Limon4kids
- 1. Ensuring Arts Education for students in New York City Part of the Community Engagement Program of The José Limón Dance Foundation 2010/2011
- 2. Limón4Kids is the newest Arts and Education program to introduce middle-school youth in largely Hispanic neighborhoods in New York City to modern dance and to modern dance pioneer José Limón. The program focuses on the goals of dance-making, dance technique, dance literacy, and performing. The inspiration and content of the program is José Limón’s famous work “La Malinche.” All 13 members of the Limón Company are involved in the project. In out first edition, the Limón Dance company worked with approximately 170 enthusiastic students, grades 6 & 8, in their schools in Washington Heights and Bayside, Queens. Program was led by the Company’s Associate Artistic Company Member Daniel Fetecua in one of the Director Roxane D’Orleans Juste, a Company member since 1983, sessions master teacher, stager of Limón works for companies around the world, and Bessie Award winner “for her majestic stage presence, infectious lightness, joyousness and emotional depth in works by José Limón, Donald McKayle, Susanne Linke and others.”
- 3. Limón4Kids takes place over a three-weeks period. The curriculum is broken down into four key areas: choreography; literacy; performance and technique. Limón’s personal story introduces the students to such concepts as heritage, community, identity and how we communicate. The bi-weekly movement classes inspired by La Malinche are used as a tool to help students develop movement language skills, thread through an artist’s and their own imaginary world, and discuss social issues that may be relevant to their own life journey. After learning sections of La Malinche, students are asked to create their own dance in relationship to the story, and then teach their choreography to their classmates. At the conclusion of the school residency, students attend a company matinee performance of La Malinche. Following the performance students have their own informal showcase for their family, friends and the local community. Students at the Final Gala at PS1 187
- 4. •Reach the Hispanic community using Limón’s personal story as a way to instill cultural pride and a strong sense of identity •Widely disseminate art instruction to students who may not otherwise have access to a cultural arts curriculum •Provide the opportunity for youth to learn about the Limón legacy through an art enhanced curricula •Relate to movement as a universal language, through discovery and exploration of rhythm, dynamics, phrasing, space, and form •Develop an arts-in-education program that meets Department of Education learning standards, including physical, social, cognitive, and aesthetic benchmark •Provide support to schools for development of their art programs and encourage innovative teaching practices
- 5. “Did you see how they put on their medals? Because they felt that sense of pride… There was 100% participation, I have never seen this” Ann Biddle, Arts and Education Consultant “Learning the power of movement and working in groups of ten was very empowering. I liked it!” Sharda Mia Torres, Class 6 B PS 187, Washington Heights, NYC “It felt great to perform, to be on stage” Michael Pena, Class 8 H - MS74 – Bayside , Queens
- 6. All the dance we did was pretty good, specially because it really helps you to express yourself, and express your feelings, and it was pretty fun. The whole movie about José Limón really inspired us” Anthony Cersosimo, Class 8H, MS 74, Bayside Queens “It was very interesting, it was never the same thing over and over again. They tought me “We learn about things I have never learnt multicultural histories before, I liked it” through the dances” Gustov Utstol, Class 6 A, PS 187, Washington Heights, NYC Jin Ju Min, Class 8 D MS 74, Bayside, Queens
- 7. In this second edition of Limón4Kids, the Limón Dance Company will expand the program to the 5 boroughs of New York City in order to reach an estimate of 500 students. The session will take place in November 2010 and the first trimester of 2011 Fundraising goal for 2010-2011: $150,000 Sponsors in 2010: Support for the pilot program is generously provided by the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation, Mex-Am Foundation, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
- 8. Please make checks payable to: JOSÉ LIMÓN DANCE FOUNDATION, INC. 307 West 38th Street, Suite # 1105 New York, NY 10018 Transfer Information: JOSÉ LIMÓN DANCE FOUNDATION Account #9511-5811 Citibank (Branch #122) 555 LaGuardia Place New York, NY 10012, USA Pablo Francisco Ruvalcaba Tovar, Limon THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US! Dance Company Member teaching class