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Educational Partnerships
CDI works to build stronger communities and give students
new opportunities to explore their world.
“The program was rigorous… it is not just dance movement, it is thinking, creativity, expression and a whole lot of energy.”
–Gerardo Lopez, Robert F. Kennedy Elementary
National Dance Institute (NDI), New York: CDI is an associate of Jacques d'Amboise's renowned National Dance Institute (NDI), founded in 1976, that has won educators’ hearts worldwide because it delivers consistent, structured arts activities by professional artists who are trained in a clear teaching methodology that achieves results. CDI is also a member of ANDI: Associates of NDI.

Natural History Museum Partnership: In 2005 CDI was chosen as one of the Natural History Museum of L.A. County’s Education Partners . Since then, CDI has participated in programs with the Natural History museum where CDI dancers explore themes presented by the museum and its exhibits. Projects include CDI students working with a professional poet, creating writing and original movement inspired by a museum exhibit. Dancers also performed an original piece which was filmed and on display at the museum.

The Joffrey Ballet Collaboration: On March 24th, 2007 at the Colburn School’s Zipper Theater, CDI teamed with dancers from the Joffrey Ballet and Colburn dance students to present a collaborative lecture-demonstration exploring three phases of dance. CDI’s public elementary school students demonstrated the raw enthusiasm of youngsters discovering basic movement; Colburn’s teenagers, geared for a serious dance career, presented the next step in the evolution of a dancer; and the renowned Joffrey Ballet dancers illustrated the culmination of rigorous study and practice in the professional dancer.

The Colburn School Affiliation: The California Dance Institute has formed an alliance with the Colburn School, with the aim of bringing dance to the Los Angeles community and scholarships to CDI students. The goal of the Colburn Dance Institute is to create a dance renaissance in downtown Los Angeles. CDI identifies talented children from its elementary school programs who want to progress with their dance training and refers them for scholarships to the Colburn Dance Institute.

Levitt Pavilion (MacArthur Park)
With funding from the Levitt Foundation, CDI spearheaded four family field trips to the Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park to allow neighboring families from our participating Pio Pico Span School to enjoy the Pavilion's diverse line-up of dance, music, and theater performances during the summer of 2008. The collaboration with the Levitt Pavilion helped build community awareness about this unique cultural event and provided CDI families with additional exposure to live dance performances.

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