MOVING IN THE SPIRIT’S TEEN COMPANY EMBARKS ON IMPRESSIVE NATIONAL DANCE TOUR

ATLANTA, Georgia – June 1, 2008 - Dancers in Moving in the Spirit’s Apprentice Corporation, a youth development program that serves teens ages 13-18, will embark on a national dance tour on July 1st – July 10th. The tour, entitled Tour Explosion!, will travel along the East Coast to Washington D.C. and several cities in North Carolina.

Every year, the Apprentice Corporation participates in an annual national dance tour. The Apprentice Corporation, which uses the discipline of dance to teach problem solving and critical thinking skills, provides students with performance, leadership and mentor opportunities. At the beginning of the Apprentice Corporation’s program year, each student signs an “employment” contract that outlines goals and responsibilities. When students meet their goals, they earn points. Ultimately, students must earn enough points to participate in Tour Explosion, which is planned by the students collaboratively with Moving in the Spirit Faculty.

This summer, Apprentice Corporation teens will share their powerful dances with new communities and study at some of the nation’s top dance programs. While on tour, the teens will perform a body of work that focuses on racial reconciliation and tolerance, participate in educational experiences and collaborations with other youth organizations, engage in leadership opportunities through public speaking and lecture demonstrations, and visit college campuses. The impressive 2008 Tour agenda includes:

• Performances and workshops at New Bethel Baptist Church in Rolesville with W.E.B Dubois CDC Camp R.O.C.K in Wake Forest, NC on July 9th from 1pm-4pm.

• Partnership with Dance Place, D.C.’s premiere community arts center

• Collaborative workshop and performance with the Duke Young Writers at Duke University in Durham, NC

• Technique classes with the regionally acclaimed Sidelong Dance Company in Winston-Salem, NC

• Performances and service projects in community venues, churches and senior centers in Raleigh, Durham and Winston-Salem, NC, and Washington D.C.

“The Apprentice Corporation works very hard all year for the opportunity to perform on tour,” says Dana Lupton, Executive Director of Moving in the Spirit. “While on tour, Apprentice Corporation members are able to practice everything we teach them in their Moving in the Spirit classes: responsibility, accountability and leadership skills. They must show respect to themselves and others in their posture and body language; they must think critically and speak articulately when they are asked questions during talk-backs with audiences; and they must work together to resolve conflicts or obstacles that may arise during Tour.”

The Apprentice Corporation will kick-off its exciting 2008 Tour with a series of community performances on June 27th (1pm and 7pm) and 28th (7pm) at Moving in the Spirit’s home theater, The Beam, located at 750 Glenwood Avenue in Atlanta.

Founded by Dana Lupton and Leah Mann in 1986, Moving in the Spirit is a nationally recognized youth development program that integrates high quality dance instruction with performance, leadership and mentor opportunities for young people in Atlanta’s urban communities. Moving in the Spirit educates, inspires and unites young people through dance, in order to help them become compassionate leaders.

The public is encouraged to attend performances.

Contact Contina Bell 919-741-9092 regarding interest, questions or additional information

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