Office of Arts Education

Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago

Educational outreach is important to Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Whether it's in school classrooms, theaters, parks, or elsewhere, we believe that the dedication and commitment it takes to dance and to participate in the arts experience will build a strong and lasting foundation for life. Our outreach programs reach youth and their families in several distinct ways:

Classroom Curriculum-Based School Program
Our in-school curriculum programs bring a new twist to traditional classroom education. Our curriculum-based dance programs combine teachers' lesson plans, the Illinois Learning Standards and Giordano Jazz Dance Technique to form in-class syllabi in a   non-traditional learning environment.

Science and Health Curriculum Project
Our curriculum-based science and heath program is a sequential in-class residency integrating dance classes with the health and science curriculum. The program is comprised of twice-weekly dance classes taught to students in the Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies and Swift Elementary Specialty School.  In each school there are two dance classes per week for eight weeks each during the fall and spring residencies. The concentrations of this residency program, which are basic anatomy, nutrition, relationship of body systems, and avoiding injury, impacts the entire 4th and 7th grades at each school.

Jazz Dance as Fine Art Curriculum Project
This program functions in accordance with the fine arts component and the physical education components for the entire 5th grade of the Illinois Learning Standards and will provide access to the art of jazz dance. Our residency offers in-school dance instruction at Helen Peirce School of International Studies and Swift Elementary Specialty School in Chicago's Edgewater community. GJDC has proven expertise in the area of jazz dance instruction.  Offering this program adds dance instruction to the school curriculum, while augmenting physical education programming.

Urban Gateways
For over 15 years, our Urban Gateways collaboration has been bringing the history of jazz dance through dance and spoken word to elementary and middle school students and gives those students an opportunity to speak with our dancers and ask dance and career-related questions. Under the auspices of Urban Gateways, our lecture-demonstration "Jazz Dance Through the Decades" is performed in Chicago area schools where thousands of students have experienced jazz dance, many for the first time.  GJDC has performed this and other programs in many schools with excellent response from the youth who have experienced them. Giordano workshops are also offered in conjunction with these educational performances.

Overview of School Programs/Services

Classroom Support/Curricular Alignment