Another busy year of Project Motion Community Outreach activities is already in full swing! It’s always exciting to restart our 5 outreach programs for the year, sharing our best teachers and educational experiences with local children, teens, and seniors who would not otherwise be able to participate in regular dance classes.

Motion Express has started back up again, bringing dance classes directly to DC children at their schools. We will continue building partnerships with our Ward 6 schools, as well as forge new partnerships. As a special project of Motion Express, for example, young girls from the Hearts & Homes for Youth will attend classes at JOMDC’s Atlas location for the next 6 weeks. Based in Montgomery County since 1964, Hearts & Homes helps troubled children who are abused, neglected, or runaways become independent, productive adults. Namaad Jackson will work with the girls, teaching them some hip hop.

We are also continuing our work with the D.A.R.E.® Dance America program, teaching dance as a healthy alternative to drugs and violent behavior in the community. Our Resident Company DCypher Dance plays a central role in our D.A.R.E.® Dance programming. Over the next 2 weeks, members of DCypher Dance will perform in interactive assemblies at each of our 7 partner schools in DC and Virginia, to kick off the program at the school.

For more information on Project Motion Community Outreach, please contact Quynn Johnson at outreach@joyofmotion.org.