Grantee Database
SODE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS AND SOPHIE OLSON DANCE EXPLOSION INC
Grant Year
2026-27
Grant Program
Arts and Youth
Award Amount
$21,250.00
Project Description
With the support from the California Art Council, SODE School of Performing Arts and Sophie Olson Dance Explosion Inc., will use Arts and Youth Grant funding to present multicultural dance assemblies for underserved schools throughout LA County. Our assemblies combine world dance styles such as Flamenco, Bollywood, Tahitian, Irish Dance, South African Dance, and Japanese Fan Dance through contemporary storytelling and interactive participation. Students actively engage through movement, music, and cultural exploration rather than remaining passive audience members. We hire professional choreographers and dancers from the cultures represented and prioritize equitable pay, professional rehearsal spaces, costumes, and props. Each assembly serves approximately 800 students. A $25,000 grant would fund five assemblies, allowing us to reach nearly 4,000 students with accessible multicultural arts education experiences.
Organization Summary
SODE School of Performing Arts provides high-quality, arts-integrated programming designed to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of diverse student populations. Our core services include multicultural dance and assembly programs that expose students to global cultures; in-school residencies that support standards-based learning; the Happy Dancing Brain program, (letting the brain dance before the body does), after-school STEAM workshops that blend science and the arts through hands-on, project-based learning; multicultural after-school programming that reflects and celebrates the communities we serve; and bilingual musical theater programs that enhance both performance skills and language development. SODE’s programs are designed with measurable impact in mind. Participating students demonstrate increased classroom engagement, improved confidence in self-expression, and strengthened collaboration skills. Schools report higher levels of student participation in arts programming and positive feedback from families, particularly in under served and multilingual communities. By partnering closely with educators, administrators, and parents, SODE ensures that programming is responsive, accessible, and aligned with community needs—creating lasting educational and cultural impact.
Organization
SODE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS AND SOPHIE OLSON DANCE EXPLOSION INC
Address
4566 CLELAND AVE
LOS ANGELES
90065-4131
County
Los Angeles
Region
South – Los Angeles & Orange
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