Community Outreach

"It is a real treasure to have such a production and such a school in our very own neighborhood."

HPSD Parent

Since its inception Hyde Park School of Dance has been committed to sharing dance with the community. Affordable classes, and low-cost tickets for public performances provide the foundation for the School’s regular programming. In order to better serve the community and reach an even broader audience, the School offers scholarships, after school instruction and lecture demonstrations.

The After School Program provides basic instruction in a variety of dance styles to students with little or no formal dance training. Priority is given to serving Chicago public elementary schools and community organizations. This program allows students to experience focused study of a dance style (ballet, modern, hip hop) and learn basic choreographic techniques. The program is tailored to the specific needs of the organization and is generally 8-10 weeks long.

Lecture Demonstrations are designed to demystify what goes on in the dance studio and provide non-dancers with an opportunity to sample the experience of learning simple dance steps. During a lecture demonstration we talk about what it is like to take dance classes and what it takes to be a professional dancer. This is accompanied by the performance of various dance pieces in costume and audience members may be invited to join in dancing on stage.

If you are interested in finding out how the Hyde Park School of Dance can partner with your organization, please contact , Executive Director.

Below and to the left, HPSD teaching at Bret Harte Elementary School:
an after-school dance program for 1st and 2nd graders (Spring 2008)

57th Street Book Fair 2008 - Alice in Wonderland

Snapshots from the HPSD Performance at the Hyde Park Art Center, April 26, 2008.

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