What We Do

Dance in the Schools programming integrates dance-based learning into the existing core curriculum in Cambridge Public Elementary School classrooms to expand and deepen students’ learning and education.The professional and diverse team of 10-20 Dance Teaching Artists visit classrooms to teach sessions that are relevant to the students’ academic learning and based upon the National Dance Education Organization Standards For Learning and Teaching Dance.

Many Dance Teaching Artists have a distinguished history with Dance in the Schools and working relationships with teachers in Cambridge Public Elementary Schools. Dance in the Schools is facilitated annually by the Managing Director Kate Bresee. The team of Dance Teaching Artists are coordinated with classroom teachers based on special skills, qualifications and experience working with certain ages. Once matched, the Dance Teaching Artists and classroom teachers collaborate in advance to create and schedule sessions that will be engaging and inspiring for students. This thorough and ongoing collaborative process takes place between November and February. The program is implemented in the schools throughout the month of March. Each educator evaluates the year’s program upon conclusion.

Dance in the Schools emphasizes the importance of process over product. Benefits to the program lie in the collaboration between Dance Teaching Artists and classroom teachers and in the classroom learning sessions with students. While they have been offered, performance or culminating events are not required.

Classroom teachers are expected to be present at all Dance in the Schools sessions in order to provide a sense of security for their students. They will observe and learn valuable new skills for incorporating movement into their classroom in the future. We have found this unique collaborative experience to be incredibly rewarding for all involved.

Everyone participates in Dance in the Schools! By inviting dance and movement-based learning into the classroom, students will discover new entryways into academic subject matter and learn to experience spatial awareness, body control, and physical autonomy. Understanding through movement is unique in its ability to reach every child and include every student in the classroom, regardless of race, gender identification, ability, religious and cultural background, ethnicity, and language.

Dance in the Schools is offered annually to the 12 Cambridge Elementary Public Schools:

Dance Teaching Artists collaborate with classroom teachers with the following academic themes:

Literacy and Storytelling

• Dance is a wonderful way for students to physically embody stories and books.

Math and Music

• Exploring rhythm and patterns in music is a unique way to learn and understand mathematics.

Science and Movement

• There are endless possibilities for combining science learning with dance.

Spatial Awareness and Body Control

• As students become more spatially aware of themselves, respect for one another’s space develops simultaneously.

Custom Option

• A specific curriculum topic or theme can be requested by the classroom teacher.