Project Description

Every Thursday afternoon at COA’s Community Learning Center (CLC) at Westside Academy School, 25 fourth and fifth graders come together for African dance lessons. For over five years, COA has partnered with Express Yourself MKE to give these girls and boys some time to get loose and learn about dance movements around the globe. Express Yourself is a local nonprofit that teaches young people how to express themselves through arts immersion programs. Professional dancers from Express Yourself teach COA’s youth at Westside full African dance routines and they also get to try their hand at African drumming.

Since the beginning of this school year, the Westside dancers have worked with Express Yourself to craft a full-blown dance performance. This Thursday, May 17th, they will get to put on a show for all to see. The Westside CLC dancers will be performing at Express Yourself’s annual citywide arts showcase: Move-It! The Westside dancers will perform alongside other youth dance groups around the city and will have the chance to share all their creativity with friends, family, teachers, and the community.

The kids are looking forward to showing off all the hard work they’ve put in these past eight months. According to Daniel Hodgson, COA’s Westside CLC Coordinator, the Westside dancers have had a blast working with the dancers from Express Yourself. “The kids really look up to them,” he said. “They like to see them express their artistic ways. It gets the kids excited to try something new and fun.”

Daniel has seen firsthand the dance program’s positive impact on the kids at Westside. One student dancer, in particular, has really stood out. “The dance program has changed his attitude and turned his behavior around,” says Daniel of the dance-loving fifth grader. “Express Yourself is a tool for him to do better in school. It’s given him something to look forward to because he knows that in order to participate in dance, he has to do well in school.”

As the kids gear up for their big performance, Daniel reflects on COA’s longtime collaboration with Express Yourself. “It’s just a great partnership,” he concludes. “We love working with Express Yourself.”

 

See COA’s Westside CLC dancers in action at Express Yourself MKE: Move It!

Thursday, May 17th, from 5:30pm – 8pm at the Miller High Life Theatre (500 W Kilbourn Ave)

Admission is free!

Cover photo by Bokeh Effect Photography.