their path may lead. — Cassie Wilson, Colorado Ballet Education Programs Manager
SCHOOL PROGRAMS Every Body Dance Afterschool Program* - Colorado Ballet’s inclusive afterschool enrichment program provides 10-12 weeks of free or reduced-price dance classes in creative movement and ballet at more than 20 schools in the Denver Metro Area. Student Matinee Field Trip - Students attend the final dress rehearsal of a Colorado Ballet production on a school field trip. Tickets are highly discounted based on a school’s Free and Reduced Lunch Rate (FRL %), and the highest FRL % schools are invited to attend The Nutcracker free of charge. From the Page to the Stage Assembly Show* - A traveling, interactive assembly show featuring Colorado Ballet Studio Company dancers, From the Page to the Stage explores ballets based on folk tales and literary classics while following the timeline of ballet.
PARTNER SHOUTOUT Growing Scientists - A partnership with Denver Botanic Gardens, Butterfly Pavilion and Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, these organizations come together to provide STE(A)M learning experiences for seven elementary schools in Denver County and Adams County.
It has been a very positive experience for her, and without [this program], she probably wouldn’t have taken a dance class. — Parent of Southmoor Elementary School student
Day of Dance Field Trip - Students come to Colorado Ballet’s studios and experience up to four different dance classes. Live Stream Remote Streaming - Classrooms and community centers around the country can tune in to watch Colorado Ballet live. Dance Workshops* - Any time, any place, any kind! Our workshops are customizable to a school’s needs and can include anything from Brazilian to ballet, hip-hop to STE(A)M. Try technique classes or explore your core subjects using movement. Professional Development - A program crafted for educators and community leaders to learn how to incorporate movement into their classroom or organization. Topics may include: creative movement for early childhood education (ECE) and elementary classrooms, arts integration into core curriculum, STE(A)M resources and opportunities, and much more. *adaptive and community options also available
4 Artists of Colorado Ballet Studio Company in From the Page to the Stage Assembly show
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Warren Village Creative Dance Classes - Warren Village helps motivated, low-income and previously homeless, single-parent families move from public assistance to personal and economic self-sufficiency. Creative movement classes are offered by Colorado Ballet at no cost on a weekly basis throughout the school year to approximately 24 preschool students. Five by Five - The Five by Five Program by the Denver Office of Children’s Affairs is designed to offer Head Start families opportunities to give their children five cultural experiences by the age of five. Colorado Ballet offers three experiences to Five by Five families and educators for free. Figaro - Seatback subtitling system in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Its brief cues translate mime sequences, introduce characters and provide synoptic background. The service is available in English and in Spanish.
Warren Village Classes
From the Page to the Stage Assembly (see description in school programs) Dance Workshops (see description in school programs)
PARTNER SHOUTOUT Denver Public Libraries - Colorado Ballet brings various movement workshops to public libraries, which are free to the public and designed for both children and adults.
Teaching for Colorado Ballet’s Education and Community Engagement Department means sharing something very dear to my heart with youth. It means offering a space for kids to express themselves and grow. It means learning how to interact with others respectfully and productively. It means building community and giving kids tools for movement and life. — Emma Scher, Colorado Ballet Education and Community Engagement Teaching Artist
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ADAPTIVE PROGRAMS The power of movement is within all of us and opening up a space where people have the chance to express themselves and communicate through movement offers a beautiful experience. — Bridget Heddens, Colorado Ballet Education Accessibility Coordinator
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ADAPTIVE PROGRAMS Rhythm & Grace - A partnership with Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies that provides classes from the nationally recognized Dance for PD® model, which features movements adapted for people with Parkinson’s Disease.
We have had a hard time taking part in these types of cultural events, and we are so very grateful that [Colorado Ballet] is making an effort to include those in the disability and sensory community! I can’t thank you enough! — Patron at a Sensory Friendly Performance
Audio Description - One performance of each full-length Colorado Ballet production is audio described for patrons who are blind and visually impaired. Touch Tours - Before the performance, the Accessibility Coordinator hosts a touch tour for patrons and their friends or family utilizing the audio description services. The tour introduces elements of the performance by giving patrons who are blind and visually impaired an opportunity to hear a description of the sets, feel the props and costumes, and meet some of the company dancers. Sensory Friendly Performances - An adapted production of Colorado Ballet’s From the Page to the Stage program enables children and adults in the community with sensory processing disorders, autism and other developmental disabilities to experience a live performance.
Artist of Colorado Ballet Studio Company at 2018 Sensory Friendly Performance
Dance Workshops (see description in school programs)
PARTNER SHOUTOUT Be Beautiful, Be Yourself - Together with the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Colorado Ballet offers Be Beautiful, Be Yourself ballet classes for children with Down Syndrome, which includes an opportunity for the students to appear in Colorado Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker.
8 Be Beautiful Be Yourself Performance
For many young people, growing up to be a ballet dancer is a dream they carry for years. In reality, access to ballet and dance in general can have many obstacles. We feel honored to partner with our community to begin breaking down those barriers.
IN OUR CLASSES, EVERYONE IS A MOVER AND ANYONE CAN DANCE. Students thrive with the opportunity to move their bodies, grow their brains, connect with others and experience creative self-expression in a supportive environment. Whether these young people pursue a career in dance or in another field, their exposure to creative movement in early developmental years and beyond is something they can carry with them and positively impacts the rest of their lives. — Emily Aalbers, Colorado Ballet Education Department Manager
CONNECT WITH US CONTACT
LEARN MORE
Emily Aalbers Education Department Manager emily.aalbers@coloradoballet.org
(303) 339-1632
Contact for assemblies, workshops and general information.
COLORADOBALLET.ORG/EDUCATION
Cassie Wilson Education Programs Manager
facebook.com/ColoradoBalletEducation
cassie.wilson@coloradoballet.org
(303) 339-1619
Contact for afterschool classes and student matinees.
Bridget Heddens Education Accessibility Coordinator bridget.heddens@coloradoballet.org
(303) 339-1710
Contact for adaptive programming.
explorableplaces.com/places/colorado-ballet