Joffrey Ballet Middle School Dance Club

 

The Middle School Dance Clubs (MSDC), The Joffrey Ballet’s longest-standing outreach program, is aweekly dance education program in Chicago Public Schools. MSDC students work with Teaching Artists from the Joffrey Academy Faculty to create original dances based on dance technique and concepts learned in the program. Along with several performance opportunities, this organization is focused on developing essential skills such as confidence and leadership as well setting important learning goals. The program culminates with two major events: the Spring Concert in April and the MSDC Intensive week in May. The Spring Concert is an extremely motivating series of performances that allows all schools to join together in one showcase. The ability for each of the schools to watch each other and then perform together is truly a unique and uplifting experience. The MSDC Intensive program allows students to travel to other participating MSDC schools for a week of performances, allowing the dancers to understand the experience of a touring dance company.

 

For more information please visit the Joffrey Ballet website at: http://www.joffrey.com/msdc

 

 

Mural Club

 

Ms. Samolinski will be working alongside local artist Luis DeLaTorre to create Gary Elementary's SECOND mosaic mural.  The first mosaic mural was completed and installed in June of 2013 on the outside facade of the building next to the main entrance.  For the second mosaic mural, a group of 15 7th and 8th graders will be working with Ms. Samolinski and Mr. DeLaTorre to create another large scale mosaic mural for the outside of the building as well.  These mosaics are a lot of work but are really rewarding for the students.  Not only do they get to learn how something like this is created, they get to create one themselves and will forever be a part of Gary Elementary once the mural is installed. These students are not only helping to make Gary beautiful, they are helping to make their neighborhoods beautiful as well!