Community School District Six
4360 Broadway, 4th Fl.
New York, NY 10033

Contact: Brian Morrow
tel(212) 795-4111
fax(212) 795-6911

**Program Description**

The Dance of the Dance Theater of Harlem's program is to utilize the arts to enhance, reinforce, and enrich students' academic achievements, ability to positively resolve confrontation, their connection with the school's surrounding community, their sense of self, as well as artistic interests. The program is a comprehensive arts-based program, operating Monday through Friday from 3:00p.m-6:00p.m. the first segment of the after-school day is spent on educational enhancement and remediation; students begin each after-school session with homework help. Here, they have the opportunity to work with licensed teachers as well as tutors on homework, troubling subject areas, and academic interests. Students will work in intensive, small group receiving continuous academic support from caring capable individuals. DTH seeks to expand the worldview of these students beyond the classroom. To such an end, DTH offers the children of PS153 formal training in dance, theater, visual arts, technology and sporting activities as well. Students rotate daily through the different mediums offered. The objective of this portion of the program is to give students the space and time to explore their artistic goals and interests. Woven into these experiences are opportunities for students to explore their identity, practice their communication skills, and discover talents and interests. For example, the theatre program can give students occasions to role-play different issues regarding conflict and help them improve their communication skills, anger-management, ability to creatively and safely deal with confrontation. Multicultural visual art assignments can offer students opportunities to explore their own identity as well as the ethnic and cultural identities of the children in their classes. In an effort to create connections between the parents, the community, and the students, DTH organizes community performances and exhibitions where children have the opportunity to showcase their achievements. Additionally, DTH invites community groups and artists into the classes to create relationships between children and the larger neighborhood.

These components combined not only offer students academic, artistic, and self-awareness support, but they also provide students with a safe and structured place to spend their after-school time, thus keeping them off the street and out of harm's way

Program Site
Public School 153
Principal: Ms. Katherine Burmiss
Funded Organization: Community District 6