Educational Outreach
Changing the world by leaps and bounds
"Kim Robards Dance has been on the leading edge of dance innovation and collaboration... conducting numerous school dance seminars dedicated to inspiring Colorado's youth to greater levels of individuality and competence."
Governor Roy Romer, Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts
Kim Robards Dance offers one of the State of Colorado's most comprehensive and respected educational outreach programs.
KRD utilizes dance as an educational tool to educate communities about modern dance; to teach social skills such as cooperative learning and problem-solving; and to build self-confidence and self-esteem. KRD has a long history of providing outstanding educational programming and serves Colorado's disenfranchised populations. KRD reaches beyond the communities traditionally considered "in-need" to reach special populations such as incarcerated teens, children with multiple physical disabilities, women recovering from breast cancer, homeless citizens, and geographically isolated and financially restricted communities.
KRD's company members not only tour internationally and perform in the main stage events but are the same recognized artists who perform in outreach settings, and the same respected Dance Teaching Artists who teach workshops and master classes. KRD reaches thousands of community members of all ages each season through outreach performances and workshops. We have programs that serve K-12, college, teacher and corporate populations and KRD can provide teacher-in-service workshops for faculty and staff training programs.

For more information, please email outreach@kimrobardsdance.org
Kym Gym Megalomania
Photo: Lois Greenfield
Kym Gym for Kids
This program is based on the "artist as athlete" and features Ms. Robards' piece "Kym Gym Megalomania" which KRD performed in Beijing, China at The Coca Cola Olympic Stage in August 2008. The performance portion presents an array of Robards' modern dance works showing a broad range of choreographic dynamics performed by KRD. The performance also shows an example of a dancer's warm up and provides opportunities for students to create a short "focus piece" with the company members. It culminates with a Q & A session. The workshop aspects include classes which highlight the fitness aspects of dance, as the skills are transferable to every day well-being as well as sports activities and overall physical fitness. Classes may include the creation by students of their own version of "Kym Gym" as they explore movement vocabulary.
Kym Gym Fitness performance by teen students
Workshops
Dance workshops are generally 45 minutes to 1 hour in length. KRD utilizes an "artist as athlete" approach to engage boys and girls alike. Dance is utilized as a tool for teaching basic dance skills and also to educate participants from all backgrounds about developing self-esteem, self-confidence, problem solving skills, and goal setting. Dance workshops are based on a modern dance approach of teaching dance skills and vocabulary, and may incorporate creative movement elements wherein the students create group "focus pieces" based on class material and exploration of their own creative movement ideas. Workshops are taught by members of KRD's professional touring company who are qualified, respected teachers. KRD also offers workshops in the dance disciplines of modern, ballet, jazz, and hip hop, among others.
Young dancers at South Middle School residency classes
Lecture/Demonstration Performances
These performances are tailored to the specific age group (K-12) and are presented by KRD's professional touring company. They are 45 minutes to 1 hour in length and feature the touring repertoire created by critically acclaimed Choreographer/Artistic Director Kim Robards. Students witness costumed excerpts of the same sophisticated yet accessible modern dance pieces that audiences around the globe see in performance. The Lec/Dem performances are structured to incorporate brief explanatory narration designed to age appropriately engage students; include audience participation; provide opportunities for select students from the audience to come onto stage to create a "mini focus piece" based on pieces they see performed; and culminate with a question and answer session with the dancers.
Young dancers at South Middle School residency classes
Kym Gym Megalomania
Photo: Stan Obert