Arts Learning

TU Dance proposed to collaborate with four schools as part of the project: the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, FAIR School-Crystal, Battle Creek Middle School (St Paul), and Southwest High (Minneapolis). Southwest was replaced by the Perpich Center for Arts Education High School (Golden Valley). TU Dance provided in-school dance classes in March 2012. Through these collaborations, we invited diverse students to continue their dance education at TU Dance Center during our spring, summer, and fall classes. We projected engaging 180 students via in-school classes; we engaged 302 students (68% over goal). We projected that 25 youth would go on to participate in our spring 2012 classes; we had 19 student participants. Of those, we projected 15 would go on to our Summer Intensive; we have eleven of the students continue through the summer. We projected that ten would go on to fall classes; we had ten students go on through fall. We surveyed students throughout. 2: We identified barriers faced by each participating student on a case by case basis, using a broader strategy informed by community and target constituent input, as well as observations about local dance participation and early participation at TU Dance Center. As a result, we provided free access for all project participants (in-school classes and classes at the Center), and subsidized transportation for those who needed it. We surveyed students after in-school classes, and asked teachers if they would be interested in future collaborations (all replied yes). Each student participating in Center classes completed a pre-evaluation and post-evaluation for each program cycle, including information about prior experience with dance and perceptions/attitude about the art form.