Dancing into the Future, I Can Too
“Dancing into the Future – I can too” is a collaboration between US National Dance Institute, China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace and Minhang School District and the USCCI as co-organizer using dance & music for social development of children, including migrant worker children. Since its inception in 2011, 7000 children and 50 Chinese teachers have participated in the program. Now in its 4th year, this program, which is part of the school curriculum, will be extended to 24 schools in 2015-2016. A permanent center for the program will be completed later in 2015. Research on its positive effects was conducted by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences in 2014, now to be reviewed by a US-based advisory group from Stanford University, Columbia University and Bank Street.
~ 2017 ~
Sept 2016 – July 2017 DIF / NDI Collaboration: Advancing Social Development of Children through Dance and Music
Now is the 6th year, the Dancing into the Future (DIF) program, a collaboration with National Dance Institute in partnership with the China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace, and co-organized by the USCCI, serves 9,000 children from 3rd to 9th grade in public schools of Shanghai Minhang District as part of the normal school curriculums (not extra curricula). A demonstration year end performance was held on June 28, 2017 with over 500 students from 20 Minhang schools performing on stage for an audience including municipal leaders as well as parents and friends.
During the past 6 years, Dancing into the Future has continued its effort on localization – over 70 Chinese teachers carry out the program with biannual training by US teachers and have reached a new stage in terms of professionalism. While borrowing concepts and methods from US’s dance education, it localized content makes Chinese culture the core of the content of dance and music utilized.
Now is the 6th year, the Dancing into the Future (DIF) program, a collaboration with National Dance Institute in partnership with the China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace, and co-organized by the USCCI, serves 9,000 children from 3rd to 9th grade in public schools of Shanghai Minhang District as part of the normal school curriculums (not extra curricula). A demonstration year end performance was held on June 28, 2017 with over 500 students from 20 Minhang schools performing on stage for an audience including municipal leaders as well as parents and friends.
During the past 6 years, Dancing into the Future has continued its effort on localization – over 70 Chinese teachers carry out the program with biannual training by US teachers and have reached a new stage in terms of professionalism. While borrowing concepts and methods from US’s dance education, it localized content makes Chinese culture the core of the content of dance and music utilized.
DIF Dance Group Visit to the US (2017/4/15-24)
Facilitated by USCCI, DIF recently visited the US Phillips Academy Andover to teach their students Chinese dance. DIF joined Phillips Academy students to teach students from Lawrence, MA Boys and Girls Club as part of Phillips Academy’s nonsibi social service philanthropic program.
Facilitated by USCCI, DIF recently visited the US Phillips Academy Andover to teach their students Chinese dance. DIF joined Phillips Academy students to teach students from Lawrence, MA Boys and Girls Club as part of Phillips Academy’s nonsibi social service philanthropic program.
~ 2016 ~
Chair of US Endowment of the Arts visited DIF at Minhang
Ms Jane Chu, Chair of the US Endowment of the Arts visited the Dancing into the Future program which was located at the Shanghai Wujing Middle School.
Ms Jane Chu, Chair of the US Endowment of the Arts visited the Dancing into the Future program which was located at the Shanghai Wujing Middle School.
Dancing into the Future: I Can Too! A China Arts Education Program with International Collaboration
The 18th Shanghai China International Arts Festival “Self-cultivation through the arts” arts education Forum was held in Shanghai in October, 15th. Presenters at the forum were: Shirley Young, the chair of the U.S-China Cultural Institute, Cultural Associate of the Committee of 100, Wang Ping, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Qian Yuanwei, professor of the Shanghai Normal University, and Chen Min, executive deputy director of the “Dancing into the Future”.
“Dancing into the Future” is an example of a China arts education program for youth involving international collaboration, but localized for implementation at large scale in Shanghai. It is lead and implemented by: Shanghai Minhang Education Bureau, CWI Children’s Palace, U.S. National Dance Institute and U.S-China Cultural Institute, Cultural Associate of the Committee of 100.
