Dance-a-rama Saturday 2-5pm
Come dance with us! Afternoon dance party with games, prizes, classes, and fun! Raising funds for children’s scholarships. $25 donation at the door leads to tons of fun. Click here for more.
Join crowdrise for Luna’s Dance-A-Rama 4/29
- What is a Dance-A-Rama? A dance party where Luna families and friends raise money to bring dance to all kids! Included in the party are snacks and drinks, face painting, dance classes (Zumba, line dancing, flash mob, and more), prizes, and fun and games for the whole family!
- When: Sat. April 29th, 2-5pm
- Where: Luna’s Aquatic Park studio
Summer Internship Applications Available
Luna Dance Institute offers a summer internship program for those wanting to gain proficiency working with a non-profit organization in the field of dance education. Applications available upon request. Read more about the program, application process, and position requirements here.
25th Anniversary Events
Luna Dance Institute is 25 this year-founded on March 8th. We launched our Silver Jubilee celebrations with a family dance birthday party January 7th, a 5-school flash mob on March 8th, and our gala on Saturday, March 18th.
Next join us for 25 Points of View on April 20th, and our Dance-A-Rama April 29th. The menu of activities can be found here.
Dance & The Brain Conference
Luna’s first Dance & The Brain Conference was a great success! Classroom teachers, dance teaching artists, parents, therapists and performers traveled from all parts of California to participate in this unique collaborative learning experience. Ann Law presented body-mind connectivity through a creative experience called What is a Folk Dance? “I didn’t quite know what I expected to get from this, nor what I will put to immediate use with my students, but I am returning transformed,” stated one dance teacher from Riverside. Presenting one of the longest case studies on creativity, James Catterall shared his process and the preliminary findings of his work with the Centers for Research on Creativity. CROC’s surprise findings were nothing new to dance educators–children engaged in the arts exhibited increased collaboration, empathy and self-efficacy. After lunch, Pamela Wolfberg, originator of Integrated Play Groups, shared her work with children with autism. Her presentation revealed that children with autism learn through play, social interaction and movement. We de-briefed at the end of the day and confirmed the confluence and importance of relationship, play and movement to both the brain and creativity. This project was provided under a contract with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with additional support from the Capezio Dance Foundation and the Louis Borick Foundation.
VAPA Standards Bill SB725 approved by Senate
GOOD NEWS! The California Dance Education Association’s co-sponsored VAPA Standards Bill (SB 725) has passed the Senate floor, and is now headed to the Assembly. Stay tuned for more news.
Board President Nancy Geimer Wins Wells Fargo’s $5,000 Volunteer Award
In recognition of the extraordinary commitment demonstrated by team members who dedicate their time and talent to volunteering with a non-profit organization, Wells Fargo announced that Nancy Geimer is a recipient of a Volunteer Service Award. Her steadfast contribution of 22 years of service to Luna is acknowledged through a $5,000 grant for community programs.
Co-directors Nancy Ng and Patricia Reedy are thrilled that Geimer is being honored for her service to arts education. A founding board member, Geimer has steered Luna from its humble beginnings on Park Blvd in Oakland to the full service dance composition organization it has become. As board chair, she provides outstanding leadership to fellow board members, empowering and educating them to help fulfill Luna’s mission to bring all children to dance.
Wells Fargo’s Volunteer Service Award grant supports Luna’s family dance initiative by providing funding for MPACT (Moving Parents & Children Together) at two Oakland public libraries: 81st Avenue and Cesar Chavez, as well as scholarships that enable children from our East Oakland school programs to attend after school or summer dance classes.
Click HERE to read the full press release.
Patricia Reedy & Nancy Ng Receive “Generous Heart” Award
Rhee Gold, publisher of Dance Studio Life magazine, announced that Luna co-founders, Patricia Reedy and Nancy Ng, are recipients of one of six of the first “Generous Heart” awards.
Dance Studio Life reported, “Throughout a decade of journalism, Dance Studio Life has given attention to those who do important, innovative work in dance education and service to the dance community… the efforts of the risk takers and generous hearts who have earned our respect and serve as inspiration for the entire community.”
Reedy and Ng’s award honors Luna’s nationally acclaimed family-based children’s dance programs and their advocacy of professional learning for dance educators. Through MPACT (Moving Parents and Children Together), School and Community Alliances, and Studio Lab, Luna offers developmentally appropriate, creative-based dance classes to all children. Luna’s Professional Learning services increase comprehensive, standards-based teaching practices for a wide range of educators from studio instructors to college professors to social workers.
