DURING THE LAST DECADE, ARTS EDUCATION HAS RECEIVED INCREASING ATTENTION AS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF EDUCATION. THE CURRENT DIRECTION IN EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE AND POLICY FOCUSES OVERWHELMINGLY ON ACADEMIC ACHEIVEMENT. SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LAW MANY ADMINISTRATORS HAVE WIPED OUT MUSIC, ART, DANCE-EVEN SOCIAL STUDIES AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION UNDER PRESSURE TO RAISE TEST SCORES. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IS ONLY ONE ELEMENT OF LEARNING. THE ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (ASCD) AND THE CONSORTIUM OF NATIONAL ARTS EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONS HAVE PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: "THE ARTS LEAVES NO CHILD BEHIND". STUDENTS WHO STUDY THE ARTS SCORE HIGHER ON STANDARIZED TESTS BUT SCHOOLS ARE INCREASINGLY PHASING OUT CLASSES THAT PROMOTE CREATIVITY AND SELF-EXPRESSION. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE AREN’T JUDGED SOLELY ON HOW WELL THEY DID ON A CERTAIN TEST, SUCCESS IS MEASURED ON THE BASIS OF VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL. ASCD AND THE LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN THE ARTS PROJECT (LEAP) BELIEVES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO LEARNING RECOGNIZES THAT SUCCESSFUL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE KNOWLEDGABLE, EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY HEALTHY, MOTIVATED, CIVICALLY INSPIRED, ENGAGED IN THE ARTS, PREPARED FOR WORK AND ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND READY FOR THE WORLD BEYOND THEIR OWN BORDERS. THE ARTS ARE CRITICAL IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS SUCCESSFUL YOUTH. THAT’S WHY I CREATED LEAP. LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN THE ARTS PROJECT IS A NON-PROFIT PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT DISDAVANTAGED YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE PERFORMING ARTS. LEAP TRANSFORMS COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS INTO PLACES FOR YOUTH TO EXPLORE AND GAIN APPRECIATION FOR THE ARTS THROUGH OUR DANCE EDUCATION, THEATRE WORKSHOP, AND RECORDING MUSIC PROJECTS WHICH CONSIST OF CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, PERFORMANCES, FIELD TRIPS, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS SHOWS THAT DANCE WAS AVAILABLE IN LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (20 PERCENT). FOURTEEN PERCENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT OFFERED DANCE HAD DEDICATED ROOMS WITH SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR DANCE INSTRUCTION. IN 28% OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS DANCE IS INTEGRATED INTO ANOTHER SUBJECT LIKE MUSIC AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION. STUDENTS LOOSE THE TRUE ESSENCE OF THE ART FORM. DANCE IS A WONDERFUL CRAFT AND WITH THE LACK OF IT BEING OFFERED, THE DANCE EDUCATION PROJECT WAS BORN. THE DANCE EDUCATION PROJECT IS A PROGRAM THAT OFFERS DANCE INSTRUCTION, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING, PERFORMANCES, OPPORTUNTIES TO COMPETE, WORKSHOPS, AND A SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE, A CHANCE TO ATTEND PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES, AND A CHANCE TO PERFORM FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE DANCE EDUCATION PROJECT’S MISSION IS TO CREATE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE DANCE FORM AND TO EXPOSE PARTICIPANTS TO THE VARIOUS DANCE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AREA.
