Flourish Dance Project: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor

Today, we welcome a new WSB sponsor, Flourish Dance Project, which envisions a neighborhood where children and youth of diverse background, skill, and ability can experience dance in an environment that cultivates their growth as artists and young minds. Here’s what else they’d like you to know:

Beginning this September, we are excited to offer after-school dance classes to preschool through high-school-age students at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, one of the neighborhood’s liveliest arts hubs. Our classes vary in style and draw from classical and urban influences, including ballet, creative movement, modern and street jazz. We understand that youth thrive when given the opportunity to express themselves artistically, experience a sense of belonging, and engage in physical activity. Accordingly, our instruction emphasizes more than technique. We strive to expose youth to dance in a relevant, thoughtful, and dynamic manner that nurtures their development as both dancers and vital members of our community.

The Flourish Dance Project staff, accomplished Seattle-area dancers who bring extensive and varied teaching and performance experience, believe that dance instruction should point kids toward something greater than pretty, pointed toes. It can nurture joy, artistry and community. It is with this value in mind that Flourish Dance Project distinguishes itself from other dance offerings. We seek to engage dancers in the creative process, embrace a flexible dress code, and have attempted to set our tuition dues equitably to encourage participation.

Flourish Dance Project desires to share dance in a way that inspires a lasting sense of creativity, strength, and confidence in our students’ lives. The Grow Girl workshop embodies this mission and is a dynamic extension of our Modern dance class offerings. Dancers ages 11 and older who participate in Grow Girl will have the opportunity to explore and confront some of the unique issues young women face – media, academics, relationships, body image, and more – through dance. Classes will follow a typical Modern dance class structure, but will also include community-building activities and extended opportunities for students to develop original choreography.

Although classes begin in September, dancers are signing up now! You may enroll in classes online at: flourishdanceproject.com/enroll or by contacting Flourish Dance Project Founder/Director Megan Snow at: flourishdanceproject@gmail.com. Additionally, Megan will be at Youngstown every Tuesday afternoon from 4-5 pm between now and August to meet with families who are interested in getting to know more.

Megan spent much of the first two decades of her life gliding, leaping, and grooving across dance floors. As a student herself, and then later as a teacher and choreographer working with a variety of dance organizations in the Seattle area and Bellingham, she developed a lifelong reverence for the art form. She temporarily tucked away her dance shoes to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English and Master in Teaching, dedicating the next handful of years to working with children, youth and families primarily in public education and ministry settings, which included teaching for a year at Chief Sealth International High School. With a specialization in supporting academically and social-emotionally at-risk students, she was continually reminded of how the arts — dance specifically — could contribute to students’ thriving. Flourish Dance Project was conceptualized in response to the complex needs youth have and a love for this city. Believing that dance instruction can support the whole child and positively impact the community, Megan is honored to serve West Seattle, the neighborhood she calls home, through this work.

We thank Flourish Dance Project for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

4 Replies to "Flourish Dance Project: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor"

  • Flourish Dance Project June 4, 2015 (11:46 am)

    Thank you, WSB, for the opportunity to get the word out! A message to any aspiring breakdancers: Since we went to press on this article, we’re thrilled to have added a monthly breakdance workshop for youth ages 9+. Details on the website!

  • LP June 5, 2015 (6:37 am)

    Sounds amazing! Will you have adult classes, too? Would love an adult ballet class.

  • Flourish Dance Project June 5, 2015 (2:15 pm)

    Thanks, LP! We don’t have adult classes on the schedule at this time, but you’re not the first to ask and it’s something we’ll definitely keep in mind. Stay tuned!

  • KT June 5, 2015 (8:54 pm)

    Yay! – Welcome to West Seattle! Looking forward to checking out your program.

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