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NORD/NOBA Center for Dance Receives

Section: Business

NORD/NOBA Center for Dance Receives

National Recognition for Innovative Senior Programming

NOBA Receives New Creative Aging Grant; Seniors Perform at Senior Olympics

NEW ORLEANS, LA—A little more than a year after launching dance classes for seniors, the New Orleans Ballet Association is one of only nine national agencies to receive a new grant dedicated to fostering the development of arts programs for older adults.

In conjunction with the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD), NOBA’s innovative programming teaches stretching, social dance and ballet skills to more than 60 older adults in the local community. Aline De Souza, the teaching artist, engages her classes by integrating sequential skill-building and drawing on the participants’ memories, life experiences and music preferences. The goal is to improve their overall health and increase their knowledge of and skill in dance.

“It’s important for all people to stay active, but it’s particularly essential for seniors as they continue aging. These fitness classes keep my students moving beyond their basic day-to-day lives, and they are constantly giving me positive feedback on how helpful the classes have been. I’m proud to be doing something that is making a difference in their lives,” said Aline.

On March 8, older adults from the Behrman and St. Bernard NORD centers will participate in the Team Dance segment of the New Orleans Senior Olympics, to be held at Clearview Mall. Each group will perform two dances, with music ranging from authentic Brazilian rhythms to James Brown.

“When we proposed the idea of the Senior Olympics to the classes, the seniors were excited for the chance to participate, and they are very committed to the ongoing process involved,” said Aline. In addition to the standard 2 hour classes, seniors that will perform in the Senior Olympics are devoting time after class to practice their routines.

The MetLife Foundation Creative Aging Program was initiated by MetLife Foundation and the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts in recognition of the rapid growth in the number of Americans aged 60+ and recent research demonstrating that participatory arts programs can produce significant health benefits for older adults. This pilot program provides in-depth technical assistance and seed grants to enable the designated agencies to design, implement and evaluate sustainable creative aging programs.

NOBA is the Central Gulf region’s premiere presenting and service organization dedicated solely to the art of dance. NOBA’s dynamic Main Stage season annually features a diverse array of world-class companies and artists. Each year NOBA provides concerts, classes, workshops and lectures to more than 25,000 area dance enthusiasts of all ages. In addition, NOBA’s nationally recognized award-winning education programs provide the youth of our community access to quality arts programs with 2,500 free dance classes and workshops annually at eleven sites throughout the Greater New Orleans area. With a mission of access to the art of dance, more than 90% of all NOBA’s activities are free to the public.

The MetLife Foundation Creative Aging Program is funded by MetLife Foundation and administered by the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts.

NORD/NOBA Center For Dance

The NORD/NOBA Center For Dance is a cultural community partnership between the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) and the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA). Founded in 1992 with seed money from the Freeport-McMoran Foundation, The Center was born out of a need to make dance accessible to all school-age children. A program that began with just 30 students now has an annual gross enrollment of more than 250 children at 6 NORD centers citywide. With a core curriculum of ballet, classes are open to any child in Orleans Parish with a demonstrated interest in dance. Through a professional faculty, master classes by NOBA Main Stage artists and other visiting artists, a mentor program and field trips, the Center works with each child to cultivate dreams and strengthen futures. The NOBA programs are a recipient of the 2005 Louisiana Governor’s Arts Award, 2005 Big Easy Classical Arts Award, and 2002 Coming Up Taller Award.

The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts

The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts is America’s service association for community arts education organizations that provide access to high quality arts education so that all people may participate in the arts according to their interests and abilities. The Guild’s national network encompasses community arts schools; arts centers; and community divisions of museums, universities, local arts agencies and performing arts companies, among others. The Guild supports the creation and development of these organizations and programs by providing research and information resources, professional development and networking opportunities, advocacy, and leadership. Collectively, the Guild’s 370+ member institutions offer direct instruction to 600,000+ students each year. In addition to providing classes and lessons within their own facilities, most members also collaborate with public schools, after-school programs, hospitals, senior centers, and other agencies to increase communities’ access to arts education. www.nationalguild.org

MetLife Foundation

MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to continue the company’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. The Foundation supports programs that improve education, promote health, encourage parental involvement and family engagement, help revitalize neighborhoods and stress accessibility and inclusion. In recent years, a focus on Alzheimer's and aging issues has been added. MetLife Foundation stresses education in all its programs. Recognizing the vital role the arts play in building communities and educating young people, the Foundation contributes to arts and cultural organizations across the United States, with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for young people, reaching broad audiences through inclusive programming, and making arts more accessible for all people. For more information about the Foundation, please visit its web site at www.metlife.org.

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