ASAP’s Philly Dance Program
Philly Dance is designed to increase the number of dance opportunities available to students in grades K-12. Since 2002, ASAP has created close to 60 dance opportunities for students—including ballet, hip-hop, Indian dance, Irish dance and musical dance. More recently ASAP is concerned about the increase in youth obesity and the reality that the arts have been downgraded and often foreclosed from the school curriculum. A recent grant from the Annenberg Foundation is allowing ASAP to expand offerings of dance annually for three years and to identify organizations that offer after school dance for kids. It is our intent to advocate for dance programs and highlight the important role they can play in the lives of youth.
Benefits of Dance
Dance has many benefits that apply on and off the dance floor and have an immediate and long-lasting impact, including:
- Promoting health—dance is a great cardiovascular workout, builds muscle strength, enhances motor coordination and increases flexibility;
- Transforming the way kids feel about exercise—developing a long-term positive attitude on staying fit and healthy;
- Developing essential social skills through interactions with other students—respect, patience, teamwork and civility;
- Relieving stress and providing relaxation while having fun;
- Building self-confidence, particularly through public performance;
- Strengthening self-discipline and concentration;
- Providing a sense of accomplishment—creating goals and achieving them;
- Expanding self-awareness—fostering individual creativity and improving self-expression; and,
- Exposing kids to different cultures and beliefs.
Further, research demonstrates a link between participation in the arts and improved educational achievement. According to Americans for the Arts (2007), a leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, “The arts serve as a critical component to a complete education and are proven to increase student academic achievement. Young people who consistently participate in comprehensive, sequential, and rigorous arts programs are:
- 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
- 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
- 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
- 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
- 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem.”
To get started or receive more information click here,
or contact Meghan LeCates at mlecates@phillyasap.org or 215-545-2727.