Kern Dance Alliance

KDA supports dance and the arts through 4 Pillars:

• DANCE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE KDA disseminates information about events, news, tips, articles, and advocacy to the Kern County dance community.
• DANCE SCHOLARSHIPS + GRANTS KDA provides scholarships and grants to students and organizations for dance-related opportunities.
• DANCE PERFORMANCES + MASTER CLASSES KDA makes it possible for groups and individuals to attend a diverse selection of professional classes and performances by some of the best national and international artists.
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT KDA provides educators with critical tools and programs that they can use to enrich the quality of dance education for their students.

KDA Programming:

SHINE for Girls is a nationally recognized, innovative, curriculum-based, after-school program for middle school girls. Utilizing kinesthetic learning, SHINE combines formal dance training with rigorous math instruction to improve girls’ math scores and spark their interest in STEM careers.

Children’s Dance Event at the Fox Theater provides underserved children the chance to experience live arts performances and classes.  Children are invited to the Fox Theater to view professional dance performances, participate in a Q & A session with the performers, and partake in a dance class on stage.

National Honors Society for Dance Arts™ (NHSDA) is a program of the National Dance Education Organization, created to recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance.  Kern County dancers are eligible to become NHSDA inductees.

JOIN: Members are crucial to KDA; they determine the future of the organization and the quality of Kern County dance education, performances, community awareness, and collaboration.  

SUPPORT: KDA provides individuals and organizations the opportunity to participate in and support dance in the Kern County community. As a KDA donor, you can be proud of your partnership and role in supporting arts and culture within our community.

NEED for KDA:

DANCE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE: The Kern dance community is in need of an inclusive dance organization that provides dance students and professionals with the opportunity to connect with fellow artists. 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT for TEACHERS: KDA recognizes that our community’s dance programs would not exist if not for the passion and dedication of our local dance teachers. KDA provides dance teachers with high-quality professional development opportunities such as workshops, presentations of research, performances, networking, and advocacy opportunities.

PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES/MASTER CLASSES: Due to funding cuts, many schools in the Kern County area cannot meet arts education mandates. KDA seeks to bridge the gap between education and the arts. The opportunity to attend a live performance in a professional venue has the potential to enrich and transform lives. Additionally, participating in arts-based curriculum, particularly dance, promotes cognitive acuity, loco and socio motor development, cultural tolerance, confidence building, and an active living lifestyle. 

SCHOLARSHIPS/GRANTS: Costs associated with a dance education can often be daunting, particularly those from lower income families. KDA awards scholarships to needs-based students. KDA provided grants to aspiring and professional dance artists to create dance events that will enhance the overall arts and culture scene of Kern County.