A program of Dancers Courageous, Inc.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
| Summary |
| Goals of LSP |
| Benefits of LSP |
| Residency Evaluations |
| Funding |
| Contact |
| LSP Homepage |
CLICK HERE for connections to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
People who think of dance
as something
best reserved for professionals, will be amazed to find the wide array
of young
students who excel in Legends School Programs (LSP).
While most local history curricula simply requires students
learn the town lore, students in LSP programs must analyze the history
and
develop original performance pieces and other art works to express it.
Other
curricula focus on scientific principals like the water cycle. An
integrated
arts curriculum, LSP also draws on the visual arts, poetry and music to
achieve
its goals. While being fully in support of Massachusetts Curriculum
Frameworks
in Social Studies, LSP is designed to be flexible enough to accommodate
the
specific needs of each school and individual classroom.
Active since 1997 in Gloucester's
Public Schools, the program has also been incorporated into the Social
Studies
and Science curricula in Manchester, Essex, Beverly, Lynn, Rockport, Wakefield, Wenham, and Ashburnham Public
Schools.
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(1) To bring though
residencies an
integrated arts curriculum of local, regional, and national history to classrooms using the art
forms of
dance, music, visual arts, and creative writing.
(2) To bring students in direct contact (i.e., fieldtrips) with the
people,
places, events, works of art, artifacts, etc. in the community that are
or represent
milestones in a town's history. In other words, to utilize the
community as an
extended classroom.
(3) To have performances of
students'
artistic work in school shows, readings, and exhibits.
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Residencies are tailored to fit each town's unique history and each classroom's needs.
By introducing Dance as a method of learning core curricula, kinesthetic learners are empowered and brought to the fore.
By using a variety of art forms to study the same material, a wide range of learning styles are acknowledged and enhanced. In this way also, students encounter a multidimensional view of the history of their town and thus themselves.
Knowledge of local history helps promote self-esteem in people and encourages community involvement.
LSP encourages further participation in the arts by students and connects the arts to their lives in vital and fun ways.
In shows, readings, and exhibits, students gain valuable experience in public performance skills and the added acknowledgment of a job well completed.
Students make connections between their schoolwork and the wider community, people and places. Once established, those connections grow, expand, and remain a lifetime.
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There are three primary ways
in which
Legends School Program is evaluated.
At the end
of each residency there is a teacher/artist conference to reflect,
criticize,
and evaluate the efficacy of that residency. This immediate and ongoing
feedback is essential to help guide the program.
There is a
final summation about the program from the participating advisors,
artists and
administrators. Results from this summation shape next year's program.
We gather
student and community responses to the performances and exhibits. This
helps
chart the long-term course of LSP.
CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE TEACHER'S
EVALUATION FORM
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It is not within the budget
limits for
schools to bear the full financial burden of a residency. Even so,
Legends
School Program is a community building endeavor and funding is
typically
received from several sources. We are working toward making up the
balance
through other avenues support:
|
Our
sources of
support include: Individual and corporate
contributors
Foundation support Governmental support (Local Cultural Councils) Parent Teacher Organizations School Enrichment budgets Principals' discretionary funds
|
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| Specific sources have included: Rockport Educational Fdn.
Gloucester School Connection Spaulding Fdn. (Manchester) Manchester Historical Society Bruce J. Anderson Fdn.
Dusky Fdn. Essex National Heritage Area New England Biolabs Fdn. North Shore Spirit Baseball Boston Gas Gloucester Bank and Trust Local Cultural Councils of Ashburnham, Beverly,Essex, Gloucester, Lynn, Rockport<> (funded by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency) |
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As
our funding base expands
through grant
writing and foundation support, LSP will be in a position to be more
flexible
in funding arrangements with less advantaged schools, cities, and towns.
Legends School Program is and offering of Dancers
Courageous,
Inc.
Our address
is Dancers
Courageous, Inc., 26 North Street, Topsfield, MA 01983
Call 978 387-6566
or by email at carl@dancerscourageous.org
or visit dancerscourageous.org
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