California Dance Institute’s (CDI) programs use dance and music to teach children to strive for excellence. The in-school programs teach an athletic style of dance for one hour each week for 25-28 weeks. The after-school programs teach children more advanced choreography for 1.5 to 2 hours each week for 30-34 weeks and culminate with professional-level performances at the end of the year. CDI is currently serving over 1,200 children in public schools in underserved neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles County. During its twenty-two year history, CDI has served over 24,000 Los Angeles-area students with direct programming.

CDI programs have been cited by noted neuroscientists and educators as providing activities in its teaching that aid in children’s cognitive development, bringing teaching artists in to work directly with students who otherwise would have little access to the arts. As we have for twenty-two years, CDI continues to reach students through our in-school program that emphasizes rigorous yet accessible dance, rhythm and musicality, along with building skills that aid in developing strong executive function skills. Our specialized after-school program provides greater learning opportunities for those students who want to reach a little higher. The demonstrated integrity of our program and the substantial results attested to by our students and their teachers and families further the CAC’s commitment to nurturing cultural programs supporting the arts and education. During the pandemic, CDI developed online programming and new teaching techniques and received accolades from parents, students, teachers and principals who credited CDI for keeping students engaged, focused and connected.