Support ODC's Buddies for Bunnies Outreach Program
The Velveteen Rabbit’s Buddies for Bunnies outreach program gives 1,400 underserved Bay Area children (and their chaperones) the gift of dance each year. Dance is a powerful educational tool and ODC is committed to including as many young people as possible in our artistic world.
Your support helps allow local third graders to attend this heartwarming show, supporting all costs for tickets, transportation, and educational materials. In our era of reduced arts exposure in public schools, the generosity of individuals helps close this gap. Please consider helping bring the magic of this show, based on this beloved children's book, to the lives of more Bay Area children
Testimonials:
My students loved the performance so much that when we got back to class they wanted to read the book again. It was a great experience for students.
Some of my students haven’t been exposed to an actual live performance in a theater. The fact that this was a very kid friendly show and being able to experience a real theater performance is a great learning experience.
They love being in a theater and seeing kids perform. It is inspiring and a great chance to see a story come alive
About The Velveteen Rabbit
The Velveteen Rabbit originated in 1922 as a children's book written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real by being loved. The Velveteen Rabbit has been awarded the IRA/CBC Children’s Choice award and, based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association voted the book #28 on the “Teachers’” Top 100 Books for Children.
ODC’s celebrated interpretation of The Velveteen Rabbit was first developed in 1986 and since its premiere, has toured nationally and was performed annually in the SF Bay Area as ODC/Dance’s family holiday production, drawing audiences of all ages to experience the magic of this treasured story, told through dance.
The Velveteen Rabbit is directed and choreographed by KT Nelson, garnering her the Isadora Duncan Dance Award four times; in 2001 for Sustained Achievement for her work on The Velveteen Rabbit. She also received the California Arts Education “Daisy” Award and the California Educators Artists Award for her work with young people.
Since 2005, ODC/Dance’s “Buddies for Bunnies” outreach program has served close to 17,000 students from Title-1 and low-income SF Bay Area schools by combining the inspirational impact of professional performance of The Velveteen Rabbit with essential educational outreach.
Now, ODC brings this classic tale of love, acceptance and resilience to students across the nation in this virtual offering. Coupled with an interdisciplinary curriculum developed by veteran educators that teaches Literacy, Physical Education, Social-Emotional Learning and 21st Century Skills through a kinesthetic dance model, The Velveteen Rabbit has the ability to truly become real in children’s minds, hearts and behaviors.