Webster University Celebrates Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation Grant - Dance Demo Works with Kirkwood High School

Webster University's Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts has been recently awarded a $2,500 grant from the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation to support its dance outreach program, Dance Demo. Dance Demo consists of 6-10 dance majors from Webster’s Dance Department who serve as teaching artists within partnering high schools throughout St. Louis. This year's award from the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation has enabled Dance Demo to provide programming to Ms. Lieschen Fink and her physical education students at Kirkwood High School.

While working with Ms. Fink's students, Dance Demo teaching artists are responsible for co-developing and performing free dance workshops and lectures throughout the current semester, exposing 9-12 grade students to new performance skills and techniques, creative movement exercises, and dance styles. As Dance Demo teaching artists work to build strong artistic relationships with participating students, they also also talk about academic and career pathways within the field of dance and the performing arts. In addition to supporting student achievement, Dance Demo teaches artists collaboration with teachers such as Ms. Fink to support and enhance curriculum while also reinforcing positive academic and career messages delivered by educators.

For more than ten years, Webster University's Beckah Reed has gathered dance majors to deliver interactive dance workshops to area schools throughout St. Louis, evolving into what is known today as Dance Demo. For two consecutive years Webster has received funding from the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation, whose mission includes fostering and promoting the performing arts in the St. Louis metropolitan area. This continued support provides Webster with additional resources that allow quality arts education programming to move beyond the walls of the University and take place within schools throughout the St. Louis area.

With its home campus in St. Louis, Webster University is a worldwide institution committed to delivering high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence. Founded in 1915, Webster offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs through five schools and colleges, and a global network of campuses. Its 20,000-plus student population represents almost 150 nationalities.

Since opening its first campus overseas in Geneva in 1978, Webster has become a recognized leader and innovator in global education, with an international presence that now includes campuses in London; Vienna; Amsterdam and Leiden, the Netherlands; Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu, China; and Bangkok and Cha-am, Thailand. Webster also has educational partnerships with universities in Mexico and Japan.

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