Dance Without Barriers

For educators willing to integrate dance into the classroom

Dance without Barriers is a school residency program that brings free, high-quality dance learning experiences to schools in the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota, and across the nation. This award-winning program provides 250 exploratory and arts-integrated dance sessions to 20+ schools annually, engaging more than 1,900 students from 75 different elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.

Each participating school receives a 3-5 day residency tailored to their classroom’s specific needs and led by a Cowles Teaching Artist who visits either in-person or virtually. By bringing teaching artists into schools, barriers of cost and transportation are eliminated allowing students to access high-quality arts learning opportunities that otherwise would not be available.

Available residencies

Exploratory. Emphasis on learning a dance style and the cultural/historical significance of the dance form, connecting students to themselves as well as other communities and cultures

Arts Integration. Makes connections between dance styles and core curriculum