Now in its 5th year in Minhang, the Dancing into the Future program has been successfully localized using NDI’s pedagogy and has expanded from one school in 2011, to 28 schools and over 6000 children in Minhang, including children from a broad range of families from different socio-economic backgrounds. A major research study conducted by the Shanghai Academy of Social Science evaluated the DIF program with teachers, parents and students. In June 2016, the Shanghai education bureau expanded the Dancing into the Future program from one county to 16 counties in Shanghai, adding 32 schools which will include thousands more students in the program next year.
This presentation describes how Dancing into the Future came into existence, the role it plays as an arts education program within the school curriculum (not extracurricular), and how it has been localized at large scale with Chinese teachers guided by the international partner, National Dance Institute.
A short video featured a DIF participant from a migrant worker family in 2011 and today.
The 18th Shanghai China International Arts Festival “Self-cultivation through the arts” arts education Forum was held in Shanghai in October, 15th. Presenters at the forum were: Shirley Young, the chair of the U.S-China Cultural Institute, Cultural Associate of the Committee of 100, Wang Ping, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Qian Yuanwei, professor of the Shanghai Normal University, and Chen Min, executive deputy director of the “Dancing into the Future”.
“Dancing into the Future” is an example of a China arts education program for youth involving international collaboration, but localized for implementation at large scale in Shanghai. It is lead and implemented by: Shanghai Minhang Education Bureau, CWI Children’s Palace, U.S. National Dance Institute and U.S-China Cultural Institute, Cultural Associate of the Committee of 100.
Now in its 5th year in Minhang, the Dancing into the Future program has been successfully localized using NDI’s pedagogy and has expanded from one school in 2011, to 28 schools and over 6000 children in Minhang, including children from a broad range of families from different socio-economic backgrounds. A major research study conducted by the Shanghai Academy of Social Science evaluated the DIF program with teachers, parents and students. In June 2016, the Shanghai education bureau expanded the Dancing into the Future program from one county to 16 counties in Shanghai, adding 32 schools which will include thousands more students in the program next year.
This presentation describes how Dancing into the Future came into existence, the role it plays as an arts education program within the school curriculum (not extracurricular), and how it has been localized at large scale with Chinese teachers guided by the international partner, National Dance Institute.
A short video featured a DIF participant from a migrant worker family in 2011 and today.
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~ 2014 ~

"Dancing into the Future, I Can Too" is an arts education program established by China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace, National Dance Institute (NDI) and Minhang Education Bureau with the organizing support of the US-China Cultural Institute. In order to celebrate the third year collaboration, NDI held serious events in both New York City and Shanghai this year.
On April 28, 2014, National Dance Institute held their annual Gala which included performances by some of NDI’s 6000 public school students showcasing Chinese dance as part of NDI’s long term collaboration with China, “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too”. Ambassador Sun Guoqiang attended as honorable guest and said, “This program represents a great example of cultural exchange allowing Chinese children and American children – our future citizens – to share their culture through NDI’s prize winning pedagogy, using dance for children’s social development.”
On June 3, 2014, Asia Society in New York presented a program featuring discussions by Jacques d’Amboise, founder of NDI and Shirley Young, chair of US-China Cultural Institute, a documentary filmed by Shanghai Media Group and a Chinese dance performance by NDI children.
On June 14-15, 2014 at the Skirball center, New York, NDI presented their end of year program, Under One Sky: NDI Dances China, directed by NDI/China Project Director Kay gayner, featuring over 200 children from NDI’s 39 New York City partner schools with 6000 students who have spent the full year learning about the art, culture and history of China and Chinese dance. 25 children from Minhang China involved in the “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too” program also joined the performance.
On June 25, 2014 in Shanghai China, the “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too” program presented their year-end program with representative participants from 15 schools with 3,000 Chinese NDI students currently part of the “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too” program in Minhang schools. Current plans are to extend this 3 year pilot program to all students (and 100) in Minhang as part of their mandatory curriculum. Research by the Shanghai Academy of Social Science to evaluate the result of this 3 year pilot program will be reported in December 2014.
On April 28, 2014, National Dance Institute held their annual Gala which included performances by some of NDI’s 6000 public school students showcasing Chinese dance as part of NDI’s long term collaboration with China, “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too”. Ambassador Sun Guoqiang attended as honorable guest and said, “This program represents a great example of cultural exchange allowing Chinese children and American children – our future citizens – to share their culture through NDI’s prize winning pedagogy, using dance for children’s social development.”
