Reach Out and Dance is the educational outreach program for the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet. The program is modeled after Jacques d’Ambrose’s successful National Dance Institute (ND) in New York City. It provides free, weekly dance lessons to elementary school students by professional Excellence in Dance staff. The eight-month program culminates in public and school performance opportunities.

• The belief that the arts have a unique power to engage and motivate children
• The latest brain research shows that art has a significant impact on education, emotional and behavioral goals
• A conviction that dance is a basic skill and should be part of every child's education
• That dance talent should be nurtured

The National Dance Institute (ND) in New York City has used dance education as a life-changing experience in public schools for several decades. Lori Klinger, the founding Artistic Director for ROAD^®, was involved with the ND beginning in 1986 and brought the knowledge she gained to Ohio schools in 1998. ROAD^® started in the Akron Public Schools with one-week long residencies which provided daily lessons with students in creating and performing "street dance" to lively Duke Ellington and George Gershwin music. These residencies culminated in assemblies for the entire school and parents.

• In 2002, ROAD^® expanded into an eight-month program. During that year, ROAD^® was honored with a visit from ND I's founder Jacques d’Ambrose’s as part of the culminating performance.
• During 2003, ROAD^® expanded to schools in both Booster and Cuyahoga Falls. In addition, Monica Albrecht Kridler, who taught with the ROAD^® program in 2002-2003, has launched a similar program for the Columbus City Schools.
• During Year Nine (2006-2007), ROAD^® provided weekly classes to over 850 students!
• 2006 Recipient of the Akron Area Arts Alliance's "Best Outreach Program" award.
• Students with exceptional talent have been receiving scholarships to the Excellence in Dance Studio once ROAD^® is over so they can continue their dance studies.&nabs; Several members of the C.V.Y.B. began their first dance experiences through the ROAD^® program.

• To help children develop discipline, a standard of excellence, and a belief in themselves that will carry over into all aspects of their lives.
• To help children improve their self-confidence, school attendance and general behavior in and out of school.
• To integrate performing arts into urban school curriculum by developing a curriculum-based theme and using choreography to be performed by the children for their peers.
• To build partnerships with schools and teachers within Akron, Cuyahoga Falls and Wooster in order to better utilize resources in the community.
• To bring a proven dance education program to Akron, Cuyahoga Falls and Wooster students which allows them to become directly involved in an artistic process.

• The success of this program has been measured in several ways. The culminating performance allows the dancers to show what they have learned.
• The teachers were surveyed in 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2006-2007 ( view survey results)
• Student survey results and testimonials speak to how ROAD^® changed some of the dancers during the school year. ( view survey results)

• Kara Stewart is the Artistic Director and serves as the primary ROAD^® instructor and project administrator.
• Lori Klinger is the Founding Artistic Director of both ROAD^® and Rosie's Broadway Kids (RBKids), an arts education program founded in 2003 in New York by Rosie O'Donnell.
• Theca Harris is the Artistic Consultant. She is a former CVYB member, National Dance Institute (ND) staff member, and the PS Broadway artistic director for RBKids.

Without the extensive support of community agencies and foundations, the ROAD^® program would not be in existence. With the generous support of the following groups, ROAD^® has greatly expanded its positive impact across many school districts and is touching hundreds of lives.

To request information concerning bringing ROAD^® to your school or organization, please contact the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet's Project Administrator at kara4road@aol.com.