The Better To Bite You With

K-12 STEAM education

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit) LAUSD (select only if you have a district-wide partnership) Central LA East LA South LA San Gabriel Valley West LA San Fernando Valley Gateway Cities South Bay Long Beach Antelope Valley

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

The Better to Bite You With addresses a lack of curriculum-time K-12 STEAM arts education programs in the LAUSD. (Currently, LAUSD’s CAP funds can only be used for after-school and field trips, not accessible to all students.) Our work integrates the use of computer X-rays and dental hygiene themes to inspire interest in tech and science for students, 80-95% of whom are low-income, and 14-30% are English learners, indicating their families are immigrant and refugees. Our professional arts programs spark imagination, creativity, and self-discovery, and empower students to expand their understanding of life. They even inspire some students to future careers in dance! Finally, poor early childhood dental hygiene can lead to infection and pain that inhibit a child’s ability to eat, sleep, speak, play, and learn. Every year, students miss millions of school hours due to acute/unplanned dental care. The Better to Bite You With promotes dental hygiene education in a fun and accessible format.

In 2009, The Better To Bite You With was commissioned by the Culver City Arts Grant Program, with support by Sony Pictures Entertainment. Inspired by new technology in computer X-rays, LA C&D Director Louise Reichlin set out to create a piece with the theme of teeth, a key factor in human health. This sophisticated theatrical adventure is told through dance, technology, narration, & music ranging from Dixieland & Liz Story to King Crimson. Incorporated into the piece are the photos of audience members’ teeth, which form a projected slide show for the finale dance. From our 46 years of creating educational arts programs, we have developed a residency structure grounded in CA VAPA standards-based teaching. We start by meeting with teachers to discuss students’ needs. Then, students from selected classrooms workshop with our teaching artists/dancers to receive dance education and practice choreography to prepare to perform with our professional company for a school-wide assembly. Our workshops enhance students' dance skills by sequential learning of the CA VAPA Standards. During the assembly, audience members participate from their seats while learning the importance of good dental hygiene. Especially fun is the interactive encore of "Brush Your Teeth" at the end, with an immediate slide show of the audience's smiles as they entered the performance. We end with an assessment session with the workshop students so they can reflect on their learning. We are partners with the LAUSD.

With this grant, we will bring curriculum-time arts education again to the LAUSD, our long-time partner, making arts education accessible to students and families, many of whom are immigrants and/or refugees. Students will gain dance education along with inspiration for futures in the arts and sciences. Students and families will also gain dental hygiene education in a fun and memorable way, leading to better health outcomes and impacting the rest of their lives. Long term, renewing this residency will help bring it to more districts through the LA County Arts Education website. Former school districts we have partnered with in the past include ICEF Public Schools Charter Network, Culver City USD, Glendale USD, Hacienda la Puente USD, Hawthorne School District, Lawndale Elementary School District, Lennox School District, Los Nietos School District, Paramount USD, Pasadena USD, Santa Monica-Malibu USD, South Pasadena USC, South Whittier Elementary School District, LAUSD, and ABC USD.