OUR PROGRAMS

Our goal is to empower kids and teens by building self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth and nurture health in all aspects of their lives.

After School

The DMF Youth after-school program blends a motivational dance workout with a life skills development curriculum. Our goal is to empower kids and teens by building self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth and nurture health in all aspects of their lives.

Each week, we discuss and use dance and exercises to delve into topics like cooperation, attitude, teamwork, leadership, positive self-talk, self-control, body image, nutrition, and standing up to peer pressure.

We apply the principles of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). Social and emotional learning is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Everywhere young kids turn, there is pressure to be cool and fit in. DMF YOUTH helps participants shed insecurities and the need to “be” like everyone else and encourages them to tap into their own unique talents, power, and potential.

The DMF YOUTH after-school program aims at exposing students to a wide array of music and dance genres, including pop, swing, hip-hop, Latin, rock, and Broadway. Through movement exploration, observation, replication, and recall, students develop kinesthetic and self- awareness; understand dance concepts, and build fine and large motor skills.

As we progress through the program, students develop strength, flexibility, and endurance. They layer compositional elements and select themes for group choreography, apply their increasing awareness of dance forms as they learn more complex dances, demonstrate self-initiative, and collaborate actively with others in the class, rehearsal and performance.

Summer Camp

DMF YOUTH’s summer camps empower students to dream big, discover new skills and develop confidence and self-esteem through dance and fitness. Throughout the week, campers experience daily dance-fitness classes, arts and crafts, theatre games, team building activities, and “power” discussions designed to help them tap into their ultimate potential.

Our summer camp sessions teach all of the principles included in our after school programs. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lies at the core of our summer camp programming to give students the tools they need for successful collaboration, cooperation, and communication. We focus on developing the whole child: physical, mental, and emotional well-being are all addressed through our program model.

Each session ends with a fully choreographed performance, attended by family and friends. This gives campers the opportunity to build confidence presenting what they worked on all week.

Professional Development

Our professional development workshops provide a truly engaging and interactive introduction to the DMF Youth curriculum and the pedagogy that shaped it. Led by DMF Youth founder Lindi Duesenberg, our workshops are well suited for any non-profit or afterschool staff working with youth. Lindi has spent her professional life as a performing dancer, personal trainer, fitness instructor, and educator. DMF Youth’s unique curriculum blends expertise from the fitness world and education trends.

Our workshops demo DMF Youth programming and will get your staff up and moving around. After releasing some endorphins, we’ll delve into a conversation on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and how useful this model is for developing a child’s cognitive skills. We’ll talk about what SEL actually looks like on the ground and introduce some activities and tips for implementing SEL in your own programming.

What our community sayS about us

I learned about setting goals. I’ve set a lot of goals since we’ve started talking. Now I want to fly an airplane.
Tyler

3rd grade student

DMF Youth has helped the kids build their self-esteem, gain self-respect, and develop an appreciation for health through dance.
Mille Rodriguez

Drug and Violence Prevention Counselor, PS 126

Bring DMF Youth to your organization

We develop programming for schools, community centers, and homeless shelters. We customize programs based on grade level, PE requirements, and in-school needs.

Here’s How

  • Provide us names and contact info for principal or person responsible for outsourcing. Kids: Reach out to a parent, counselor, teacher, or principal and have them fill out this form.
  • Provide us with the name and location of your school or organization and the type of program you are looking for: in-school or after-school.
  • Let us know why you believe DMF Youth to be a good fit for your school.

Request a Program

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