Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre's NOTES IN MOTION Brings Dance Theatre Programs To Underserved Students

This school year, Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre’s acclaimed dance education program, Notes in Motion, will partner with 140 New York City schools to bring inclusive dance education programs to thousands of underserved PreK-12 students throughout all 5 boroughs.

Each program is tailored to the specific needs and population of each school, guided by Notes in Motion's singular approach to arts education: the Movement Exchange Method which combines technical dance instruction with creative skill building and collaborative learning. Programs foster self-discovery, risk-taking, and leadership development — vital life skills that have faltered during the pandemic which dance education nurtures by design. Notes in Motion/Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre has been giving back to the community for 24 years, and our dynamic dance education programs have inspired over 125,000 NYC children. For more information, visit https://notesinmotion.org/.

”From the inception of Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre, I have been driven by the vision that you cannot create dance in the now unless you are thinking about audiences of the future.” –Amanda Selwyn, Artistic/Executive Director

School Partnerships

Spanning Pre K-12th grades in dance styles from West African to Latin to Ballet to Hip Hop, Notes in Motion programs are energizing entire school communities all over NYC. With dynamic and original in-school residencies, after-school programs, summer workshops, and community programs, Notes in Motion is changing the lives of students in NYC. As an aggregate, the breakdown of the demographics of the students we serve are: 23% Asian; 22% Black, 50% Latino, 16% White; 20% Multi Language Learners; 22% Students with Disabilities; 80% Economically Disadvantaged. For more information, visit https://notesinmotion.org/school-partnerships/.

Being an Agent of Change

Notes in Motion/Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre is rooted in our mission of offering access, nurturing community, and promoting individual expression and freedom. Our dance education programs in the NYC schools offer students tools to express themselves, engage with their peers, and gain a more well-rounded school experience. Through sharing and providing access to this inclusive learning model, we are engaged in the critical work of breaking down barriers of systematic racism and oppression. We actively recruit diverse teaching artists, dancers, staff, and board to reflect, empower, and celebrate the diverse populations we serve. We are steadfast in our commitment to equity and change and driven to show up with vulnerability in an open dialogue with our schools, audiences, patrons, volunteers, and supporters. It is a privilege to share the joy of dance, offering students and audiences in-roads to discover inspiration, meaning, and joy. We continue into our third decade of dance making, sharing, and educating with a dedication to foster equality, access, and opportunity to all.  — Amanda Selwyn, Artistic/Executive Director

“The program taught me that there are other ways to express yourself and show how you feel.” - Student, PS 89, Queens

“The students had a lot of pride in their dance and they were able to see how practice improves performance. Throughout the dance residency, students were becoming more comfortable taking risks and trying new things.” - Teacher, PS 63, Manhattan

“Thirteen years of dance programs in elementary schools with my kids and this one stands out as the best ever.”- Parent, The Neighborhood School, Manhattan

Mission

Notes in Motion provides dance education programs to the NYC Public Schools in styles including modern, ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, Latin, African, and more. These programs are united by our singular approach to arts education, The Movement Exchange Method, which combines technical instruction with creative skill-building and collaborative learning. Programs foster self-discovery, risk-taking, and leadership development. We aim to provide access to the art form of dance to inspire the next generation of dance appreciators.

History

Since 2000, Notes in Motion has brought dance programs to over 125 schools and 125,000 students in New York City. We have programs in all 5 boroughs and reach diverse student populations from PreK-12. We are a vendor of the NYC Department of Education and all our programs reflect the learning standards as outlined in their Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts. We create long-lasting arts partnerships with schools and inspire the greater community of that school with the beauty, magic, and vitality of dance. We do not offer any cookie-cutter programs. Each program is custom-tailored to the specific needs and population of each school partner. We work collaboratively with classroom teachers at every stage from program planning, implementation, performance/community sharing, assessment, and evaluation. Our Teaching Artists guide students through a unique creative process, creating connections with other academic subjects and fostering active learning—students are creators, improvisors, and collaborators. We have an Education Ensemble of 50 experienced Teaching Artists with advanced degrees and extensive performance and choreography backgrounds in several dance styles and techniques. Press highlights includes a profile in Dance Teacher Magazine of Artistic Director Amanda Selwyn’s workshop at the NYC Arts-in-Education Roundtable’s 2011 Face to Face Conference and a profile in NYFA’s Current: A Magazine for Artists.

Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre creates dynamic dance theatre that activates emotional expression in a rich and abstract collage. Through an interplay between athletic and articulate motion, we present theatrical and immediate works that engage audiences from start to finish and beckon a response of thought, feeling, and soul.

Founded in 2000, Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre has presented over 95 productions at NYC venues including Baruch Performing Arts Center, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, New York Live Arts, Dance Theatre Workshop, Dance New Amsterdam, Danspace Project, Ailey Citigroup Theater, The Kumble Theater, John Jay College, and Mark Morris Dance Center. The company has been presented twice at Jacob's Pillow, at Westfest, DUMBO Dance Festival, Dixon Place, Dance Teacher Summit, COOL NY, Movement Research, Wassaic Project, and Pushing Progress Series. Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre has toured to festivals, presented open rehearsals, interactive performance events and workshops, and offers arts education programming through Notes in Motion to students and families in the NYC public schools. For more information, visit www.amandaselwyndance.org.

Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre/Notes in Motion programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The company is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.