Celebrate the Beat

Feel the Beat In-School Program:CTB uniquely brings schools and communities together through the arts and helps students develop a personal standard of excellence. Our in-school classes include every single child in a grade regardless of physical, emotional and learning differences. The 45-60 minute classes are taught during the regular school day to underscore the belief that the arts are as valuable as every other subject. Each project culminates in an exciting live performance with up to 500 students. Students from K - 8th participate in CTB dance classes, accompanied by live music, during the regular school day every week for a whole semester or a whole school year, or every day for one - three weeks. Two professional teaching artists/dancers teach all classes which are accompanied by a musician. Live music in every class is one aspect that separates CTB from other in-school dance programs. Each residency and semester-long program culminates in a final public performance for students to joyfully share what theyve learned with the entire community. These performances are highly professional, choreographed, and performed with a full band, and reflect the amazing amount of learning the students achieve in the time they are in CTB classes. Classroom teachers attend our classes, dance with the students, and are encouraged to be a part of the final performance. In 23-24, we pioneered our first one-week version of the in-school program in Costa Rica. Because of its immense success, we brought the model to Colorado schools. This model allows us to expand programming with a less intense financial burden.

Celebration Team/All-stars (After School Program): We invite children who seek extra challenges to join our most advanced team. These dancers receive advanced technique classes and have opportunities to learn from visiting choreographers. Our four-week summer programs introduce students to multiple dance styles, including African, ballet, hip-hop, modern, and Latin jazz. For students to learn all these different styles, they need to focus, practice, and pay attention to the details. We INcorporate a range of visual art styles and artists working in diverse media in our lesson plans, expanding students definitions of art and helping them connect the different physical dance styles with visual expression. Our music lessons include group drumming and choir, emphasizing teamwork, listening, rhythm, and Collaboration. Students also learn to collaborate with peers by creating original choreography. Our classes often integrate yoga and anatomy, including breathing techniques to apply when stressed. Additionally, our team members practice speaking publicly, thereby gaining leadership skills. In 23-24, our Eagle County Celebration Team performed at 8 events, inspiring audiences of up to 2,500 people.

DREAM Team (After School Program): In addition to the class-wide program, CTB offers after-school instruction for dancers from participating classes who want to challenge themselves further. These students attend additional 90-minute DREAM Team (Dancers Reaching Excellence, Artistry, and Mastery) classes after school where they receive more complex instruction. This advanced team performs at civic events, allowing them to experience the world outside their immediate community. CTB teaching artists form deep and durable bonds with our students and connect on an emotional level, not just an instructional one. This is evidenced in the cohort of highschool students who have become so much a part of the CTB community that theyreturn as volunteers, mentoring younger dancers. In 23-24 we successfully expanded DREAM to our new school partners in Summit County.