Luna Dance Institute

Each year, Luna Dance Institute gives close to 350 teachers comprehensive professional development in dance and instructs more than 20,000 children, reaching those with the least access to dance education. It does this through in-school artist/teacher dance classes in the Oakland Unified School District and through free classes in its new Emeryville studio, serving children and families who are part of the child welfare system. The Institute’s goal for each school is to build a comprehensive, standards-based, sustainable dance education program tailored to the site, which requires a three-year minimum commitment by the school.

Luna Dance Institute provides comprehensive professional development in dance for teachers and teaching artists, direct dance instruction to children and parents, and advocacy in support of dance education in California. Through its professional learning programs, the institute trains more than 600 educators each year. Its in-school arts education programs serve more than 4,000 children each year at public schools in the Oakland Unified School District, at no charge to schools. The organization also serves about 400 children and families at its studio in West Berkeley, through free or low-cost programming. This grant to Luna Dance Institute aligns with the Performing Arts Program’s Youth strategy, and will support the organization’s adaptation planning and implementation.