DISCOVER DANCE

DISCOVER DANCE is the largest, most comprehensive program within PNB’s education offerings. DISCOVER DANCE provides high-quality, standards-based dance education and world-class professional dance resources to schools that otherwise offer little or no dance instruction.

DISCOVER DANCE provides students with opportunities to learn skills and processes needed to bring an original creative work to life. At each partner school, all classrooms and students from one grade level participate in a residency lasting an average of three months with instruction taking place during the school day. Mirroring professional artistic practices and using curriculum that blends creative movement and choreographic tools, students work as a class to create their own dance.

Additionally, partner classrooms attend live professional performances at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, tour PNB’s studios and costume shop, observe and meet Company dancers, and perform their original choreography at McCaw Hall, PNB’s professional studios, and/or in school.

Each participating school is highly involved in planning and implementation of the program. Teachers are key in planning lessons that relate to classroom curriculum; principals and staff are instrumental in providing communication home to families and coordinating space and in-school opportunities for students. 

For more information, contact education@pnb.org or 206.441.2432.

PNB is a rostered partner with The Creative Advantage—Seattle Public Schools’ plan to provide equitable arts education. 

For Partner Schools

DISCOVER DANCE residencies are divided into four phases of learning which mirror professional artistic practice. Each phase has distinct learning objectives based on state standards in dance. Lessons also support program and classroom goals and 21^st Century skills, such as collaboration and perseverance. All lessons are aligned with state standards in dance.

Phase I
Building Skills

Phase II
Creating Choreography

Phase III
Rehearse and Refine

Phase IV
Performance and Reflection

Click here to view the DISCOVER DANCE curriculum online.

A hallmark of DISCOVER DANCE is integration with other subject areas– aligning learning objectives and vocabulary across disciplines. Examples of DISCOVER DANCE curriculum integration connections include:

Literacy

Dancing stories
Folktales, Myths, Legends
Poetry

Math

Number Sense (counting, multiplication, sequencing)
Symmetry and Rotation

Science

Balancing and Weighing
Solids and Liquids
Life Cycle of Plants
Micro-worlds

Social Studies

Washington State Geography
Honoring Salmon (Since Time Immemorial WA State Tribal Sovereignty curriculum)
Immigration

More than 150 elementary school students perform works they collaboratively create, on stage at McCaw Hall. Performance includes original works created in residencies by the students and their PNB teaching artists. Also featured in the performances are PNB Company dancers and other guest performers.

Fall Performance
Wednesday, November 8, 2023 @ 6:30pm

Spring Performance
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 @ 6:30pm

Tickets available through the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424.