| Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble’s commitment the community is our highest priority. The Kids Project has worked with various organizations in order to fulfill our mission of engaging and inspiring the community of Chicago. Some of our partnerships include: West Town Leadership United and Frederic Chopin Elementary School CDE and WTLU is currently collaborating to make Chopin Elementary a model school in the West Town neighborhood for arts education and wellness education programming. We have implemented Books Alive Theatre Night for students get on stage to reinterpret books through song and dance for family, friends and fellow classmates. Our talented teaching artists worked with students to build confidence, strengthen literacy skills and encourage creative thinking. We have also incorporated The Cooking Show, Measurements in Movement and a Summer Arts Camp into Chopin’s in-school and after-school programming to promote wellness education. LEEP into the Arts LEEP into the Arts was a joint venture between CDE and LEEP Forward, a therapeutic clinic that offers a variety of services and programs for children with autism spectrum and related disorders. Our goal is to provide a unique opportunity for students to learn and practice basic social skills through the creative arts including beginning acting techniques. St. Peter’s Skokie CDE is returning to St. Peter’s in Skokie for our 8th year where the kids work on various art projects and performances within its after-school program. For those of us who have been lucky enough to teach at the school, it has been fun to see children who start with us in Pre-school and stay with us until the 5th grade and how they grow into arts loving enthusiasts. The Children’s School The Children’s School (Oak Park/Berwyn) is our five-day a week after school program that is filled with many adventures. Building on the school’s philosophy of progressive education, the students take an initiative in their learning. This year, our after school program at the children’s school is focusing on Cultural Immersion. The Kids Project teachers will use Spanish language immersion as a conduit for experiencing culture through art, literature, celebrations, games, dance, rhythms, music and cooking. Hephzibah Home CDE provides the children of Hephzibah Home an opportunity to explore and experience the visual and performing arts while working to improve their literacy, social, and communication skills. Our multidisciplinary approach to teaching will combine various art mediums together to engage and reach the children with the hopes of finding what the children are interested in learning. |