Danceworks Mad Hot Rhythm

Danceworks Mad Hot Rhythm (formerly Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap) is an innovative educational dance program, providing arts and physical education to youth in Milwaukee-area schools. Over the last 15 years, Danceworks Mad Hot has touched the lives of more than 33,600 students in grades 4-6 throughout the Greater Milwaukee Area.

Mad Hot Rhythm’s Primary Goals:

Photo: Jeff Zmania

• To improve students’ self-confidence.
• To improve students’ respect for self and others.
• To improve students’ attitudes toward physical activity.

How the Program Works:

Danceworks Mad Hot Rhythm runs January-May. Participating schools select one or more 5th or 6th grade classrooms to participate in Mad Hot. Danceworks teaching artists provide two weekly one-hour virtual and/or safe in-person dance classes for 15 weeks – 30 total hours of dance instruction. Culminating performances for each school, and a Danceworks Mad Hot Rhythm Competition held virtually this year or at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in downtown Milwaukee, cap off the program. The Competitions are free and open to the public! Families incur no cost for this program.

Check out some of the great press Danceworks Mad Hot has received.

(Donors $1,000 & up)

• Bader Philanthropies
• United Performing Arts Fund – Bright Minds Fund
• Just Fore Kids Foundation
• We Energies Foundation

(Donors $1,500 & up)

• Richard and Ethel Herzfeld Foundation
• United Performing Arts Fund – Bright Minds Fund
• Wisconsin Center District
• Bader Philanthropies
• The Brico Fund, LLC
• Herb Kohl Philanthropies
• Milwaukee Arts Board and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin
• Kohl’s Hometown Giving Program
• Stephens Family Foundation
• Charles D. Jacobus Family Foundation
• Dorothy Inbusch Foundation, Inc.
• Woman’s Club of Wisconsin Foundation
• Martin Family Foundation
• Julia Uihlein
• Trish Calvy
• Amy & Dennis Connolly
• Candace and David Flatley