PS DANCE! Launches on THIRTEEN Tonight

PS DANCE!, an inspiring documentary showcasing the profound effects of dance education in NYC public schools, will air on tri-state public television stations THIRTEEN tonight, May 15 at 10:30 p.m., WLIW21 on May 17 at 3:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., and NJTV on May 26 at 10:00 p.m. After the initial broadcast, the full film will also be available for online streaming at THIRTEEN.org/specials. Hosted by veteran TV journalist Paula Zahn and filmed in the classrooms of five NYC public school full-time certified dance educators, this film reveals the impact that consistent and sequential dance instruction has on students' aesthetic, artistic and expressive development. While every child is born with the innate inclination to create, imagine and dance, PS DANCE! highlights how the Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in Dance, PreK-12, supports dance teachers in developing these qualities.

Paul L King, Executive Director of the Office of the Arts for the New York City Department of Education notes, "We are pleased to support this excellent profile of dance education in New York City Schools. The story of the growth of dance programs is a testament to the value of arts education for all students and the commitment of the DOE and dedicated partners in providing these learning experiences. Dance learning provides a creative outlet for expressing student voice, for understanding culture and societies and for true collaboration through kinesthetic learning. And we are honored to see the expert practice of some of our dance teachers shared in this innovative film."

Two years in the making, from dance ambassador Jody Gottfried Arnhold, produced and directed by award-winning dance filmmaker Nel Shelby, in collaboration with Joan Finkelstein, former NYCDOE Director of Dance 2004-2014, this film exemplifies the ways in which dance can affect the trajectory of student development. The film captures a typical day in the classrooms of five extraordinary master dance educators-Catherine Gallant (Pre-K-5), Battery Park City's P.S. 89; Ana Nery Fragoso (K-5), the current NYCDOE Director of Dance, P.S. 315 in Midwood; Michael Kerr (6-8), Brooklyn's New Voices School of Academic & Creative Arts; Patricia Dye (9-12), Science Skills Center High School for Science, Technology and the Creative Arts in Downtown Brooklyn; and Ani Udovicki (9-12), Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, in Long Island City.

"This eye-opening film shows dance education at its best and it happens in New York City public schools," explains Jody Gottfried Arnhold, who has been instrumental in facilitating these programs in New York's public schools since 2004. "The settings represented in this film are unrehearsed and unscripted. Hear directly from the kids as they explain what dance has meant to them in their education."

In conjunction with the film, Arnhold, Shelby and Finkelstein are launching the Dance for Every Child Movement. Dance education enthusiasts can submit their details at psdancenyc.com and join in advocating for more dance in schools. The movement will empower implementation of quality dance programs in schools across the nation. Dance for Every Child will provide instructional resources developed by NYC Department of Education (Dance Education for Diverse Learners and the NYCDOE Dance Blueprint), Dance Education Laboratory 92Y, Lincoln Center Education, and the National Dance Education Organization. Additionally, PS DANCE! will also provide a list of colleges and universities that offer dance education with teacher certification.

PS DANCE! will be available on DVD, distributed by First Run Features - all proceeds from the sale of the film will go to the Fund for Public Schools for dance education programs in the NYC Public Schools. The website will also provide a link to donate directly to the Fund for Public School for those interested in increasing the reach of dance education in NYC.