Causes: Arts & Culture, Arts Education, Children's Museums, Dance

Mission: Dancewave brings together a diverse community of young people through dance education and performance.   We believe that dance provides a forum for meaningful, positive exchange between kids of all backgrounds and cultures.   Since its inception in 1995 by Diane Jacobowtiz, Artistic/Executive Director, Dancewave has created programs that are challening and artistically substantial, and which address young people’s needs for individual achievement and group identity.   Our pre-professional dance education and performance training programs offer young people a rare combination of high-level artistic integrity, educational rigor, and nurturing support. Our programs: *Expose students to various techniques and styles within a genre in order to develop the versatility required of professional dancers. * Ingrain a sophisticated knowledge of dance history by exposing students to a wide spectrum of dance artists at various stages in their careers.  *Create a nurturing and challenging environment for every child and teen who demonstrates a strong inclination to develop his or her technique and performance skills. * Approach students as artists in the making.

Results: Dancewave was established in 1995 and is currently working with approximately 3,700 children and teens each year through our afterschool, in-school, ensemble, summer, festival, and performance programs.

Target demographics: NYC youth ages 0-18

Geographic areas served: New York City

Programs: Dancewave is currently working with approximately 3,700 children through our afterschool, in-school, ensemble, summer, festival, and performance programs. We are a vibrant employer in the arts community, hiring some 70 freelance teaching artists annually. Dancewave currently runs six programs: (1) D-Wave in Motion, which brings dance residencies and workshops to NYC public schools; (2) The School at Dancewave, which provides afterschool dance classes for ages 0-18; (3) Summer Dance Intensive, two two-week programs offering teens up to five classes daily with leading dance professionals; (4) Kids Cafe Festival, a 16-year-old, citywide festival showcasing works by and for young people; (5) the Step Up Initiative, a scholarship program that provides young dancers from disadvantaged backgrounds with financial aid, dance training, college counseling, and workstudy experience; and (6) Dancewave Company I & II (formerly Kids Company I & II), and Young Movers Ensemble, our pre-professional performing companies for youth. Each semester, Dancewave Company I & II (ages 12-18) train with and perform groundbreaking work by renowned choreographers such as Garth Fagan, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Paul Taylor, Susan Marshall, and Bill T. Jones. The Dancewave Company has performed at such venues as the Governor's Arts Awards, Jacobs Pillow, the Met, the New Museum, the Kitchen, and the Brooklyn Art Museum. Most importantly, this program has a lasting impact on kids’ lives: 100% of Dancewave Company members have been accepted into college, many with full scholarships.