Huntsville Ballet Company’s Discover Dance programming provides free classes, lesson plans and workshops to students and teachers in local schools, providing opportunities to incorporate creative movement and dance in the classroom curriculum as an essential element. This allows students to explore new connections and greater understandings of both arts and academics. In addition to arts integration activities, Discover Dance provides lecture demonstrations, dance classes, professional development and performances for a great variety of schools and underserved populations across North Alabama.
Discover Dance is based on Artistic Director Phillip Otto’s vision that, “Dance is a bridge that unites us all.” Discover Dance augments arts education in the public schools, involving children and adults together in an exploration of the art form as stated in the Alabama Course of Study. Discover Dance provides children in Huntsville City public schools with the opportunity to experience dance first-hand, from training through choreography and rehearsal to performance. It is an innovative program that reaches students who may not have had an opportunity to participate in dance before. Over the long term, it is hoped that this involvement will develop a life-long interest in dance, ultimately increasing the diversity of the art form's audience.
CATHY CURRY
DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
CATHY CURRY, the Director of Outreach and Education for Huntsville Ballet, began her dance training in Huntsville. After being awarded a full scholarship, Ms. Curry received a BFA in Dance from Florida State University where she had the opportunity to study and perform with renowned faculty such as Suzanne Farrell, Buglisi/Foreman, Doug Varone, and Jowole Zollar, the director of Urban Bush Women. During this time, Cathy was also a member of the Dance Repertory Theatre, a performing company dedicated to community outreach. Ms. Curry has continued her dance education, including participation in NYU’s Summer Dance Programs and summers at the American Dance Festival’s Professionals Workshop among others.
She holds a Pilates certification from Balanced Body University and is also a certified K-12 teacher.
Ms. Curry was Director of Dance and founded the Academy Dance Companies at the Academy for Academics and Arts, the K-8 arts magnet school in Huntsville.
Ms. Curry’s Discover Dance outreach programs are repeatedly awarded top grants from Alabama State Council on the Arts and represent Huntsville Ballet as pilot programs for arts integration in Huntsville City Schools classrooms.
She leads professional development sessions on arts integration across the area and has been selected by Alabama Alliance for Arts to lead sessions for teachers across the state at their annual workshops. Ms. Curry’s Discover Dance programming has twice led her to be nominated for Alabama Alliance for Arts Education’s Impact Award.
Contact Cathy Curry: [email protected]
Our programs can range from short lecture demonstrations or two-hour professional workshops to six-week residencies in the classrooms. We strive to meet the needs of the classroom teacher and can hold classes or residencies in PE classes or classroom settings. We offer both science and math, STEAM-focused residencies as well as those on reading and literature, but our goal is to share with the local schools how any academic subject can be greatly enhanced with an arts-infused curriculum. If you are interested in Discover Dance’s programming, our faculty will tailor our services to meet your academic, artistic and scheduling needs.