The Art of Chinese Dance

The Parent's Choice Award winning Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company brings you on to a fantastic journey to China, the land of the Dragon! The Art of Chinese Dance is a multi-cultural, interactive dance program that showcases the diversity of the Chinese dance styles, colors, costumes and people. Exploring one of the most ancient cultures in the world, this program includes highly skilled, acrobatic dances, narration by the artists and audience participation. It is a culturally rich, entertaining program that makes learning about Asia fun and exciting. Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company; Grades K-12;  $1050/$1400 (photo credit: Joseph Wagner)

Andrew Chiang 800.650.0246

 

 


Caravan to Cairo 

From the exotic lands of the Arabian Nights, Mosaic Dance Theater Company’s Caravan to Cairo brings you traditional original folkloric dances from the lands which stretch from North Africa to the Middle East. Choreographed by Samara, one of today’s finest international performers of Middle Eastern dance, this delightful dance journey through the Near East offers a diversity of engaging styles and rhythms, lavish, colorful costumes and features a charming story theater adaptation of a timeless Arabic folktale. A short, interactive dance lesson and a Q&A session add to the fun. This program can also provide classroom teaching artist workshops and residencies. Mosaic Dance Theater Company; Grades K-8; $1000/$1300

Morgiana C. Varricchio 973.783.2395                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        


Dance Inspirations

In this interactive, fun and informative lecture demonstration, Freespace Dance teaches how inspirations can come from anywhere at anytime and can be about anything. They show how to take ordinary ideas and make it extraordinary through creativity and structure. The dancers discuss everyday topics such as shapes, levels, pathways, numbers, and sentences to show how these ideas can become a dance. They even make a connection between dance and science with their crowd favorite chrysalis piece. Basic composition skills are introduced to the lower grades and explored deeper with the older grades. Through audience participation, the students are encouraged to find their own inspirations to make dances and learn basic tools in order to begin to form those inspirations. Dance Inspirations gives students an appreciation for dance as a creative, physical, and abstract art form and showcases how everyday topics can be inspirations for dance making.  Freespace Dance; Grades K-6; $1000/$1500

Lisa Grimes 201.463.4325

 

 


Dancing through the Ages

Dancing Through the Ages takes the audience on an exciting and energetic tour of history through dance, with performances highlighting the Charleston, Lindy, Swing, Broadway Jazz, Disco, Hip Hop, Ballet and Lyrical dance styles. Complete with costumes depicting each era, this assembly is designed to encourage the students to participate, dance, and have fun while learning about the unique dances throughout time. Audience participation is highly encouraged. Dance Innovations Performance Foundation; Grades K-12; $700/$1000 

Susan Coutts 973.635.1205 or 973.635.7000

 

 


New Jersey Ballet - On-School-Time Program

New Jersey Ballet’s On-School-Time Program is tailored for grades K-12. The program introduces the art of ballet to students by taking them on a journey through the various movements a dancer practices everyday as part of their training. Professional dancers from New Jersey Ballet Company perform movements to highlight the high level of flexibility, strength and coordination required to be a professional dancer. Students will gain insight on how female dancers stand on their toes in pointe shoes and how male dancers lift their partners over their head. In addition to showcasing the high level of technique required to perform ballet, the Company will present a pas de deux (dance for two) from a ballet in the Company’s repertory. Students will witness how the progression of movements presented at the beginning of the assembly lead to the grand finale where technique and artistry merge. NJ Ballet; Grades K-12; $1250/$2000

David Tamaki 973.597.9600


Soul Steps: Intro to Step with Maxine Lyle

Soul Steps is a world-renowned African American step dance ensemble described by the NY Times as “electric and joyous.” Their introductory workshops invite students to transform their bodies into drums and engage with the lively physical language of step. As they learn to make music with their bodies and give powerful vocal chants, students journey through step’s origins among African American fraternities and sororities and throughout the African Diaspora. Central workshop themes are community, diversity and inclusion, self-expression, teamwork, leadership, and social and emotional development. Assemblies also available. Maxine Lyle, Grades 2-12; Price on Request.

Maxine Lyle 413.281.4291

.


Taste of Spain

From Sevillanas, the famous lively dance from Seville to powerful Flamenco dance and music from the gypsy enclaves of Granada, join this prestigious New Jersey company in its celebration of dance and music from Spain with live guitar accompaniment and colorful traditional costumes. Students also have the opportunity to learn elements of these dance forms through spirited interaction with the artists on stage, including rhythmic hand clapping, arm movements, foot stomping, castanet playing and jaleo, shouting out "olé!" Upon request, performances can include dances from Mexico, Ecuador and Peru, demonstrating Spain's shared heritage with other Hispanic cultures.Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre; Grades K-12; $800/$1200; Workshops available: assembly costs plus $300 for a full day; $200 for a half day  

Eva Lucena 732.598.3979

 

 


World Dance with Darcy Riley

This assembly program brings history, geography, social studies, music, dance and traditional attire to your school for the day. Your students will experience traditional world dances in an up-close, personal setting. With the Performing Heritage Assembly, you and your students will learn some steps of traditional folk dances. Traditional costumes will be on display, and selected students can even try some on. Depending on the countries presented for your assembly, students might also have an opportunity to try traditional instruments. Additionally, at the assembly, students will also have the experience of learning vocabulary and counting in foreign languages. The assembly culminates with a celebration of America. We explore rock & roll music and the dances it inspired. Everyone learns and participates in this group dance influenced by sports movements and everyday activities.Darcy Riley; Grades K-8; $800/$1250/$1650

Darcy Riley 917.604.0961