Dance Programs Empowering Youth

Fall is our favorite season here at the DEA YDP – it’s during these months that we get to share the joy and power of dance to new students all across the country! Our regional managers have been hard at work setting up and attending assemblies, booking professional dance companies and instructors, and registering hundreds of students for free after-school dance classes. In many cities, DEA agents have attended assemblies to speak with kids about the importance of a healthy, drug-free body and mind. Our fabulous trainer has been meeting with instructors from Boston, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Salt Lake (as well as several other cities through video conference) to introduce best practices in the classroom and new ways of delivering our message of positive alternatives to drugs and violence.

All of this would not be possible without your continued support of the DEA Youth Dance Program. We are so excited to be offering programming in dozens of cities to reach new students with an opportunity to learn dance and teamwork, build self-confidence, and have a safe place to go in those critical after-school hours. This year, we continue our partnership with DEA 360, a comprehensive approach to the opioid and heroin crisis bridging DEA, local law enforcement, education and community partners like the DEA Youth Dance Program. We had an exciting DEA 360 launch in Salt Lake City last week, with three new schools attending assemblies to watch our dance company partner, Samba Fogo, wow students with live Brazilian drumming and dance.

Throughout the next month, more launch assemblies will take place, more students will register, and more instructors will be in classrooms teaching dance and encouraging students to make positive, healthy life choices. We will continue to advocate for at-risk and under-served youth to receive high-quality arts education as an alternative to drugs and violence. Please join us in support of young people across the nation by making a donation, sharing our cause on social media, or telling a friend about the DEA Youth Dance Program. Together, we can make a difference!

This summer, children around the country are participating in workshops and camps with the DEA Youth Dance Program, providing a positive, safe and inspiring environment for at-risk and in-need students. Students awarded scholarships at the end of our spring sessions have been able to continue growing their skills through classes at local studios. With the end of the summer season fast approaching, we are hard at work preparing for another fantastic fall, introducing the DEA Youth Dance Program to students in Salt Lake City, UT, Knoxville, TN and Baltimore, MD through the DEA 360 Strategy, in addition to our programming in dozens of other cities throughout the nation.  

Last weekend, DEA YDP students in Southern California and Washington DC participated in a once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunity at National Dance Day. Performing for hundreds, these students showed off their dance technique, and joined other dancers at this nationwide celebration of dance, helmed by the Dizzy Feet Foundation. The DEA YDP is thrilled to have been invited to participate for multiple years, showcasing our students and dance company partners, in community with an array of dance organizations at The Kennedy Center in DC and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County. The DEA Field Office in Washington DC even got in on the action, joining us to spread our message of prevention through positive, healthy activities such as dance. We are grateful for these opportunities to share our passion of dance as a positive alternative to drug use, and to the DEA for their continued support.

The DEA YDP One Step at a Time campaign is entering its 2^nd year. This campaign assists us in reaching thousands of children with prevention education through dance, as well as enabling us to grow to accommodate our extensive waitlist both in cities currently receiving DEA YDP programming, and new cities in critical need of after-school opportunities for at-risk students. Any and all contributions are much appreciated to help us reach even more children, spreading joy and health through the beautiful, expressive and powerful art of dance! 

This school year is ending with many exciting opportunities to spread awareness of the positive DEA Youth Dance Program message! The New Jersey Youth Summit and Albuquerque Summit and Career Day was attended by student dancers and DEA YDP dance company partners. Youth Dancers from Brooklyn Park Elementary wowed attendees of a special event in Baltimore this month!

We continue to focus on opioid abuse through a wonderful partnership with DEA 360, a comprehensive approach to combatting the heroin and opioid crisis bridging law enforcement, diversion control and community outreach through local partners. The DEA YDP is pleased to offer expanded programming in the coming year through DEA 360.

The DEA Youth Dance Program looks forward to a busy summer with summer programming, dance camps, and scholarship programs. We thank you for your continued support of students across the nation, many of whom experience exposure to dance for the first time through the DEA Youth Dance Program. Together, we can lift up these young people and empower them to make a lifetime of healthy choices! 

As we enter into the 2018 Year, we are struck by the incredible diversity of our students and instructors around the country, and how dance, as a vehicle, truly has the ability to influence youth from all backgrounds. We recently translated our registration and evaluation forms into Swahili, one of our classes is made up of primarily refugee children and our YDP students come from an array of cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.  The DEA YDP teachers provide a wonderful diversity in dance styles (with classes being taught in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, samba and more), and the life paths that have lead our teachers to mentoring youth differs tremendously. No matter what the circumstance or background, all our student dancers and teachers are united in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and positive choices through dance!

We are thrilled to be continuing as a community partner with DEA 360, adding 4 new strategy areas this year: Philadelphia, Newark, Salt Lake City and South Jersey (Atlantic, Camden and Ocean counties). DEA 360 is a comprehensive approach bridging local law enforcement, DEA, DOJ and community partners to combat opioid and heroin abuse in select cities across the nation.

The DEA YDP Campaign “One Step at a Time” continues to expand. This spring we will be hosting special events in Baltimore and New York to raise awareness about drug abuse and how communities can come together to help our youth and families. The DEA Youth Dance Program remains committed to sharing our impassioned message of resisting drugs through the art of DANCE! Thank you for your continued support! 

The DEA Youth Dance Program is happy to be launching free dance classes for at-risk and underserved youth in schools from California to New York! We’ve had a busy summer, and look forward to a fun fall!

In July, DEA YDP students from Van Nuys, CA and Washington, DC performed at events for National Dance Day at both Grand Park LA and The Kennedy Center. Our dancers impressed hundreds in the crowd with their moves, and positive approach to healthy living through dance. This summer, we were also able to offer students around the country a safe and fun activity through dance workshops and scholarships to local dance studios.

We continue to enjoy a powerful partnership with DEA 360, a comprehensive approach bridging DEA, law enforcement, DOJ and community partners to combat heroin and opioid drug abuse in select cities nationwide. Through DEA 360, we are able to reach even more students with our message of drug abuse prevention through the art of dance. Stay tuned for exciting updates on this program!

Last week, The DEA Educational Foundation honored filmmaker Michael Mann with a spectacular evening at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Student dancers from Sylvan Park Elementary, under the expert tutelage of DEA YDP instructor Stephanie Reed, took to the stage with some very special guests. DEA Agents surprised the crowd by joining our young dancers in a fantastic routine, and showcasing the extraordinary support and mentorship students receive from DEA. Our teaching partner, Culture Shock LA, performed amazing choreography and treated the audience to some impressive freestyle dance.

We are looking forward to a wonderful fall season, bringing dance to kids across the country as an alternative to drugs and violence. Thank you for your continued support of The DEA Youth Dance Program!