Outreach & Education
K-12 Programs
Opening the eyes and minds of youth through conceptual movement and creative expression!
Dance is a tool for experiential learning.
Workshops
Dance + Learning
DCDC dancer artists engage students through the expression of movement intertwined with academic content.
Get Up and Dance
Explore fundamental dance styles and concepts for early learners to seniors to engage in the physical, spiritual, and visceral experience of movement expression.
DCDC Fit
Participants experience the joys of health and wellness with a creative twist combining low-impact aerobics with contemporary dance.
Afro Fit
Experience a 30-minute cardio fusion workout with a creative twist; workshop combines West African influenced dances and low-impact aerobic workout moves, led by DCDC dancer artists.
Neo-Traditional West African Dance and Song
Students explore West African dances and songs while discovering how polyrhythms and grounded movement create communal environments central to traditional and contemporary African culture.
Body Percussions
Using movement and creativity, participants explore the multifaceted worlds of polyrhythm and body awareness as an instrument of expression.
Nature Dances: The Patterns, Shapes, Colors, and Feelings of the World (Grades K – 2)
Teaching artists will use creative movement concepts to explore nature and weather through movement. Through creative play and exploration as well as guided improvisation, students are asked to draw inspiration from the world around them.
Num3r8tions: An Exploration of Space, Rhythms, and Patterns (Grades 3 – 4)
Students are introduced to choreography from Debbie Blunden-Diggs’ dance work Num3r8ations that uses unique counting patterns within the music and dance. Students will explore the use of space, patterns, time, and rhythm, as well as experiment with choreographic elements of dance.
Symbolic Expressions (Grades 3 – 6)
Expression can be both verbal and nonverbal. Students experience another culture and discover an awareness of expression as they explore the Adinkra symbols that originated in West African culture. Participants examine and interpret the meanings, actions, and emotions of the images. This workshop focuses on three key characters: Ahoden—energy and strength, Bese Saka—power and unity, and Adwo—peace and calmness.
The Art of Denaturation (Grades 6 – 12)
Denaturation is a process that makes a marked change in form, nature, or appearance. The change in shape causes the body to function differently, changing its natural tendencies and behaviors. Open the door to inquiry and connect art to science. Invite your students to become creative thinkers as they explore these concepts through movement and guided improvisation.
Performances
Abby and Her Friends: Let’s Learn Together (Grades PreK – 2)
Live performance or digital (view one or all four videos)
Abby loves to explore and learn about new things. Students join Abby and her friends on her YouTube channel and see what they have learned. Lessons include culture and Geography lessons; Nouns, Verbs, and Rhyming Words Lesson; The Four Seasons and the Weather Lesson; and The Counting and Money Lesson.
Museum of Questions
(Grades K-2)
(Grades K-2)
Live performance only
Come along with Samantha and her friends as they venture into the world of questions at the amazing Museum of Questions. Where they ask what, who, where, how, why, and when. The children zig and zag, in and out, moving through the exhibits of: Do You Know Science; Passport to America; Let’s Go To Hawaii; Being Different is Beautiful; Rapping Numbers; My Body is Amazing; Scavenger Hunt Dayton History; Move Along With Me Today; Rhyming is Fun; Stories Come Alive; and Ask a Question.
Nana Akua Goes to School (Grades 3 – 4)
Digital only
Students learn about, appreciate, and celebrate our differences. Inspired by the words and meaning behind the children’s book “Nana Akua Goes to School” by Tricia Elam Walker, DCDC dance artists use expressive movement to translate and tell this moving story that celebrates cultural diversity.
Symbolic Expressions (Grades 5 – 8)
Digital only
The Adinkra symbols originating from West African culture are closely tied to its history, beliefs, and traditions. Articulated through contemporary dance, dance artists use selected symbols as the framework and artistic expression to explore the interpretations and meanings behind these visual emblems.
Director’s Cut (Grades PreK – 12)
Students experience the beauty of contemporary dance through various thematic content by resident and highly acclaimed choreographers of diverse backgrounds.
Safe Passages (Grades 6 – 12)
Live performance only
Social justice carries a long history and struggles for human rights in American society. DCDC dance artists express what it means to be human and how social justice takes on its own physical identity. DCDC sheds a visual light to promote solidarity and reinforce peace building and social healing during a time when society is in civil unrest. The program also includes a digital viewing of “Speak Their Name” Content Focus: George Floyd “I can’t breathe.” The program concludes with a talkback discussion.
Field Trip Experiences
Join dancers at DCDC studios, local museums, and theatre locations to experience dance outside the school setting.
The Making of Dance: Where the Magic Begins (PreK – 12)
Location: Caryl D. Philips Dance Studio & Theatre, Dayton, Ohio
Participants visit the DCDC studio for a behind-the-scenes look at where the creative process happens, where our most prized dance works are created. Participants tour the facility and learn about DCDC’s legacy and history, visit the costume room, observe the creative process, view a mini dance performance, participate in a movement workshop, and connect with the dancer artists in a Q&A.
Sneak Peek Matinee (PreK – 12)
Location: Victoria Theatre or University of Dayton Boll Theatre
Students have the opportunity to see DCDC’s professional company perform contemporary dance works by acclaimed choreographers in a theatre setting with stage lights and costumes. This experience provides exposure and enrichment opportunities to students outside the classroom setting; delivers a shared social experience; and inspires new interests, passion, and appreciation for the performing arts. The program includes audience participation, followed by a Q&A with the dance artists.
Steps on the Stairs (Grades 4 – 12)
Location: Paul Laurence Dunbar House, Dayton, Ohio
Students participate in a creative writing session, a creative movement session, a guided tour of the Dunbar House, and a Q&A lunch followed by a performance of excerpts from “Lyric Fire,” a ballet created by nationally acclaimed choreographer Dianne McIntyre.
Liturgical Offerings
Offered as a single workshop or residency. Available for all ages.
Why Subscribe?
You are the reason Dayton Contemporary Dance Company continues to shine. This season, we invite you to join us in Dancing in Our Light – a celebration radiating the brilliance of our heritage and the vibrant soul of our beloved city.
Season 58 promises three illuminating mainstage concerts, including our historic collaboration with Dayton Ballet that’s expected to sell quickly. Plus, exciting special events throughout the year, including beloved traditions and brand-new experiences.
Join hundreds of dance lovers who’ve discovered the benefits:
Season Offerings
| Seating Level | Early Bird Price* |
|---|---|
| Level A | $205 |
| Level B | $185 |
| Level C | $160 |
| Level D | $133 |
| Seating Level | Regular Price |
|---|---|
| Level A | $229 |
| Level B | $201 |
| Level C | $173 |
| Level D | $146 |
*EXCLUSIVE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Subscribe by July 31, 2025 for best savings! All prices include a $12 Dayton Live Facilities Fee
This season is made possible in part by…
