Luna awarded grant from the

National Endowment for the Arts

Luna Dance & Creativity has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $20,000 to support our Professional Learning. The NEA will award 1,135 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling more than $37 million as part of its second round of fiscal year 2024 grants.


“Projects like Luna's Professional Learning exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities—all through the arts,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “So many aspects of our communities such as cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and the economy are advanced and improved through investments in art and design, and the National Endowment for the Arts is committed to ensuring people across the country benefit.”


Along with Luna's Professional Learning offerings, this grant supports Luna's Summer Institute 2024 and ongoing mentorship and leadership development of our 264 Summer Institute alumni.

Read full Press Release

Congratulations to our 23rd Summer Institute

Summer Institute participants are selected through a nationwide, competitive application process and commit to a year of intensive professional development on the art of teaching dance. “A deep love of working with children is one core and common characteristic of this cohort," shares Director of Programs Jochelle Pereña, "and another is curiosity - they each seek to grow and learn through their teaching. This is a powerful combination that sparks hope for the future."



Luna proudly welcomes the following educators to our 23rd Summer Institute:

Alexis Alcala

Teaching Artist

ODC, Leap, Jamaroo,

San Francisco, CA

Edwin A. Sigüenza

Teaching Artist

Maple Elementary

Fontana, CA


Gabriela Cerda Mendoza

Teaching Artist

Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles, CA

photo by John Saade


Joy Veluz

Teaching Artist

Huntington Middle School & San Marino Dance Academy

San Marino, CA

photo by Ed Flores

Leah Antonellis

Special Ed Teaching Artist

New Roads School

Santa Monica, CA

photo by Zafi Ahmed




Lisa Simon

Teaching Artist

'Iolani School

Honolulu, Hawai'i

photo by Tracy Wright Corvo


Luis Ramos Barrios

Early Childhood Teacher

North Bay Children's Center

Novato, CA


Megan Minturn

Teaching Artist

Brooklyn International High School

Brooklyn, NY


Moriah Costa

Teaching Artist

Luna Dance & Creativity, Berkeley, CA




Natalie Tran

TK Teacher

Montclair Elementary, Oakland, CA

Zoe Huey

Teaching Artist

Luna Dance & Creativity, Berkeley, CA


Support the longevity of dance educators. Donate here.


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