Heidi Duckler Dance is dedicated to fostering vibrant community partnerships throughout Los Angeles. From partnering with hospitals to detention centers, our commitment to serving our community through dance shines through as we actively work alongside diverse populations, creating meaningful connections and shared artistic experiences. For more information about school programming Heidi Duckler Dance offers, please visit our school programming page.
Our Community Partners Include:
A Place Called Home
A Place Called Home is a multi-service youth and community center that provides after-school programming for South Central youth and their families, with a mission of helping young people achieve social, emotional, and economic success. As a long-term partner, we work in collaboration with the organization’s dance program, providing field trips for dance students to explore and create site-specific work with the help of our teaching artists.
Correctional Facilities
In our ongoing work with LA County correctional facilities, we meet weekly with groups of youth ranging in age from 15 to 24.
Our focus is the exploration of creativity through dance in order to foster confidence and self-expression. Utilizing movement and journaling exercises, we strive to empower incarcerated youth to discover their inner world and take charge of it through the act of embodiment.
Culture Hub
Each year, Heidi Duckler Dance participates in Re-Fest, Culture Hub’s annual festival featuring artists, activists, and technologists. Additionally, we host interns from Seoul Institute of the Arts through our partnership with Culture Hub.
Exploring the Arts
Exploring the Arts provides students who face structural barriers with paid work experiences and mentorship opportunities in the arts, that empower self-identity and help build valuable skills for the future.
Each year, we host two talented high school interns who participate in the Exploring the Arts Internship Program.
LA’s Best
As an extension of our educational offerings, we partner with LA’s BEST, an Afterschool Enrichment Program that serves schools with high needs and low resources, providing dynamic after-school dance programming to elementary-aged children.
LA Promise Zone
The federal Promise Zone program was launched as a comprehensive approach to addressing poverty in disadvantaged communities, and the LA Promise Zone was chosen as one of the first five Promise Zone locations. Headquartered in the LA Promise Zone, Heidi Duckler Dance works with the coalition to improve education and economic opportunity in Central Los Angeles.
Orange Barrel Media
We have a wonderful artist partnership with Orange Barrel Media, an L.A.-founded company that specializes in landmark media. Heidi Duckler Dance performance snippets can be seen throughout the Los Angeles area at some of the city’s most highlighted places!
Peace4Kids
Peace4Kids provides consistent Saturday programming for youth in foster care and has built a safe community for their youth to thrive. We partner with Peace4Kids to provide dance and photography lessons for youth as part of our Bridge Program.
SHIELDS for Families
In partnership with SHIELDS for Families, Heidi Duckler Dance offers a transformative series of residencies tailored for the re-entry population in South Los Angeles and their families. TAKE THE TERRAIN is an initiative dedicated to individuals with prior justice system involvement that delves into the dynamics of control and manipulation, particularly concerning the physical body, throughout various stages of an individual’s incarceration journey.
The exploration unfolds through movement-based workshops, live performances, and group discussions. Notably, our Teaching Artists and company dancers bring a wealth of experience in trauma-informed practices, ensuring a supportive and empowering environment for those impacted by the justice system.
SLATE-Z
We are part of the South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone’s cross-sector collective of community partners. With arts education programs in South LA and performances open to the community there, we collaborate with SLATE-Z in their mission to revitalize South Los Angeles.
TeenTix
TeenTix LA allows young adults ages 13-19 to purchase tickets to performances from partner organizations on the day of the show for $5. Learn more & sign up for FREE at la.teentix.org.
The Ebell of Los Angeles
The Ebell of Los Angeles is a women-led and women-centered nonprofit with a historic campus located in the heart of LA, where we hold performance events, student workshops, and M.A.P. Live!
Wende Museum
The Wende Museum, home to an extraordinary collection of Cold War-era art and artifacts, has been a valued partner to Heidi Duckler Dance. HDD has had the honor of performing at the Wende on several occasions, most recently presenting What Remains Un/Seen in November 2024.
We welcome new community partnerships! If you are interested working with us to provide dance-based community programming for your organization, please email Managing Director Raphaelle Ziemba at raphaelle@heididuckler.org.
