Community Connections

Chamberlain Performing Arts Community Outreach

Educational outreach has always been a top priority of Chamberlain Performing Arts; educating children and the community through classroom technique work, performances, and demonstrations. With the expansion of existing programs, Chamberlain seeks to impact the lives of area youth through many avenues.

In 1996, through a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County, Chamberlain established the After-School Dance Program at the Douglass Community Center in Plano. The program provides children the opportunity to access an education in the art of dance. The Boys & Girls Club branches are located in under-served areas of each city, where these students would not ordinarily have the opportunity to receive formal dance training. Students in the program attend a weekly class with a well-rounded curriculum consisting of dance, nutrition, history, communication skills, mentoring, and self-esteem building. During the 2006-2007 season the program was successfully expanded to the cities of Frisco and McKinney. Last year, the company added another After-School Program in West Plano, and also introduced a summer dance workshop through Boys & Girls Clubs, held in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, and Richardson.

In 2005, Chamberlain started the Shining Stars program for school aged students with needs.  This unique program allows students to explore creative movement, ballet, and joy of dance. This highly successful program is taught twice weekly in Plano and hosts numerous workshops at the Notre Dame School in Dallas.

Chamberlain Performing Arts continues to reach new and special culturally diverse audiences and groups through a variety of other outreach efforts as well. As a part of its community and educational outreach, Chamberlain Performing Arts offers complimentary admission to a Community Connections Performances each year, inviting clients of local non-profit and social services organizations from Dallas, Denton, and Collin Counties, as well as other surrounding North Texas communities. Chamberlain has reached as many as 26,000 underserved community members since 1991 with free Community Connections Performances.

The lecture demonstration series in area elementary schools demonstrates Chamberlain Performing Arts’ commitment to education. This displays to students the training dancers endure in daily classes to be able to perform to the highest level of expertise. The students also get a taste of experiencing a live performance at the end of the demonstration

CHAMBERLAIN PERFORMING ARTS APPOINTS CASSI MACQUEEN DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH

November 1, 2011, Plano, Texas – Chamberlain Performing Arts, the premier pre-professional ballet company in North Texas, has appointed Cassi MacQueen to serve as the company’s new Director of Outreach.  In this role, she will be responsible for implementing Chamberlain’s existing outreach and education programs, as well as creating new opportunities for Chamberlain to serve the North Texas Community.  This will involve the supporting schools, senior centers, and other dance education markets.

“We are delighted to have Cassi on board as our Director of Outreach,” said Kathy Chamberlain, Founder and Creative Director of Chamberlain Performing Arts.  “Cassi has worked extensively with our Shining Stars program for special needs children, as well as our free After-School dance programs for at-risk and underprivileged children in Plano, Frisco and McKinney.  She brings great energy and enthusiasm to our outreach efforts, and we know that her dedication will enable us grow our outreach programs in North Texas.”

In addition to her work as the Director of Outreach, Ms. McQueen is the dance instructor for Chamberlain’s outreach programs, as well as an instructor for jazz, modern and composition at the Chamberlain School of Performing Arts, and a choreographer for Chamberlain Performing Arts. Ms. MacQueen began her early dance training in the Dallas area and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from Texas Woman’s University. While in college, she was awarded numerous talent based scholarships and performed extensively throughout the state of Texas. In the summer of 2008, she performed at the National American College Dance Festival, one of the most prestigious dance programs in the country. Ms. MacQueen has trained with professional dance companies such as Battleworks Dance Company, Elledanceworks, and Janice Garret and Dancers and studied with professional artist including John Giffon, Kj Holmes, Tina Marie Custer, Sarah Gamblin, and Jordan Fuchs. Cassi specializes in Dance Education and has taught at multiple studios and public schools in the Dallas metroplex.

Chamberlain Performing Arts Offers Summer Dance Camp

Chamberlain Performing Arts offered an exciting 2010 summer camp.  Please click on the following link to read the Plano Star-Courier article.