PARTNER WITH US!

Our multi-year partnerships with NYC public elementary schools provide interdisciplinary dance arts and literacy instruction to students in prekindergarten to 5th grade. Complete this brief application to partner with us. We serve Title 1 schools lacking arts and physical education resources. Our student populations include nearly 100% BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and recent immigrants. We focus on serving English Language Learners and Students with Disabilities in addition to general education and gifted and talented students.


Through MDD’s holistic and creative dance education, children build age-appropriate dance, movement, and social and emotional skills. They gain confidence, learn to collaborate with their peers, and express joy in their new learning. They respond age-appropriately to a caring and supportive environment of structure and routine.

Partnerships in Literacy through Dance and Creativity©

Teaching Video

Performance Video

We integrate our transformative dance and literacy program with students’ classroom curricula. Studies show that our innovative evidence-based program has positive impacts on our students’ state math test and statistically significant increases in their grade 4 state reading test scores while increasing social and emotional learning.

The program includes:

  •  16 dance lessons with a highly qualified MDD Teaching Artist
  • Up to 5 team meetings with classroom teachers and educational paraprofessionals
  • A classroom teacher-facilitated dance journal writing program
  • An end-of-program sharing/performance for parents and the school community.

To learn more about our Education program and how to apply to partner with us, contact: info@markdegarmodance.org.

Professional Learning Program

Every year, our faculty participates in a Professional Learning Program to continually improve practice.