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Dance in the Schools

An innovative resource committed to bringing dance-based education to Cambridge Public Elementary School classrooms

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The Legacy and History of Dance in the Schools

Dance in the Schools was founded in 1995. It was born as an element of DanceMonth, a local celebration of dancers, choreographers, dance teachers, and movement arts run by Rozann Kraus of The Dance Complex in Cambridge, MA. When DanceMonth ended in 2009, Erica Sigal became the coordinator of the school element, Dance in the Schools. The program continued to bring dance and movement-based education to the Cambridge Elementary Public Schools [CPS] each year. By 2015, Dance in the Schools had grown substantially. The team of fifteen professional Dance Teaching Artists visited CPS classrooms and reached an estimated 1,000 students. Since 2019, Kate Bresee serves as Managing Director of Dance in the Schools. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has been reimagined to suit the needs of students learning remotely.

1993

Rozann Kraus, founder of The Dance Complex in Central Square, Cambridge, creates DanceMonth: a local celebration of dancers, choreographers, dance teachers, and movement arts which runs for 15 years. Rozann Kraus won the Boston Dance Alliance Recognition Award in 2021.

DanceMonth in the Schools, an element of DanceMonth, brings dance education to the Cambridge Public Elementary Schools for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

1994
2001

Erica Sigal becomes the Coordinator of Dance in the Schools.

In collaboration with classroom teachers, Dance Teaching Artists begin creating sessions based on academic themes associated with the Massachusetts Dance Standards as set out in the “Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework”.

2002
2005

Junior-Kindergarten classrooms begin participating in Dance in the Schools.

Dr. Elaine Koury becomes the new Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts in Cambridge Public Schools, replacing Judith Contrucci. An ardent supporter of Dance in the Schools, she agrees to continue funding the program.

2008
2009

When DanceMonth ends after 15 successful years, Erica Sigal continues to coordinate the school element. In discussion with Elaine Koury, Sigal changes the name of the program from DanceMonth in the Schools to Dance in the Schools.

The program’s dates move from May to March, a long winter month with few holidays during which the program would benefit childrens’ well-being.

2009
2009

Dance in the Schools identifies their focus as junior-kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms.

MADEO, Massachusetts Dance Education Organization, agrees to act as fiscal agent for Dance in the Schools for the 2013-2014 school year. This agreement is renewed each year through the 2019-2020 school year.

2013
2013

Sarah Shoffner, a student from Boston University Graduate School of Arts and Administration, interns for Dance in the Schools through 2015.

Raeann Vuona, an Intern from Harvard Graduate School of Education, studies the efficacy of Dance in the Schools programming in participating students.

2015
2015

Over time, annual participation increases from 10 to 51 classrooms. The program reaches over 1000 Cambridge Public School students.

The team of Dance Teaching Artists grows to 15 professional dance educators.

2016
2016

Dance in the Schools receives the “Outstanding Community Education Collaborative Award” from Arts|Learning for outstanding support of arts education and for providing artistic and educational leadership in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Janet Forte,
Special Start educator at the Peabody School, begins participating with her classroom in Dance in the Schools.

2017
2019

Erica Sigal becomes the Executive Director and relocates to California.

Kate Bresee, a seasoned Dance Teaching Artist, becomes Managing Director of Dance in the Schools and allows for Dance Teaching Artists to do more intensive work with classrooms by offering more sessions.

2019
2020

All Special Start classrooms are invited to participate in Dance in the Schools programming. Janet Forte assists staff to increase Special Start classroom participation.

Boston Dance Alliance becomes the fiscal sponsor for Dance in the Schools.
Fiscal Sponsorship -BDA

2020
2020

Hannah Lieberman, a student studying Dance and English at UMass Amherst, interns for Dance in the Schools from November 2020 through May 2021.

Due to COVID-19, hybrid and remote programming are offered in 2021; the program is extended from March through May for 2021 to accommodate flexible scheduling. Both Dance Teaching Artists and classroom teachers find the remote model to be exceptionally successful.

2021
2021

Sessions are for classrooms ages Special Start through Second Grade.

Erica Sigal becomes the
Executive Director Emeritus for
Dance in the Schools in mid May; she continues to work as a Dance Teaching Artist remotely and as a Consultant.

2021
2021

Dance in the Schools legally becomes a not-for-profit Limited Liability Company [LLC] in May.

With the help of smallfish-design, Dance in the Schools enters the digital age with the launch of this, our first website.

2021
2022

Dance In The Schools 25th

We celebrated our 25th year of partnership with the Cambridge Public School Department with the Impact of 25

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Cambridge Public Schools
Cambridge Community Foundation
Mass Cultural Council

We gratefully acknowledge support from Mass Cultural Council, Cambridge Arts, Cambridge Community Foundation, and the Cambridge Public School Department. Dance in the Schools is made possible in part through the fiscal sponsorship of Boston Dance Alliance.

Please use the button below to make a secure donation through our fiscal sponsor, the Boston Dance Alliance. Your contribution is fully tax deductible to the extent of the law. Your donation will be acknowledged by the Boston Dance Alliance. No login is required.

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