Dance Programs Empowering Youth

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!