NDI seeks schools with a strong commitment to the arts to become long-term partners. In order to begin a conversation about bringing NDI to your school community, please provide the information requested below.

 

NDI RESIDENCY STRUCTURE

NDI will work with each selected school to choose a grade level for the residency. All classes on the chosen grade or grades will participate. Children will receive intensive dance classes once a week for ten weeks or every day for two weeks.

NDI classes are taught during the school day by a team of three, highly trained teaching artists: a Master Teacher/Choreographer, an Assistant Teacher, and a Musician/Accompanist. The residency culminates in a final performance for the entire school community and parents/families, and is often performed both during the school day and in the evening. The teaching artist team and NDI program staff will hold a planning meeting with the school leadership and classroom teachers before the program begins, as well as a meeting at the conclusion of the residency to reflect.

NDI teaching artists work with an annual curricular theme, which they integrate into lessons and which inspires the design of a cohesive culminating performance. Classroom teachers often connect the theme to work in the core curriculum. Past themes have explored science, literacy, and world cultures.

    Do you, or does your school community? Please describe.

    What do you want us know about your school community and to celebrate through the NDI program? What strengths make your school unique and shape your community’s identity?

    Support Team

    The success of the NDI program depends on a strong collaboration between NDI and school staff. You will need to assign one person to take on the responsibility of becoming the NDI In-School Coordinator (ISC). The ISC will serve as the primary contact for NDI in your school and may be either the principal, assistant principal, or another administrator. Please list the following support team:

    Classroom Teacher Involvement

    Collaboration with classroom teachers is crucial to the success of the NDI program. Classroom teachers are actively engaged in every NDI class (i.e., teacher preps cannot be scheduled during NDI class times). NDI teaching artists and program staff work with teachers to find ways to integrate our work with the curriculum, supporting larger learning goals for students.

    Do your teachers have experience working with resident artists? If so, describe the highlights and challenges of these collaborations. If not, do you imagine your classroom teachers will be able to forge meaningful connections between the learning and achievement in NDI and the rest of school life? How might this take shape?

    Do the teachers on the desired grade level have a common prep or lunch period when they could join NDI and the school administration for a planning meeting in advance of the start of the residency?

    Partnership Details

    Please answer the following questions about your vision for the NDI residency in your school:

    grade 5grade 4grade 3grade 2grade 1Kindergarten

    Note: NDI usually begins a new partership on the upper elementary grades.

    Are any of the classrooms on the grade self-contained or ICT settings? Please describe.

    Are any of these classrooms G&T, dual language, or ELL settings? Please describe.

    Space and Equipment

    Our preference is to teach and hold performances in the school auditorium or performance space. During NDI classes this space must be cleared of obstructions (risers, desks, etc.) and it must be reserved solely for the NDI program’s use (i.e., no through-traffic or students being held in the space for morning line up/dismissal, indoor recess, etc., while the NDI classes are taking place). We also require that the space be well-lit and kept at a healthy and comfortable temperature for dance.

    Describe the space available for NDI classes and performances. What other classes or activities take place in this space both during the day and after school?

    NDI requires that school partners own a tuned, working piano or a professional-quality keyboard.

    YESNO

    Describe:

    YESNO

    Describe:

    YESNO

    Describe:

    Funding

    Describe the source of funds you will draw from to ensure the continued success of the NDI program.

    Parents

    Describe the successes and challenges of parent involvement at your school. How might the NDI program help to increase parent engagement?

    School Arts Community

    What other arts programs do you currently offer, both through full-time specialists and other resident arts organizations? On which grades? For how long do these programs run? What is the school’s history of arts programming?

    The PRINCIPAL'S STATEMENT must be completed by the PRINCIPAL, and attached here or e-mailed separately: abarry@nationaldance.org. Please also feel free to attach the school’s CEP, as well as any other collateral materials that will help NDI to get to know your school community better.

    PRINCIPAL STATEMENT:
    How does an NDI program support your educational philosophy and vision for the school?
    What grade level(s) do you envision participating and why?
    What strengths should our program harness and develop, and what needs or growth areas will an NDI program also address?

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    Thank you so much for your interest in partnering with National Dance Institute.