On June 3, 2014, Asia Society in New York presented a program featuring discussions by Jacques d’Amboise, founder of NDI and Shirley Young, chair of US-China Cultural Institute, a documentary filmed by Shanghai Media Group and a Chinese dance performance by NDI children.
On June 14-15, 2014 at the Skirball center, New York, NDI presented their end of year program, Under One Sky: NDI Dances China, directed by NDI/China Project Director Kay gayner, featuring over 200 children from NDI’s 39 New York City partner schools with 6000 students who have spent the full year learning about the art, culture and history of China and Chinese dance. 25 children from Minhang China involved in the “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too” program also joined the performance.
On June 25, 2014 in Shanghai China, the “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too” program presented their year-end program with representative participants from 15 schools with 3,000 Chinese NDI students currently part of the “Dancing into the Future, I Can Too” program in Minhang schools. Current plans are to extend this 3 year pilot program to all students (and 100) in Minhang as part of their mandatory curriculum. Research by the Shanghai Academy of Social Science to evaluate the result of this 3 year pilot program will be reported in December 2014.
NDI dancers perform “China Spirit” at NDI's Annual Gala
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Ambassador Sun Guoxiang, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in New York
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Discussions by Jacques d’Amboise and Shirley Young at Asia Society
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Chinese dance performance by NDI dancers at Asia Society
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~ 2013 ~

"Dancing into the Future, I Can Too" was an arts education program established by China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace, National Dance Institute (NDI) and Minhang Education Bureau with the organizing support of the US-China Cultural Institute. Based on a shared commitment to the idea of “love and respect for each child,” the program aimed to enhance children’s social development, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds such as migrant workers’ families, helping them to gain confidence through the joyful study of dance, the arts and through international collaboration. Research program was conducted by a research specialist at Children’s Palace but with advisers from East China Normal University and from Columbia University.
Based on a new 3 year agreement signed in Nov 2011, “Dancing into the Future” Art Education Pilot project was extended to 8 schools in Minhang District in 2012. NDI teachers came to Shanghai to make training for 37 music and dancing teachers from 18 schools in Jan, 2012 in Minhang District. After three rounds’ training, 8 pilot schools were selected, and from June 18 to 28, dancing teachers from 8 schools attended NDI training in US. Under the guide of project team, the “Chinese Four Great Inventions” was selected as the teaching theme of “Dancing into the Future”, and nearly one thousand students experienced the brilliant civilization of ancient China through the various choreographed dance of the teachers from 8 schools.
In Jan 2013, NDI board came to China, inspected the Dancing into the Future Art Education Pilot Project in Shanghai, visited the migrant children’s families and watched the demonstration of 2012 “Dancing into the Future” art education pilot project demonstration and visited the migrant children’s families in the stadium of Hongqiao Center Primary School on Jan 28. After more than one year’s training, the students from first pilot 8 schools performed on stage and brought their confidence and happiness to the audience.
Based on a new 3 year agreement signed in Nov 2011, “Dancing into the Future” Art Education Pilot project was extended to 8 schools in Minhang District in 2012. NDI teachers came to Shanghai to make training for 37 music and dancing teachers from 18 schools in Jan, 2012 in Minhang District. After three rounds’ training, 8 pilot schools were selected, and from June 18 to 28, dancing teachers from 8 schools attended NDI training in US. Under the guide of project team, the “Chinese Four Great Inventions” was selected as the teaching theme of “Dancing into the Future”, and nearly one thousand students experienced the brilliant civilization of ancient China through the various choreographed dance of the teachers from 8 schools.
In Jan 2013, NDI board came to China, inspected the Dancing into the Future Art Education Pilot Project in Shanghai, visited the migrant children’s families and watched the demonstration of 2012 “Dancing into the Future” art education pilot project demonstration and visited the migrant children’s families in the stadium of Hongqiao Center Primary School on Jan 28. After more than one year’s training, the students from first pilot 8 schools performed on stage and brought their confidence and happiness to the audience.
