EQT FOUNDATION AND WV DANCE COMPANY PARTNER TO BRING ARTS-BASED LEARNING TO WETZEL COUNTY SCHOOLS
This week, students in Wetzel County will have the opportunity to experience live performing arts right in their school thanks to a generous grant from the EQT Foundation, the charitable affiliation of EQT Corporation. WV Dance Company, the state’s only professional touring dance company, will offer their arts education program at no additional cost to K-12 schools in Wetzel and other northern WV counties as part of the grant program.
“The EQT Foundation is honored to bring a truly unique, physical, and engaging course to students in northern West Virginia through our partnership with the WV Dance Company,” said Ellen Rossi, Manager of the EQT Foundation. “We are proud to share outstanding arts and educational programs with our region’s youth and provide opportunities to promote awareness of global cultures, as well as local heritage. The experience the students will have will no doubt make a lasting impression, opening their eyes to a new way of learning.”
WV Dance Company‘s current program, entitled It’s Your World, Full STEAM Ahead, is an interactive, multicultural program that brings curriculum to life through the art of movement. The program includes a one-hour assembly performance for the entire school in which each dance represents one of the seven continents and introduces related topics in science, math, literature, history or culture. Interactive “STEAM” workshops follow during which students have the opportunity to explore topics in science through creative movement. Students enjoy learning in a whole new way and teachers gain ideas and techniques for incorporating the arts and movement in the classroom on a regular basis.
“WV Dance Company is thrilled to partner with EQT Foundation to bring arts-integrated programming to our state’s students,” says founder and artistic director, Toneta Akers-Toler. “The exposure to other cultures is so important in our interconnected world and students really respond to the opportunity be up and moving while they learn. EQT Foundation appreciates the important role of the arts in education.”
WVDC provides students with experiences that not only educate, but also broaden horizons and expand potential. Arts-based learning makes a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has been proven to help level the “learning field” across socio-economic boundaries. Current studies have shown that arts-based learning strengthens student problem-solving and critical thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement and has a measurable positive impact on at-risk youth.
Performances will be held this Thursday and Friday, April 20th and 21st, at Magnolia High School in New Martinsville, WV. Students from Valley High, Hundred High, Paden City High and Magnolia High will attend and also participate in interactive, creative movement workshops.
About WV Dance Company: Founded in 1977, WV Dance Company produces professional in-school, arts-based learning experiences for K-12 students. Recognized for both artistic achievement and excellence in arts education, WVDC has toured throughout West Virginia, as well as 14 other states, reaching tens of thousands of students and teachers each year. As a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit, WVDC is funded through the generous donations of individuals, corporations, community foundations, and the state of West Virginia. For more detailed information about WV Dance Company and the benefits of arts-based learning, visit http://wvdanceco.com/.
About the EQT Foundation: Since the EQT Foundation was established in 2003, it has donated nearly $40 million throughout EQT’s operating areas. EQT Corporation and the EQT Foundation are committed to the social and economic vitality of our operating regions. Together with a variety of non-profit organizations, the EQT Foundation develops strong partnerships that enrich the diversity and viability of our communities, sustain the principles of continuous learning, and focus on environmental protection efforts. For more information, please see https://www.eqt.com/our-communities/eqt-foundation.
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