LEARNDance Arts Foundation Workshop Series
Dance Arts Foundation is requesting support for a one-week, dance-based Workshop Series geared toward the young, professional-track dancers of Los Angeles and offered at no cost to participating dancers. The Series will offer specialized Master Classes and related educational experiences that will not only provide exceptional dance coaching, but also aid in bridging the gap between training at a local dance Studio and reaching higher-level education at a pre-professional dance Conservatory/University or professional dance Company.
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
County of Los Angeles
In what stage of innovation is this project?
Expand existing program
What is the need you’re responding to?
We are committed to providing young, adept dancers access to specialized educational experiences that heighten their chances of achieving a professional career in dance, regardless of the financial position of said dancers’ families. The Workshop Series we request support for highlights the core of these endeavors. The dancers we serve typically train at local dance Studios, but aspire to build their pre-professional and professional careers in dance. Making this advancement, however, can be a confusing, not to mention expensive, undertaking for dancers and families. Because our Workshop classes will be instructed by Master Teachers with connections to esteemed Universities, pre-professional Conservatories, and professional Companies throughout the US, the experience will aid in bridging the gap between local dance Studios and higher-level institutions. The coaching, mentorship, and exposure participating dancers will receive are bound to yield ample opportunity for growth and success.
Why is this project important to the work of your organization?
Founder/President, Conny Mathot, possesses profound proficiency in the field of dance education, and therefore, ensures a high level of expertise is upheld throughout the Organization. Conny graduated College with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance (Teaching Major) and has spent numerous years teaching in private Studios, constructing and implementing instructional Programs at the University level, teaching Master Classes, and judging/operating Competitions. She was also recognized by the state of CA, via an award presented by Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian, for her commitment to sharing the joy and benefits of dance to individuals of all ages. The Master Teachers Conny appoints are hand-selected for their years of elite training, education, experience, and notable respect as professional dancers and/or dance educators. The Dance Arts Foundation Team possesses the passion and mastery required to educate, inspire, and connect young dancers to comparably successful futures in the art form.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this proposal?
Direct Impact: 470
Indirect Impact: 4,500
Please describe the broader impact of your proposal.
The 470 individuals our proposal will directly impact include: 90 participating dancers, [approx.] 180 parents, [approx.] 100 additional viewers of the Demonstration, Master Teachers/Pianists, and 90 “home” Directors/Teachers of participating dancers. These “home” Teachers will be invited to observe all classes, allowing them to obtain valuable information shared in the Master Classes. The 4,500 individuals our proposal will indirectly impact include: numerous OTHER, non-participating dance students who will benefit from the observing Teachers’ ability to spread this knowledge at their home Studios. Our Program will help maintain, preserve, and ignite Arts Education, as well as the amazing tradition that is Classical Ballet, throughout LA.
Please explain how you will define and measure success for your project.
Through our Workshop Series, and with the support of this grant, we seek to provide social-emotional, creative, constructive, and extensively valuable experiences for young dancers, both in the short-term and long-term. In the short-term, we strive to unite various dancers from throughout LA, allowing young, like-minded individuals to build relationships with and gain inspiration from one another, while simultaneously receiving coaching from Master Teachers in a uniquely intimate and nurturing environment. For the long-term, we trust the Workshop Series will help build the futures of participating dancers by granting them the opportunity to make lasting connections with Master Teachers closely affiliated with the Nation’s leading dance Conservatories, Universities, and Companies. In turn, the Master Teachers will have the opportunity to recruit these ambitious, able dancers for such higher-level places of education and work.
In monitoring the artistic and developmental outcomes of our participants, the observable dance-related growth they achieve by way of our Workshop Series will provide clear insight into the effectiveness of our work. Our Master Teachers will work with participants on a daily basis, over the course of one full week, and thus, continually assess dancers’ progress and utilize their expertise in the field of dance education to encourage increased levels of individually-appropriate development throughout the course of the Workshop Series. In monitoring the overall response from our Program, we will utilize formal interviews and emailed questionnaires, through which Program participants, and Dance Studio Directors/Teachers affiliated with these participants, will be offered the opportunity to share their viewpoints regarding the strengths of our Program, as well as potential areas for growth.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this proposal?
Direct Impact: 470
Indirect Impact: 4,500
Are there any other LA2050 goal categories that your proposal will impact?
LA is the best place to CREATE
LA is the best place to PLAY
LA is the best place to CONNECT
Which of LA2050’s resources will be of the most value to you?
Communications support
Capacity, including staff
Dance Studio Space