We are so excited to launch Brunswick County's very first nonprofit organization rooted in
movement education. Everyone loves music and everyone loves to move! These are quite possibly two of the greatest gifts we've been given as humans on this planet. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to music and movement education for various reasons. It is our mission, through the CMA organization to open doors to make this type of education available and accessible to the youth in our county, regardless of socioeconomic factors.
Let's look at Misty Copeland, for example, American Ballet Theater’s first African American ballet soloist. If it were not for outreach organizations she would not have been introduced to the world of ballet. It was because of after school programming that ballet was made accessible to her. She excelled because mentors helped guide her along a remarkable journey that eventually became her career. She is now responsible for inspiring an entire generation of others through her talent.
Kids need inspiration. They need positive role models and mentors to inspire passion and allow them to explore the infinite possibilities that are available to them. Brunswick County lacks in associations, clubs, and organizations that support our at-risk youth population. We do not have a YMCA or Girls and Boys clubs in place. There are zero community centers in our county geared for the younger generations. The majority of our youth in Brunswick County are bused to schools that are challenged to provide arts programs, healthy nutrition instruction, and extracurricular programs outside of organized sports. What about the kids that are not sports minded? What activities, organizations, or clubs do we have available for them?
It’s not fair to put all children in the same category, and to assume they have the same interests and the same access to opportunities. We already know from educational physiologist and theorist Howard Gardner that children do not learn the same. His theory of multiple intelligence is proof that students have an array of learning styles. It may seem impossible to teach to all learning styles, however, using a mix of media or multimedia, the learning becomes easier. As we understand learning styles, it becomes apparent why multimedia appeals to learners and why a mix of media is more effective. It satisfies the many types of learning preferences that one person may embody, or that a class embodies. Which brings us back to the importance of arts programming and curriculum - we must teach to the whole person so that they grow into a thoughtful and productive individual.
Community Movement Alliance hosts a variety of ways movement education can be implemented in our school system. Our curriculum spans ancient eastern disciplines such as tai chi and the practice of yoga to more western, modern disciplines such as hip hop and ballet. In-school and after-school classes are available. It is our intention to broaden the scope of these disciplines, moving them out of the private studio setting and into a wider realm of teaching and learning by making them accessible to all students.
Visit our website at www.communitymoves.org.
Namaste,
Nancy
