NHDI Special Teams
The Special Teams are an opportunity for interested children to grow and expand their dance and performance experiences with NHDI. The Special Teams meet on Saturday mornings, and have an opportunity to perform in the NHDI Event of the Year.
SWAT Team
Each year, students are chosen by NHDI Artistic Director Kristen Leach as special representatives of their Year-Long Program schools on the SWAT (“spirited, willing and talented”) Team. SWAT is an important commitment as dancers rehearse for three hours every Saturday morning from January through May. The students get to broaden their experience on the one-day SWAT-a-thon event, during which they participate in workshops taught by local dance and theatre professionals. The SWAT Team performs additional dances in the Event of the Year, and on occasion, may be invited to be ambassadors of NHDI at other local area performances. SWAT dancers wear their iconic red high-top Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers for all performances!
Minions Team
The Minions Team is comprised of NHDI’s youngest dancers, and are invited from students who have participated either in the NHDI Residency Program at their school or in an NHDI summer program. Minions meet on Saturday mornings for one hour from March through May, and gain their first performance experience in the Event of the Year as they participate in Act I only. This gives them a chance to become comfortable with performing on the large stage at Redfern Arts Center at Keene State College, and to learn proper theatre protocol. The Minions Team members are typically in grades two through four. If you know a child who would like to be considered for the Minions Team, please email us at nhdi@nhdi.org.
Celebration Team
The Celebration Team is made up of experienced dancers who have participated previously in the NHDI Year-Long Program, NHDI Residency Program, or in an NHDI summer program. Dancers are typically in grades five through eight, and currently attend schools that are not part of the NHDI Year -Long Program. “Cel” meets for 75 minutes on Saturday mornings from March through May, and performs in the Event of the Year. If you know a child who would like to be considered for the Celebration Team, please email us at nhdi@nhdi.org.
eXceL Team
The eXcel Team includes older, experienced, advanced NHDI students who have continued to develop their dance skills over several years. Dancers are typically in high school, and therefore not part of any other NHDI in-school program. Many eXceL dancers have joined us as Counselors or Counselors-in-Training (CITs) at our Summer Intensive camp. eXceL meets for 75 minutes on Saturday mornings from March through May, and performs in the Event of the Year. If you know a student who would like to be considered for the eXceL Team, please email us at nhdi@nhdi.org.
REACH (Realizing Excellence And Creating Happiness)
REACH team will not start this Saturday January 6th. REACH will start on March 2nd. Class will be held from 12-12:45 at Marlborough Elementary School!
The New Hampshire Dance Institute believes that dance is for everyBODY!
For 37 years NHDI has provided a rich arts experience by providing dance education to NH school children as part of their academic day. Our programming has always been, and continues to be, inclusive of children of all abilities. We have danced with children that are diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, Autism spectrum, Deaf or hard-of-hearing, Blind or low-vision, and Cystic Fibrosis; as well as dancers with a wide range of neurological, cognitive, emotional or physical challenges. In addition to these fully inclusive opportunities, NHDI offers an extended program of adaptive dance for children with disabilities and special needs.
NHDI’s Adaptive Dance team, REACH, partners age-matched peers with neurologically or physically diverse children to create and perform movement that is unique and specific to the participants. We focus not on what can’t be done or needs to be modified because of a disability or challenge, rather what can be done! The resulting choreography is a discovered collection of the dancers’ favorite movement that highlights their strengths as well as cultivating empathy, collaboration and a sense of community.
NHDI is pleased to offer this unique programming at Franklin School (for Franklin students as part of their scheduled school programming) and on Saturdays at Marlborough School beginning March 11th from 11:15-12:15 for children in our community with various cognitive or physical challenges.
Nora Rozell, Kelly’s mom stated, “Last Spring my son Kelly (age 23 with Down Syndrome) was fortunate to be a part of NHDI’s new dance initiative, Team REACH. He had a blast dancing on stage with all of his new friends. All of the kids and instructors were so welcoming and kind. We can’t wait for the next show to come around!”
If you know of a child that would like to join us on Saturdays and for our Event of the Year performance opportunity, please contact Kristen@nhdi.org.
Registration for REACH can be accessed from the button above!
