Our Services
Through Creative Movement and Musical Theater, Together in Dance provides meaningful arts experiences that develop both the arts and life skills of the participants. Together in Dance relishes the opportunity to tailor its programming to meet the specific needs of the organizations and participants we serve to allow for a meaningful, enjoyable, and safe experience, inclusive and accessible to all.
Student Learning Goals - Dance focused:
• engage in the creative, expressive process of art-making
• deepen connections between cognitive, social, personal, and linguistic development and arts learning
• experience curricula in a kinesthetic way
• learn the vocabulary of dance and apply it as they create work
• develop a sense of space and capacity to move safely within that space
• experience health benefits of the art form (including coordination, strength, flexibility, and stamina)
• value the art form of dance in their lives
Student Learning Goals - Trauma-Aware, Social Emotional Learning Focused:
• foster self-expression, self-regulation, and self-reflection
• develop communication skills – both verbally and kinesthetically
• create strategies to work cooperatively and collaboratively with peers
• deepen capacity for divergent thinking and more flexible problem-solving skills
• increase confidence in one’s individuality and voice
In-School Creative Movement Residencies
In Creative Movement, the Teaching Artist creates a container for the students to tap into their innate creativity and develop tools to express their imagination through dance. Every class begins with a warm-up and exploratory activities designed to unlock students’ physical and imaginative expression. The Teaching Artist then provides the framework for the students to engage in the choreographic process: students create movement phrases and dances, share ideas, and present to their families in a culminating open class.
In-School Musical Theater Residencies
Together in Dance's Musical Theater program for 4th and 5th graders brings two Teaching Artists — a director/choreographer and a musical director —to create an original musical theater show in collaboration with the students, engaging them in the development of skills in singing, dancing, acting, playwriting, and choreographing. Building off of a collaboratively designed theme, students will work from existing material from the musical theater cannon and also create their own original material, putting their connection to the theme in their own words. Each class is responsible for a scene, song, and part of the finale. The residency culminates in a performance where the students share the show they created with peers and family.
After School Programming
Our After School programs allows students to dive deeper into the art forms, build community, and develop skills of collaboration and discipline. Programming is typically 15 sessions, but can be designed to meet the needs of each individual setting.
Programming for Older Adults
Older Adult participants will engage in a series of workshops where they learn and create musical theater dances and social dances such as swing, salsa, and/or tango. They will also learn the historical and cultural significance of those styles of dance in the US and the elements of putting on a show (rehearsal, dress rehearsal, costume design).
Family Dance Workshops
Family workshops are offered in partnership with schools and cultural institutions. Workshops reach a broad range of families from various socioeconomic backgrounds and take place at times families are available: often before school, after school or early evenings. Family Workshops allow students and their families to come together without the pressure of quotidien demands. It flips typical family dynamics: because the students have been engaging in the art form during their school day, they are the “expert” and take ownership to guide their families. These Workshops function as a low-stakes, fun way of bringing families into the school building. Encouraging families to feel safe to enter and engage with their childrens’ education will pay dividends for the students’ academic career.
Professional Development
Professional Development workshops for classroom teachers is provided prior to and during residencies. Classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, physical educators, and arts specialists work with a TA to integrate arts learning into their own teaching practices.
Teaching Artist Mentoring and Professional Development (TAMPD)
is a capacity-building program that trains teaching artists and provides them with on-going professional development, ensuring that TID continues to provide high quality teaching of the artforms of Creative Dance and Musical Theater in New York City. Please find more information about this program here.
Several of these programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
Together in Dance’s programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.