Mission
Chicago Dance Institute is founded in the belief that the arts should
be a part of every child's education. Through our in-school partnerships,
children can experience music and movement integrated into their curriculum
exposing them to creativity, expression, culture, and self-confidence
Decades of research support the philosophy that arts education benefits
students in a variety of ways by:
- Strengthening student problem-solving and critical thinking skills,
adding to overall academic achievement and school success
- Helping students develop a sense of craftsmanship, quality task
performance, and goal-setting - skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond
- Supporting troubled youth, providing an alternative to destructive
behavior and another way for students to approach learning1
- Improving children's abstract reasoning skills through music integration,
a factor that proved even more effective in affecting intelligence than
instruction on computers2
"I believe arts education in music, theatre, dance and the visual
arts is one of the most creative ways we have to find the gold that is buried just beneath the surface.
They (children) have an enthusiasm for life, a spark of creativity, and vivid imaginations that need
training...training that prepares them to become confident young men and women. The creativity of
the arts and the joy of music should be central to the education of every American child."
- Richard W. Riley, U.S. Secretary of Education
Sources:
1Business Circle for Arts Education in Oklahoma, "Arts at the Core of Learning 1999 Initiative."
2Shaw, Rauscher, Levine, Wright, Dennis and Newcomb, "Music training causes long-term enhancement of preschool children's spatial-temporal reasoning," Neurological Research, vol.19, February 1997.
