DANCE TO LEARN

DANCE TO LEARN is an integrated arts residency program for grades K-12. PNB teaching artists work in collaboration with classroom teachers to design a series of dance classes that blends creative movement, choreography, and concepts from other subject areas. Sessions include live musical accompaniment.

For the 2021-22 school year, PNB is offering flexible programming including:

• in-person residencies and workshops at schools following school district and state health & safety guidelines
• virtual residencies and workshops
• focus on Social Emotional Learning competency areas and activities authentic to the arts that support student mental and emotional health

PNB works with teachers to develop residency curriculum that reflects the goals of the school, classroom, and PNB. Residencies follow a PNB-developed curriculum outline rooted in state standards, 21st Century skills (collaboration and perseverance), and professional artistic practices. Students learn dance and choreographic basics, as well as connecting dance concepts to concepts from other subject areas.

PNB Community Education programming values:

• a creative process and classroom culture which empowers students as creative agents
• building community, connection, and collaboration within classroom communities
• student-centered, inclusive, & culturally responsive curriculum
• movement and the arts as fundamental parts of basic education and the human experience

Residencies are customizable to the needs of each school. Typically, residencies last 3-12 sessions per classroom.

A PNB teaching artist and accompanist will come to your school for in-person residency classes. A large, open space (such as a gym or cafeteria) is recommended.

Virtual residencies can take place on Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

Arts integration uses shared concepts between dance and another area of study. Many schools create custom units with their PNB teaching artist. Examples of DANCE TO LEARN curriculum units include:

Literacy

Dancing stories
Folktales, Fairy Tales, Myths
Poetry

Math

Counting, Multiplication, and Grouping
Symmetry and Rotation

Science

Balance and Weighing
Microworlds
Sound
Solids & Liquids

Social Studies

Washington State geography
Immigration

DANCE TO LEARN residencies are $125 per session. This fee includes teaching artist teaching and planning time, live musical accompaniment, and collaboration time with the classroom teacher.

Discounts are available for multiple sessions and/or classrooms. Schools with a published free/reduced lunch status of more than 50% may also qualify for sliding-scale program fees.

Schools have the option to schedule one of their residency sessions as a field trip to PNB studios for a behind the scenes experience. Subject to scheduling availability. On-site field trips to PNB are currently suspended due to COVID-19; virtual field trips are available.

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. PNB is also a partner with Bellevue School District’s summer school program.

For free, on-demand video movement activities led by PNB teaching artists, please visit our Video Learning Series.