Bowing at the Kennedy Center.
I’m honored to announce that BodyWise Dance and MVLE are receiving a $15,000 Federal Arts Research Grant from National Endowment for the Arts to assess the impact of our inclusive arts integration project, MVLE Moves. BodyWise Dance is thrilled that this partnership is expanding opportunities for people with disabilities and furthering an inclusive community.
In case you’re new to our project, here’s some background for context: In 2015, BodyWise Dance partnered with the nonprofit MVLE (formerly Mount Vernon Lee) to create an innovative inclusive performing arts education and expressive arts therapy program called MVLE Moves. Now in its third year, the MVLE Moves program provides weekly inclusive movement arts classes for more than 150 MVLE clients and staff. These classes encourage exploration and expression through movement repertoire.
The success of the weekly movement classes encouraged me, in 2016, to create an additional MVLE performance outlet, the Mighty Voice Liberation Ensemble (using “MVLE” as the inspiration). The ensemble is comprised of 20 self-selected MVLE participants as well as BodyWise Dance professionals. You know me, always looking for opportunities to innovate and include others in the fabulousness of creative expression! For the 2016-2017 season, the ensemble rehearsed and created its first original mixed-ability production, Everyday Oz, with our final performance of that season being on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage! For the 2017-2018 season (in which we doubled our touring performances), the cast produced the original show, All About Dogs. We are currently creating Rookie’s First Feast for our 2018-2019 season.
Our highly engaged methodology enhances participants’ capacity for community integration. The creative process and performance style provides participants the opportunity to practice vital skills (such as discussion, physical and verbal control, focus, creative problem-solving, and adapting to new settings) that are essential to artistic excellence and quality of daily life.
This research project (partnered with Sharp Insight, LLC) will evaluate artist and audience outcomes from the MVLE Moves performance project. Evaluators will deliver a case study detailing the methodology used and the project outcomes.
Join the Twitter conversation about this announcement, using #NEASpring18 and tags @NEAarts and @BodyWiseDance