Bringing an international experience home.
Education. It's at the heart of everything we do. No matter how rich and rewarding performances are, no matter the romance of the road and the magic of movement, nothing beats the passion of young people finding out what they're capable of. That's true at every point of longitude and latitude where we're lucky enough to find ourselves.
Nowhere is our work in education more special than at home in DC.
From his days as Founder, Executive and Artistic Director of CityDance Ensemble through to Company E today Executive Director Paul Gordon Emerson has been devoted to education every bit as much as performance. They are equal parts of Company | E's mission. That is true, in particular, in the communities in DC that too often go without.
Company | E's community engagement programs began with the founding of the Company with a program at Simon Elementary. Today, in partnership with Washington Performing Arts' Capital Dance Program and DC Public Schools, that relationship continues stronger than ever.
In 2016 Company | E began a re-imagining of Capital Dance with an in-school, daytime program of dance at two DC Public Schools, Langley Elementary and Columbia Heights Education Campus. Program Director Tara Ashley Compton continues a long-standing commitment -- but with a difference.
Unlike other programs, which focus solely on after-school classes, Company | E's commitment is to in-school programs -- programs which take place as a part of the formal school day. That makes a statement. Dance is a part of education - in-school education.
As powerful and needed as after-school programs are, daytime programs are designed to build towards recognition that art lives inside the academic experience.
Building a New Curriculum with DC Public Schools
As a part of Company | E's education work, the Company has been involved with DCPS in the re-design of its music and movement curriculum. From sessions with DC Public School educators to week-long curriculum planning sessions, Company | E is honored to be a part of imagining dance and music for the next generation.
In 2019 - 2020 the Company, under Ms. Compton's direction, returns to DCPS to build on a great beginning and to take new steps, and build on new ideas, to give young artists a chance to thrive.
INNOVATION
Expanding the possibiltiies for performance across the world. Company | E's deep dive into Augmented and Mixed Reality.
SCHOOL'S OPEN
"The MC builds and supports whole-child learning...instilling the values of self-discipline and team building."
- Roseanna B. MC Parent
The Company | E Movement Center for Dance Education teaches the next generation both the technique and the joy of movement.
WARMER
Since 2007 Company E has been commissioning work from artists around the world speaking to the Climate Crisis.
"...exactly the kind of work we had imagined when creating the Performances for Young Audiences series, elegantly combining multiple art forms including modern dance, classical music, storytelling, visual arts, and theater."
-- David Kilpatrick, Director, Education Programs and Productions. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
@ The Dance Institute of Washington
3400 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20010
Email: info@companye.org
Phone: 202.930.2207
© Paul Gordon Emerson
All Rights Reserved
All images © Paul Gordon Emerson