Classes start in February
The Center is creating a new, fully
inclusive dance and music school for children of all abilities,
including those with physical and cognitive disabilities such as Down
syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders, audio and visual
impairments. The school will be for children from ages 4 through 12 and
open in February, 2017.
The classes will encourage children to explore their full physical
and social potential through high quality, joyful dance and music
instruction. Teachers will use exercises designed to be fun and
entertaining as they help to improve the children’s personal and social
growth, balance and coordination and to encourage curiosity and build
imagination and confidence.
“The Center believes strongly that dance is for everyone,” said Center Vice President of Community Engagement Jason Holland.
![](https://www.scfta.org/scfta/media/General/engage/DSDisabilities2016_afternoonClass_DougGifford.jpg)
“Our school will ensure that kids are afforded opportunities and
experiences that will enable them to maximize the quality of their
lives.
Parents and caregivers will enjoy a break and expand their support
network. The school is one of the new programs being developed in our
Center for Dance and Innovation that allows us to serve more of Orange
County’s many diverse communities.”
Classes will be offered on Mondays from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Thursdays from
10 – 11 a.m. and Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. Additional classes and
times will be announced later. For more information, please visit the
Center’s website at SCFTA.org or call the school’s director, Susan Marie
Kendall, at (714) 556-2122, ext. 4337.
Click here to download the student and/or scholarship application
Here is the list of faculty members so you can get more familiarized with the people that are making this possible:
- The teachers function as a team.
- This team is led by the Dance Teacher who guides each class through the curriculum.
- The Music Teacher supports the Dance Teacher by providing
musical accompaniment to reach learning objectives as well as direct
musical instruction during the musical component of class.
- The Therapist (OT/PT) Teacher functions in a supportive teaching role and advises the team on safe movements and offers direct support to students as needed.
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Disabilities-School-2016-afternoon-class-Doug-Gifford |
Ashley Jones: Dance Teacher
Ashley Jones began her training at
Orange County Dance Center where she rose to principal ballerina with
Ballet Repertory Theatre eventually becoming a full time instructor and
choreographer. Ashley holds an AA in dance from OCC as well as a BA from
USC and was named one of Long Beach’s 30 under 30 performing artists in
2013. She is Basi Pilates certified and is a resident dancer and
choreographer with LA Unbound and Kenneth Walker Dance Project. Ashley
is the junior ballet & jazz company director at the School of Dance
and Music in Manhattan Beach and travels nationally judging for Move
& Reflections Dance competitions.
Melinda Mahler-Moran: Dance Teacher
Melinda Malher-Moran is a Registered
Dance/Movement Therapist, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and
dance instructor in the Orange County area. She holds a Bachelor's
degree in dance and a Master's degree in expressive therapies. Melinda
has extensive experience working with children and teens through dance
and movement in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings and is
excited to be a part of Segerstrom Center for the Arts' team.
Brittany Ewalt McLean: Physical Therapist
Brittany has been a dancer since the age
of two, competing on her high school and the University of Oregon dance
teams. She has five years experience as a pediatric physical therapist
with a doctorate degree from Chapman University. She has experience
teaching dance in a studio setting as well as in a therapeutic setting.
She has a passion for dance and for helping children with disabilities,
which makes this program a perfect fit!
Shyamala Moorty: Curriculum Consultant
Shyamala Moorty is dedicated to
collaborative and transformative art making practices. Since 1998 she
has taught and created dance curriculum for youth all over Southern CA
with the Aman Dance Educators, and has recently been a part of the
ESCAPE project, co-creating movement lessons to enhance English language
learners’ understanding of science. An MFA from UCLA, Shyamala is
currently Adjunct Faculty at West LA College sharing her passion for
yoga with students of all abilities.
Rebecca Nguyen: Occupational Therapist
Rebecca Nguyen MA, OTR/L, received a
Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree, both in
Occupational Therapy, from the University of Southern California. She
is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist who has experience in a variety of
settings including schools, clinics, hospitals, and home-based
treatments. Rebecca’s professional interests include feeding therapy,
early intervention, and neurodevelopmental treatment. In her free time,
Rebecca enjoys snowboarding, attending Zumba classes, kickboxing and
lounging on the beach.
Danny Pravder: Musician
Danny Pravder is a pianist and composer
based out of Las Angeles. He attended Skidmore College on a classical
piano scholarship, and was a recipient of the Young Emerging Artist
Scholarship in honor of the legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. Danny
has composed for a wide variety of ensembles, ranging from ballet to big
band. He has music directed seven full length musicals. He showcased
original works at the nationally recognized Place Theater and Plaza
Hotel, and performed at events headlined by Grammy Winners Liza Minelli,
Steve Martin, Edie Brickell and Pablo Sanchez. Danny is a part of Da
Capo Players, an ensemble that toured with Rod Stewart and performed
with Kanye West at the Hollywood Bowl. Currently, Danny is a ballet,
modern and character class accompanist with the American Ballet Theatre,
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, California State University Long Beach
and Chapman University. He is also a keyboardist for the renowned
television program, the Hour of Power. Danny recently recorded piano and
arranged at Capitol Records for Grammy winning rapper Kid Cudi’s album,
Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’.
Anna Sladkey: Physical Therapist
Anna is a physical therapist and board
certified pediatric clinical specialist. She has 7 years of experience
working with kids with disabilities in a hospital setting. A native of
San Diego, she received her doctorate degree from Western University of
Health Sciences in 2009. She began dancing at the age of 4 and spent the
next 20 years dancing ballet, contemporary, and tap. She is excited to
be a part of this amazing program and the opportunity to introduce kids
to the joy of dance!
Meg Teran: Curriculum Consultant, Dance Teacher
Meg Terán is a dance-teaching artist,
bilingual educator, and curriculum writer who has worked with dancers of
all ages in schools and community settings. Her students build dance
vocabulary through creating and responding to each other, while also
developing individual strengths and collaborative skills. In 2010, Meg
received the Elementary Dance Educator of the Year award from the OC
Music and Arts Administrators. She holds a BA in World Arts and Cultures
from UCLA and an MA in Education from Chapman University.
James Wieners: Musician
James Wieners holds a BM and MM in
Performance from Biola University and the Longy School of Music, with
training at the Berklee College of Music and Oberlin College.Active as a
violinist and violist, he has participated in performances, coachings
and masterclasses with members of the LA Philharmonic, LA Chamber
Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Boston
Symphony; the Beaux Arts Trio; the Juilliard, Turtle Island and Escher
String Quartets. He frequently performs with ensembles in both classical
and non-classical genres.
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