A group of dancers, including students and instructors in Alvin Ailey t-shirts, stand on stage with their arms raised high. They are performing a synchronized movement, all looking upward, showcasing unity and focus. The backdrop is a black curtain, emphasizing their poses.

AileyDance Kids

ABOUT

The joy of dance continues to be celebrated with each audience member, community member, and student reached by the AILEY organization. Through AileyDance Kids, thousands of children have the opportunity to envision their potential, imagine possibilities, and feel the joy of dance as they experience AILEY each year.

AileyDance Kids is an inclusive dance education program that works with public, charter, private, and independent schools and community organizations in the New York City metropolitan area, serving grades Pre-K through 12. Programs are offered in a comprehensive format and created to meet the individual needs of each school during both in-school and after-school hours.

Making dances is an act of progress; it is an act of growth, an act of music, an act of teaching, an act of celebration, an act of joy.

Alvin Ailey

AileyDance Kids (ADK) offers residencies that are structured to implement and achieve the goals of the New York City Department of Education's Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in Dance for Pre-K through grade 12 students and are aligned with the New York State Learning Standards in the Arts. 

Residencies can also be linked to students’ academic curriculum. Experienced dance teachers and musicians from Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs conduct these classes. West African, creative movement, and modern dance classes are accompanied by a percussionist. Support materials are distributed, which serve as an introduction to AILEY, the accomplishments of Alvin Ailey, and the artistry of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Included are biographies, news articles, interviews, and reviews, as well as a Resource Guide for Educators that contains lesson ideas, a dance glossary, and both pre- and post-performance discussion ideas.

Residencies can be customized for each school. A minimum of two consecutive classes per day is required, with a maximum of five per day that we recommend taking place over the course of 10 to 12 weeks. Year-long residencies (up to 25 weeks) can be requested. We offer instruction in various techniques and styles, including modern, creative movement (grades Pre-K through 2), ballet, West African, Afro-Caribbean, jazz, hip hop, percussion, and musical theater dance. Public, charter, private, and independent schools and community organizations should contact Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs staff for individual residency options and costs. AileyDance Kids is a registered vendor for the New York City Department of Education, Nassau BOCES, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES, and works with Newark Board of Education Schools.
 

Residency Types

The students and teacher facing the camera and reaching their arms out
  • Fall or Spring Residency
 A group of dancers, including students and instructors in Alvin Ailey t-shirts, stand on stage with their arms raised high. They are performing a synchronized movement, all looking upward, showcasing unity and focus. The backdrop is a black curtain, emphasizing their poses.
  • Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach
A group of children in a dance class
  • Night Creature: An Imaginative Journey Through Dance

Add-Ons

Make your residency even more memorable by adding on one or more of these specialty offerings.
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  • Percussion Lecture Demonstration
Ailey Student Performance Group
  • Dancers from The Ailey School
A group of dancers perform a dramatic routine on stage, illuminated by warm, reddish lighting. One dancer lies on the floor while others strike expressive poses, showcasing fluid and synchronized movements against a dark background.
  • School-Time Performance for Residency Students

Additional add-ons include touring The Joan Weill Center for Dance and enjoying discounted group tickets at family matinees. For more information about these offerings, please contact [email protected].

Contact Us

Sponsors

The New Jersey-based education programs are supported by the Prudential Foundation. This program is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

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