Every Spring the National Dance Foundation celebrates how dance can have a positive impact not only on the lives of dancers, but the community around them as well. They have programs and challenges designed to bring awareness to the benefits of dance and to encourage the whole dance community to come together to support the art form they love.

This year, they focused on Inclusion, Kindness, and Community with a host of different activities. The National Dance Foundation put together choreography that studios could teach their students and encourage and invite dancers with special needs to participate in to demonstrate that inclusion in dance studios is a benefit to everyone involved and all you really need to dance is a love of dancing. Studios were able to record their students performing the choreography and submit the videos to compete for a prize. They also offer scholarships for studios who are looking to offer classes specifically designed for dancers with special needs.

They also offered Tap Mob and Dance Mob opportunities for studios to participate and compete for prizes, as well as a “Shout Out” and essay and poster contests to promote kindness and raise awareness for their anti-bullying campaign. Studios could also participate in NBA Pre-game performances in select cities around the country.

During the celebration week of April 19th – 23rd, this year’s winners were celebrated and highlighted on their social media channels, as well as any and all studios who had planned celebrations of their own. It’s a great way to have fun and show your love of dance while bringing awareness to how dance can have a positive impact on your community.

For more information you can check out the National Dance Foundation website by clicking here.