Dafmark Dance Community Outreach Programs, Erie, PA Videos

In two weeks, Erie Gives Day will be here. This fundraiser is essential to Dafmark's extensive outreach programming and to its presence as an innovative dance theater company in our community. With your support we provide dance for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, provide year round after-school arts education to over 150 youth annually who live in public housing and employee 25 community based teaching artists. We could not do this work without the support of the Erie community. Thank you for keeping us in mind on that important day and for your continued support of the arts.

Dear Friends, Please, keep Dafmark Dance Theater in mind on August 8 for Erie Gives day! Erie Gives funds are essential to Dafmark’s extensive outreach programming and to its presence as an innovative dance theater company in our community. This event runs for 12 hours between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on August 8, 2023. On that day, our Erie Community Foundation will match a percentage of the donation that you make to Dafmark when you donate through the Erie Gives website. Your donation for this crucial fundraiser can also be done with a check made out to the Erie Community Foundation. Must be received by Monday, August 7, 2023. Complete the Check Donation Form indicating the organization(s) and donation amount(s) Write a single check for the total amount payable to “The Erie Community Foundation” Mail check and form to The Erie Community Foundation, 459 West 6th Street, Erie, PA 16507 Thank you so much for your continued support of the arts. If you appreciate want we are doing with youth, adults with intellectual disabilities, and/or creatively please consider donating and sharing this information with your friends. Thank you!

Today is the big day!!! The youth from Dafmark Creative Arts Center will perform in their Spring Showcase for their family, friends and community. They can’t wait to share what they have been learning during their performing arts classes this term. The showcase will include a skit the student’s collaboratively wrote under the direction of Krista Meri, a dance they choreographed under Jennifer Dennehy’s guidance, a hoop dance they learned, a song, they will also recite poems they composed with Niecey Nicole and share what they have been learning in violin with Dave Tamulonis. For many of our kids this will be their first time ever performing. If you are interested in joining us you are welcome, doors will be open and it is free to attend. The show will be today Tuesday, May 23rd @ 4pm at Dafmark Dance Theater. 🎭 💃🏻 🕺🏾 ⭕️ 🎻 📖

Sukanya Burman @ Dafmark
Yesterday at the Dafmark Creative Arts Center we had an amazing time with guest visiting artist Sukanya Burman who taught our youth some traditional Indian dance. It was a joy for all.

Community Outreach Performance
Youth from St. Martin Center and the Dafmark Arts Center @ John Horan Garden Apartments had a great time attending Dafmark Dance Theater’s latest original production of Under The Great Ice Sheet. Youth were able to see the performance then they were able to interact with the Choreographer (Dafna Rathouse Baier), musician (Kelly Armor), visual artist (Marsha Cisek), actor (Kara Gladney), and dancers (Scott & Jennifer).

Breakdance Guest Artist, Sammy Evans
For the past 5 months our artist in residence program at St. Martin Early Learning Center has been occurring with teaching artist Jennifer Dennehy. Each year we look to expand our dance residency program to bring in guest artists. This year we expanded the school age program to include a new hip hop curriculum that teaches not only the dance movements but the history of the hip hop culture which includes: DJ, MC, Breakdance and graffiti. With a focus on the hip hop mantra of Peace, Love and Unity. The youth have loved having all of our guest artists. Here is Sammy Evans teaching breakdance to each of the school age classrooms. The highlight you will hear in this video, “Am I dreaming right now? Am I dreaming?” sums up the amazing experience the youth at St. Martin Center had with Sammy. #eriedance #ourerie #danceforall

Pour Painting Lesson @ Dafmark Arts Center
Our youth had a great time yesterday doing pour paint with Sharon Maas at Dafmark Creative Arts Center #OurErie #eriepa #artseducationforall

We are so excited to share that a generous donor provided a $100 amazon gift card to be used as needed. This contribution helped us to purchase a gymnastics mat. The kids have been asking for a year to learn basic acrobatics but without a proper mat we were unable to explore this area of interest until now. We do a lot with a little here at Dafmark Creative Arts Center and this donation has already made a big impression on our youth ❤️❤️❤️ #ittakesavillage #afterschoolprogram #artseducation #eriepa #ourerie

Free Music Lessons for Kids in Erie PA
Yesterday was the first day back since each youth selected the instrument they will learn to play. They came back so excited to practice what they learned on Friday. Here is Salina practicing what she learned in her first lesson ❤️ We can’t wait to see where this journey takes each of them.

Pour Paint with Miss Sharon
This week our students at the Dafmark Creative Arts Center learned a new pour paint technique using a funnel. They love classes with Miss Sharon. #ourerie #artseducationforall

Dafmark // Erie Gives Day!
Today is Erie Gives Day! We would like to ask you all to consider donating to Dafmark Dance Theater tomorrow for Erie Gives Day. Why Dafmark? COMMUNITY OUTREACH 1) Community outreach programs specifically serve underserved community including inner city youth, kids who live in public housing, individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease, and individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. 2) In 2021, so far, our Community Outreach Programs have served 322 people in the Erie community and they are free to participates. 3) Dafmark provided work opportunities to 23 local teaching artists in 2021 4) Our outreach programs aren’t one time workshops. These are ongoing long term programs that impact the participants year after year. 5) We are the oldest professional dance company in Erie PA at 31 years and have spent that entire time creating original works that address social and environmental justice issues. It would mean the world to us and the individuals we serve if you would consider donation on Tuesday, August 10th any time from 8AM-8PM Visit https://www.eriegives.org to make your donation.

Dafmark // Erie Gives Day
Today is Erie Gives Day! We would like to ask you all to consider donating to Dafmark Dance Theater tomorrow for Erie Gives Day. Why Dafmark? COMMUNITY OUTREACH 1) Community outreach programs specifically serve underserved community including inner city youth, kids who live in public housing, individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease, and individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. 2) In 2021, so far, our Community Outreach Programs have served 322 people in the Erie community and they are free to participates. 3) Dafmark provided work opportunities to 23 local teaching artists in 2021 4) Our outreach programs aren’t one time workshops. These are ongoing long term programs that impact the participants year after year. 5) We are the oldest professional dance company in Erie PA at 31 years and have spent that entire time creating original works that address social and environmental justice issues. It would mean the world to us and the individuals we serve if you would consider donation on Tuesday, August 10th any time from 8AM-8PM Visit https://www.eriegives.org to make your donation.

Kids Make Music Junk Jam Week
This week our students have been doing Junk Jam with teaching artist Kelly Armor. They have made and decorated several of their own instruments from (mostly) found objects and are working to compose something for our ensemble and record it. Here is a little video of what we have been up to. Also available to see on our YouTube channel.