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5 days ago

Danceworks, Inc.
Spring Break is almost here at Danceworks and we want to keep you moving through this break! Signup today for one, two, or three of our Maintenance classes and save! See you there. PRERECORDED Barre Workout Classes2 classes available for the price of 1, Purchase by Monday, March 25, and available through March 27CLASSES:Thursday, 3/28 Barre Workout at 9:15am VIRTUALFriday, 3/29 Barre Workout at 9:15am Friday, 3/29 Classical Ballet Barre at 10:30am VIRTUALSign up at the link in our bio! ... See MoreSee Less
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6 days ago

Danceworks, Inc.
Summer is right around the corner and camps are starting to fill up! Sign up today to secure a spot in one of our popular summer camps for your child!🎨💃🏽🎭Exploration, creativity, and play are needed now more than ever, and Danceworks’ Summer Creative Arts Camps are here to deliver! Our team of professional arts educators have provided high-quality arts programming for over 25 years, and are dedicated to helping students see the world through imagination and creativity. Join us for a fun-filled week of artistry in an environment where imagination thrives and lifelong passions are discovered.Sign up at the link in our bio today✨ ... See MoreSee Less
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1 week ago

Danceworks, Inc.
Announcing Danceworks Performance MKE’s third and final show of the 2023-24 season, "Dixit Dominus and Cantos"! We are so excited to be partnering with vocal early music ensemble, Aperi Animam, and working with guest choreographer, Maria Gillespie on this concert ! Description detailed below⬇️✨“Dixit Dominus and Cantos” runs May 17-19, 2024at Calvary Presbyterian Church935 W. Wisconsin AvenueMilwaukee, WI 53233Joining forces, Danceworks Performance MKE and APERI ANIMAM set out on a rhythmic journey with George Frideric Handel’s passionate rendition of ‘Dixit Dominus.’ Composed by the prodigious 22-year-old Handel in 1707 during his time in Italy, this earlier work presents a flamboyant tapestry of intricate vocal lines woven with a prominent rhythmic gusto. With its dynamic interplay between soloists and choir, ‘Dixit Dominus’ exudes a sense of dramatic fervor that reflects Handel’s profound ability to evoke both grandeur and intimacy while amplifying the sentiments of the war between heaven and hell. In juxtaposition to Handel’s baroque style, this concert features a world premiere “Cantos” by choreographer Maria Gillespie that carefully pairs sophisticated repertoire with her authentically raw movement aesthetic, highlighting secular works in the polyphonic style.Event Link: DPMKE presents: Dixit Dominus and Cantos with Aperi AnimamTickets are linked in our bio🎟✨ ... See MoreSee Less
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Danceworks Blog

I Hear You Are a Beautiful Dancer

Posted on by 10Web Support

Dance is a performing art. Dance is creative expression. Dance is freedom gained through discipline as strength increases, as flexibility improves, as individual artistry emerges.

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Dance lives inside you and emerges with beauty. As you breathe more deeply and challenge yourself beyond your normal range of movement, you begin to glisten. Every cell in your body responds.

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It takes practice, balance, commitment. It takes patience, humility and courage—qualities that rise above the dance into other areas of your life.

Dance happens in community with others.

This is why dance works. This is why we share it with others at our studio and on stage. This is why we take it into the community in programs like Danceworks Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap (MHBT).

I walked into the gym of a school just as Danceworks’ MHBT teacher began warming up the students. The sixth grade classroom teacher shook my hand and introduced himself, then motioned me to step outside the door with him.

I listened as the teacher told me about a student who never spoke up or raised her hand in class. When MHBT started, she stood on the sidelines and was absent for many classes. Then one day, she showed up and started participating.

“I saw that she was a natural dancer,” he said. “She picked up the steps quickly. I noticed that she began helping other students. Without being asked, she would take time to show steps to those who were struggling. She was recognized as a leader by her classmates.

“The best part for me was when she began to raise her hand in class and join into our discussions,” he continued. “It was amazing to witness.

“I have a class of 27 students who are struggling with their math and reading scores. This school is tough; it may not look like it, but it is. This program [Danceworks MHBT] has turned my kids around. Everyone is doing better—it’s been great for our school.”

This teacher then told me about the tragedy that had recently taken place in the young girl’s life, where she lost some family members. He told me that her classmates had made a card for her and how glad they were when she returned to school just days after the incident. “We didn’t make a big deal out of it,” he paused. “We just wanted her to know she had our support.”

I learned that her relatives’ visitation would be taking place the next day, so I went and waited in line with many others who were there to share the grief and pay their condolences.

“I hear you are a beautiful dancer,” I said, as her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face.  I told her how proud her teachers and classmates were of her. “I hope you will keep dancing. I hope you will dance with your class on the 16th [our Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap Competition]. We will all be there supporting you.” I hoped that my smile distracted her from my emotion and moved on.

I moved on to the hope that dance would heal.

We don’t know what lives behind the eyes of another. We do know that dance is a process that moves us from one place to another—physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually.

I found out this week that this young lady is one of three girls selected to represent her school in the semi-finals and will be dancing on May 16 at the Danceworks MHBT Competition. She is special to us, but she is one of thousands with incredible stories of transformation. They will all come together on this day—to take the hand of another, to laugh, to dance.

Their confidence has unfolded as they connected and moved in step together. They have learned how to forgive others for their missteps and mistakes. They are learning how to work together, how to want the best for others, not just for themselves. They are learning how not to be too hard on themselves. They are learning to dance.

And though there is the risk of forgetting, of losing their balance, they are learning poise and grace—and this will carry them through.

They are all winners. They are learning to be joy spreaders. And it’s through the confidence of a joy spreader that a spirit is mended, a family healed, a city restored.

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About Our Blog

Welcome to the Danceworks blog, where we're hoping to share a little bit more about the heart and soul behind Danceworks… what made us join the dance and keeps us dancing, what keeps us inspired, and where we can share some of the stories worth telling.