Editor’s note: Over the last six months Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre has had the pleasure of working in the Antelope Valley community as part of Los Angeles County Arts Commission’s Outpost project. We’ve hosted site-specific dance workshops, brought our dancers for a performance and even provided professional development for artists in the community. We’ll wind down the project with a performance Saturday (May 21, 2016) at 5pm at the Shaw building (flyer below). As the project draws to a close, we wanted to share the experience of one of the Antelope Valley Community members, Teresa Howard, Vice Principal, Activities at Littlerock High School (LHS). LHS hosted one of our dance workshops in February.
Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre Teaches Littlerock High Students the Art of Dance as a Mode of Self-Expression
As Littlerock High students entered the gymnasium, they were apprehensive of the hour-long workshop that stood before them. Close-minded and unwilling to try something new, the students were anything but open to how dance inspires self-expression.
As I watched the close-minded beings transform to participatory artists my heart skipped a beat. There is always a risk involved when dealing with teenagers because it is a mystery as to what drives them, but as I observed my students opening their minds to the message the artists of Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre began to tell, my fears began to dissolve; the kids loved it! The wide-eyed stares and active participation in the workshop made way for their creative selves to emerge. They were no longer mere spectators in a sea of people, but artists and performers.
HDDT brought more than dance to life, they brought an exciting, contagious spirit that provided the students at Littlerock High a creative way to express themselves. All who participated were hailed with accolades and made to feel like a true performer. I know, I was not only an observer, but a participant myself: A student of the Arts.
-Teresa Howard, Vice Principal, Activities, Littlerock High School
If you’re interested in checking out the Antelope Valley Community performance on May 21st, here’s what you need to know:
