Roxey Ballet Receives Funding from Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for Dance Curriculum in Schools
By: Molly Tracy Oct. 07, 2016
Roxey Ballet has been selected to receive funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation to facilitate the Dance to Learn curriculum in schools. Dance to Learn is a four-year interdisciplinary and inclusive dance curriculum with the goal to advance dance education in schools and community settings. Funding provided by the VSA Performing Arts Access for Kids Program on behalf of the Kennedy Center has allowed the program to expand exponentially to involve the entire school population in dance education during the 2016-17 school year! Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania (YA) and Dance New Jersey will provide Roxey Ballet with professional development and mentorship to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to identify and develop sustainable partnerships and advance high quality dance education programing. Through this unique collaboration, Roxey Ballet will work with HCESC West Amwell to offer an original curriculum that is both arts based and arts integrated.
offering schools exceptional dance programming," said Michele Russo, President & CEO of
Young Audiences. "We look forward to working with Roxey Ballet and the HCESC at West
Amwell to offer an innovative model of dance education that aligns with the NJ Department of
Education Core Curriculum Standards for Dance and the National Core Arts Standards in Dance."
Roxey Ballet will work with YA's staff and HCESC at West Amwell to plan high-quality dance
programming tailored specifically to the school's unique needs. With fiscal management from
Dance New Jersey the grant will provide funding for:
-16 days of the Dance to Learn curriculum for all students enrolled at HCESC at West Amwell
-Professional development to help teachers use dance in their classrooms
-Assistance in creating a community event celebrating students' work
School emotionally, educationally, and artistically in the past, and we look forward to continuing
the program this year," said Dennis Schiller, principal of HCESC at West Amwell. "Providing
quality arts programming to our students has always been a goal at ESC, but not always possible
in these difficult economic times. With the help of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Young
Audiences and Roxey Ballet, we can now offer our students inspiring dance experiences that offer
an inroad to kinesthetic learning and connects to language arts, mathematics, science and social
studies, physical education and music curriculums." About The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation For nearly 40 years, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation has nurtured leaders, ideas, and
institutions which transcend self interest and promote a sustainable future. The foundation funds
arts, education, environment and media initiatives that are innovative and promote collaboration and community-driven decision making. With an interest in systemic change in education, the
foundation invests in Pre-K through 12th grade sequential arts education and arts-integration
efforts that ensure children have the opportunity to receive comprehensive arts training and
experience the benefits of a more dynamic, arts-infused curriculum. Implemented with fidelity over time, the arts can improve the culture of a struggling school, ignite principal and teacher creativity, and foster more joyful and learning-friendly classrooms.
programs to nearly 500,000 children pre-kindergarten through 12th grade annually. Young
Audiences' extensive professional artist roster represents all art forms-from dance and theater to
music, language and visual arts. Young Audiences' programs are accessible to all socio-economic, ethnic, cultural, and geographic
communities, and are designed to strengthen the arts in schools, meet local and state curriculum
standards, involve families in arts activities, and enrich cultural life in New Jersey and Eastern
Pennsylvania communities. Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania is the first arts education organization
designated as a major service organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and, as
part of the national network of Young Audiences, Inc. was awarded the National Medal of Arts by
President Clinton. Young Audiences provides over 4,000 programs annually and are made
possible in part through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State and Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. Additional funds come from the National Endowment for the Arts, foundations, corporations and generous individuals. About Dance New Jersey Dance New Jersey is a service organization committed to advocating the excellence of dance and
dance education in the state. In service to its mission, Dance New Jersey seeks to:
-Raise public awareness by cultivating relationships with community and civic organizations,
funders, policy makers and presenters;
-Foster the artistic and administrative growth of its members through resource sharing,
dialogue and collaboration;
-Advocate for high quality performance, creation, and education in dance;
-Develop a strong funding base for dance in New Jersey. About Roxey Ballet Roxey Ballet is a world class, all-inclusive contemporary ballet company that uses dance to build
community and cultural bridges. The company maintains a full schedule of local, national, and
international touring. Roxey Ballet was incorporated in 1995 as a New Jersey non-profit
organization whose mission is to deliver artistic and cultural excellence through professional dance
performances, residencies, educational programs, workshops, and master classes. The company
takes pride in its multicultural and all-inclusive organization, fostering a creative environment of
growth for all. Roxey Ballet is fully accessible to those with disabilities. Its unique and diverse
works elevate tradition to the next level, are inspirational to audiences and artists alike. Access to
high-quality dance performance and education is paramount. Roxey Ballet's programs are made
possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the
National Endowment for the Arts, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, VSA Performing Arts Access
for Kids Program on behalf of the Kennedy Center Merck Foundation, Bunbury Foundation,
Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, Cultural Trust of New Jersey and individuals
and businesses. About Hunterdon County ESC Special Education programs currently at our West Amwell campus provide an individualized
educational experience for classified students ages preschool through 12th grade with emotional,
cognitive and/or multiple handicaps. Whenever appropriate, the goal is to prepare students to return to their sending school district. The Alternative Program at ESC School at West Amwell provides an out of district option for non-classified students in grades K-12. The smaller setting and alternate location offers a fresh start to students motivated to turn their educational experience around.
The goal is to develop self-sufficient individuals who are better able to function in both the local and global community. The classroom extends beyond the building to include the local
YMCA, hiking trails, museums, libraries and any other community resources relevant to the lesson being studied.
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