2015-2016 has been a remarkable school year for the Dancing Classroom
s LI team, and in particular, for me. It has been a time of reflection as well as building anew as CoDanceCo, the non-profit home for DCLI,
transitions to new leaders and leadership structures.
It was ten years ago that a local educator's enthusiasm, shared with me over a recent viewing of the documentary "Mad Hot Ballroom," led me to connecting with Pierre Dulaine and his Dancing Classrooms visionary work. Since that time, one connection at a time, DCLI has grown the roots needed to re-blossom into a new beginning.
Guiding and nurturing DCLI and CDC's next steps will be two women who inspire me.
Katie de Bruin has worked side-by-side with me over the last eight years giving generously her skills, talents, and creativity to
set DCLI up as a model Global Network Dancing Classroo
ms site. Over her tenure she has worked in
many capacities--Teaching Artist, Educational Liaison, School Coordinator, and Global Network Senior Teaching Artist--and now as DCLI's Program Director. DCLI could not be in more steady, joyful hands as it sets its programmatic course for the next ten years.
It wa
s a little more than one year ago that a new connection was made w
ith a woman open to possibilities, Susan Tribelli. An ad
for new
DCLI Teaching Artists caught her eye, and Susan's ability to
take a risk and t
ry
something new has led to discovering how her talents, skills, and thoughtfulness will provide CDC and DCLI with new executive leadership. We are thrilled that Susan has agreed to serve as our Interim Executive Director & General Manager. Susan will provide the sure guidance and support required for CDC's Board and staff to review and renew the organizational structure required to sustain and support DCLI's mission.
For you, the reader, please know that you are a large part of what has made this year, and all past years, remarkable. Your participation in Dancing Classrooms, whether as a school partner, parent, student, individual supporter, community business leader, past or present staff member, comprises the foundation from which DCLI is able to inspire children with the transformative nature of making productive social, emotional connections through Dancing Classrooms. THANK YOU!
As for me, at the end of July I will fully transition out of "directing" the day-to-day operations to serve on CoDanceCo's Board of Trustees. I look forward to working as a team member on CDC's Board as it works with the staff to move DCLI into its promising future.
Wonderful things have been achieved through teamwork and collaboration with all of you. I am so grateful that we could dance together, making eye-to-eye and hand-to-hand connections with so many children and their families. In the words of actor Richard Gere, "it is that simple connection which makes everything meaningful."