The WV Dance Company presents unique, arts-based learning experiences for children in PK-12th grades. WVDC is an advocate of arts-based learning as a more interactive, creative way to introduce students to core subjects such as math, science, history, and literature. By engaging students physically in the learning process via creative movement, students are more likely to retain information and enjoy learning more.
Mission:
It is the goal of the West Virginia Dance Company to enrich lives by creating professional dance and learning experiences throughout our region. WVDC will continually create new STEAM projects to assist schools in providing the most current teaching methods. These projects will enhance the students’ overall education and help lead to success in the global workforce. Our educational projects will continue to be global in nature to provide a metaphor to students that knowledge has to be shared across the globe in order to solve 21st century issues. It is vital for students to learn about and appreciate both the similarities and differences of unique cultures around the world.
Objective:
Education is an ever-changing world. To prepare our youth for life in a dynamic, inter-connected and diverse 21st century, students must learn how to use their imagination to be creative, open-minded and innovative. Integrating the arts with subjects across the curriculum and aligning with “Next Generation Content Standards” provides a deeper understanding and a more inquiry-based approach to learning. This inclusion of arts will further enhance the “STEM” model (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as we add the arts to become “STEAM”. Arts provide a basic core of humanity that connects people the world over. Research has proven that students who study or participate in the arts have more educational success than those who do not.
Through our current integrated arts-education tour, we will empower students with the truth that they are born with great imagination that produces creativity and can be shaped into innovation. By learning about other cultures through dance, we hope to help stimulate a genuine respect and curiosity for our global family. This understanding provides the glue to motivate and aid people to work towards peace and harmony as a desirable, attainable goal.
This project will also serve as a stimulus to help students better-understand the importance of global communication while also viewing and learning the art of dance as a means of communication. The dances are performed to music that is representative of the culture of each continent.
