LINK COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PERFORM ALONGSIDE ARTISTS OF CAROLYN DORFMAN DANCE

Newark, NJ, February 4, 2016 — Carolyn Dorfman Dance (CDD), whose bold and dramatic works connect life and movement, will join middle school students from the Link Community Charter School for a dynamic performance following a ten-week residency of elective dance study. Performances will take place at the LINK school, during a school-wide assembly performance for peers and faculty, Friday, February 5 at 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Participants of the CDD dance elective will perform a work set by company members based on movement generated by the students over the duration of the course. Company dancers will also present excerpts from Carolyn Dorfman’s 2015 premiere WAVES, as well as Mayne Mentshn, The American Dream, a work that celebrates a passion for life, people, and truth.

LINK and CDD share the common vision that an intensive and immersive arts program is critical to a quality education. This partnership, made possible in part by the Arts Education Special Initiative (AESI) grant awarded from the NJ State Council on the Arts, seeks to deliver quality arts education programs to at-risk and underserved students. With dance as part of a well-rounded curriculum, student participants are offered the resources to develop into critical, creative, intelligent, community-oriented individuals, who can use their gifts and talents in service to self and others.

“Link Community Charter School is delighted to partner with Carolyn Dorfman Dance to deliver a contemporary dance class that provides young students with exposure to high-quality dance, creative expression and diverse dancers,” explains LINK Head of School Maria Pilar Paradiso. “The ten-week residency has harnessed the power of dance to help students develop creative energies, poise, and physical control, all while having fun. The culminating performance provides an opportunity for our young dancers to showcase what they learned and developed, in addition the the complete student body having the opportunity to experience the energy, passion, and talent of a professional dance company.”

The performances will be held Friday, February 5, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., at the LINK Community Charter School located at 23 Pennsylvania Avenue, Newark NJ.

About Link Community Charter School

LCCS is a public charter school serving middle school students in grades 5 through 8 from Newark, Irvington, Orange and East Orange, NJ. The school was established in 1969 by the Sisters of St. Dominic, Caldwell as a matter of social justice. In July 2014, the school received approval from the NJ Department of Education to convert to a public charter school. The school’s mission is to provide an outstanding middle school education for learners of all academic abilities by developing the mind, body and spirit through a strong curriculum, experiential learning, immersion in the arts, and an enduring commitment to Core Values; this will allow them to be successful in competitive high schools and become responsible and resourceful citizens who give back to others.

About Carolyn Dorfman Dance

Carolyn Dorfman Dance connects life and dance in bold, athletic and dramatic works by Carolyn Dorfman and nationally renowned choreographers. The company’s ten multi-ethnic and stunning dancers present high-energy and technically demanding dance that unleashes the powerful storytelling and imagery of its visionary creator. This distinctive combination takes audiences on intellectual and emotional journeys that ultimately illuminate and celebrate the human experience. The highly acclaimed ensemble is known for emotional resonance and artistic excellence in both performance and its interactions with audiences, students, and community. For over 30 years, Carolyn Dorfman Dance has appeared at major theaters, dance festivals, universities, schools, museums and galleries regionally, nationally and internationally.

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