Educational Outreach:

An important facet of Dominic Walsh Dance Theater is its education and outreach. DWDT seeks to ensure the arts are available to all children and is dedicated to “filling the gap” that exists in fine arts education for at-risk children. In addition, Walsh welcomes the opportunity to share his insights with those interested in learning more about dance through discussions, lecture/demonstrations and master classes on the technique and artistry of the art form as well as the choreographic process.

McNair Foundation / HISD

Dominic Walsh Dance Theater is a company dedicated to creating and presenting innovative contemporary dance. This statement from our mission statement reflects our promise to the community to enrich the lives of individuals both young and old through contemporary dance creation and experimentation. As a recipient of funding from the McNair Foundation, in association with HISD, DWDT has had the outstanding opportunity to share the joy of dance with elementary school age students who might not otherwise had a chance.

In early January 2005, the joint venture of DWDT and the Mercury Baroque Ensemble allowed over 400 HISD elementary school students to see contemporary dance and hear classical music artistically blended creating an original performance at Zilkha Hall in The Hobby Center.  Many of these children were economically disadvantaged and had never been in a live theater much less seen a live performance on stage. It was opportunity for them to use their best manners and feel very honored for having been selected to participate.

Before the performance began, every musical instrument was described and played individually so the students were able to explore each distinct sound and understand their singular contribution to the music played during each dance segment. DWDT dancers performed two unique dances, both of which were world premieres. The students were the first audience to experience the excitement and view the challenging choreography before any other audience had that opportunity! Between dances, the musicians, choreographers and dancers were introduced and students had the opportunity to ask questions and express their feelings about the performance.

Neal Wiley, Director of Fine Arts, HISD - NW District, served as the facilitator for this especially enriching event.  He was highly enthusiastic and was able to energize the crowd into thinking about the similarities and differences in music and dance and how they related to their own lives. Mr. Wiley made this performance an exciting and remarkable experience for all the students who participated and without the funding from the McNair Foundation, this phenomenal opportunity would not have been possible.

It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to share the contemporary world of dance through this educational outreach program.  DWDT hopes that our affiliation with the McNair Foundation and HISD will continue to grow and we will have the opportunity to share our talents and gifts with other individuals in the community.

MASTER CLASSES

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DANCE

DWDT has approached the National Museum of Dance & Hall of Fame ( Saratoga Springs , NY ) about a collaboration around its educational outreach. While an initial meeting was a success, the organizations still need to define the nature of any collaboration. The Museum was established in 1986 and is the only museum in the nation dedicated to American professional dance. It houses a growing collection of photographs, videos, artifacts, costumes, biographies and archives comprising a contemporary and retrospective examination of seminal contributions to dance.

PINK RIBBONS PROJECT

Dominic Walsh Dance Theater has been a supporter of Pink Ribbons Project dancers in motion against breast cancer since the company's creation. Having raised $800,000 for NABCO (National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations), this organization uses dance as a medium to promote breast cancer awareness.

HSPVA lecture/demonstration

DWDT returned to the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in the fall for a lecture/demonstration. The students watched Paola Georgudis rehearse the Moon from The Miller’s Daughter as Dominic coached her in the intricacies of each movement. The students then got their opportunity to learn part of the variation. Dominic and Paola agreed that they did an excellent job. A question and answer session followed. Dominic hopes to do more outreach via the Center for Educator Renewal through the Arts, CERA, a newly established non-profit organization created to facilitate communication and collaboration between greater Houston’s visual and per forming arts organizations and primarily inner city public schools. DWDT is in the beginning stages of formulating a program with R. Neal Wiley, Executive Director of CERA.

ACTION LEARNING PROJECT (Rice University MBA Program)

DWDT is pleased to announce that we have competed for and been assigned a team of five students from Rice University’s Jones School MBA program whose purpose will be to provide information that will poise and position the Company for growth and expansion in the coming years. Board members and Jones School graduates, Lisa Kudchadker and Patrick Van Pelt, submitted a proposal for the Action Learning Project program. ALP Company Day was held at Rice on Monday, January 12. A few weeks later, DWDT was informed that Jennifer De Camp, Carol Ying Han, Michael Hardt, Janell Kilbride and Laurent Tran had selected DWDT as an organization with which they were interested in working especially because of their interest in the arts. DWDT feels the team’s input will be invaluable as we strive toward the goals of adding performances to our schedule, touring nationally, and expanding as a company. The project will culminate in a final presentation by the team that will take place on May 5 or 6. We are privileged to have been selected and look forward to working with our team.