The In School Year Long Program

In these times of growing societal complexity with concerns about violence, values, and direction, the importance of self-esteem, especially for young adolescents, is clear.  NHDI builds self-esteem through its commitment to the recognition of hard work and cooperation, and the celebration of the attainment of goals.  This is earned achievement, and parents and children repeatedly express their gratitude for the sense of empowerment and self-worth that NHDI provides.

Beyond teaching students about the creative joys and challenges of dance, NHDI often has a noticeable impact on student work in other areas.  In weekly classes students experience immediate and tangible evidence of the value of discipline, concentration, and focused attention. NHDI presents children with real and immediate evidence that if they pay attention and direct their power and energy, they really do succeed… they jump on the beat, they turn on a dime, they control their growing and changing body in time and space.  This sense of mastery and self-confidence that youngsters feel when meeting a difficult choreographic challenge often provides the groundwork for improved performance in other curricular areas.

Students benefit from the transformative power of performance.  From the first day of class, students learn that they are working toward a goal.  This sets up an atmosphere that is achievement-oriented, yet non-competitive, often a rare situation within a school environment. 

NHDI aims to foster student creativity and respect for the arts, not to train professional dancers.  Nevertheless, it regards discipline as the foundation for creative expression.  Finally NHDI has proven to be a force for fostering community awareness and cooperation. 

The final performance brings students and community members together whether it is at the end of a Residency Program, the end of a the Year Long Program, or at the close of Summer Dance Camp. With a common goal before them, students teachers and parents work together with mutual respect, understanding, excitement, and commitment.  This experience makes the art of dance and performance accessible to both children and adults, and builds a strong sense of community and responsibility.