~ 2012 ~
"Dancing into the Future, I Can To" is an arts education program established by China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace, National Dance Institute (NDI) and Minhang Education Bureau with the organizing support of the US-China Cultural Institute. Based on a shared commitment to the idea of “love and respect for each child,” the program aims to enhance children’s social development, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds such as migrant workers’ families, helping them to gain confidence through the joyful study of dance, the arts and through international collaboration. Research program is conducted by a research specialist at Children’s Palace but with advisers from Shanghai Academy of Social & Science and from Columbia University.
A pilot program took place in both Experimental Primary School and No. 2 High School Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, led by the CWI Children’s Palace, incorporating knowledge from the NDI and advised by the USCCI to create a Chinese model. The initial pilot training led to a CCTV educational channel Spring Festival Performance by the DIF students, which won them the gold prize for performance and choreography in Feb 2012.
Based on a new 3 year agreement signed in 2012, the Dancing into the Future” Art Education Pilot will be extended to 8 schools in Minhang District in 2012 with possible expansion beyond.
A pilot program took place in both Experimental Primary School and No. 2 High School Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, led by the CWI Children’s Palace, incorporating knowledge from the NDI and advised by the USCCI to create a Chinese model. The initial pilot training led to a CCTV educational channel Spring Festival Performance by the DIF students, which won them the gold prize for performance and choreography in Feb 2012.
Based on a new 3 year agreement signed in 2012, the Dancing into the Future” Art Education Pilot will be extended to 8 schools in Minhang District in 2012 with possible expansion beyond.
Kay Gayner giving lessons
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Demei Yang, the deputy district mayor of Minhang District, Dale Largent, the Cultural Affairs Officer of U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, USCCI Chair Shirley Young watching the presentation
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Presentation of "Dancing into the Future - I can too"
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Presentation of "Dancing into the Future - I can too"
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~ 2004 ~

"Dancing into the Future" 2004 was a month-long US-China cultural exchange series of workshops and performances led by two of the world's leading and award-winning artists, Jacques d'Amboise, internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, educator and founder of the National Dance Institute, and Doudou Huang, China's leading principal dancer. The "Dancing into the Future" program demonstrated how the power of dance aids in embracing diversity and reaching across national, social, physical, and cultural differences, as well as those with emotional and cognitive challenges. This program included 180 young dancers including Chinese athletes from the Special Olympics school, the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace, the Shanghai Song & Dance Ensemble, and the National Dance Institute from the U.S.
This program was hosted by the 2007 Special Olympics World Games Executive Committee, the Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Song & Dance Ensemble and the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace. It was organized by the Committee of 100 Cultural Institute (USA) and the National Dance Institute (USA). Shanghai Oriental Television Arts Channel and Shanghai Dragon TV serves as media partners.
Two major events highlighted this program: the Gala Performance led by Jacques d'Amboise and performed by Doudou Huang with dancers from the various organizations all performing to music by Tan Dun, Will Power, Judy Collins, and Igor Stravinsky; the community event "Come Dance with Me", in which Mr. Amboise taught American dance and performed with 1000 local Shanghai children from various programs, schools for the physically disabled and Special Olympic athletes. Acclaimed actor and pop singer Leon Lai joined the event to perform the world premiere of his new song dedicated to the 2007 Special Olympics World Games.
The "Dancing Into the Future" program received extensive media coverage, airing on programs across China, helping to educate and bring the arts to a wider public audience. The Academy Award-winning team of director John and Anthony Avildsen filmed the month- long cultural exchange program and have made it into a documentary which is to be released in 2007.
This program was hosted by the 2007 Special Olympics World Games Executive Committee, the Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Song & Dance Ensemble and the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace. It was organized by the Committee of 100 Cultural Institute (USA) and the National Dance Institute (USA). Shanghai Oriental Television Arts Channel and Shanghai Dragon TV serves as media partners.
Two major events highlighted this program: the Gala Performance led by Jacques d'Amboise and performed by Doudou Huang with dancers from the various organizations all performing to music by Tan Dun, Will Power, Judy Collins, and Igor Stravinsky; the community event "Come Dance with Me", in which Mr. Amboise taught American dance and performed with 1000 local Shanghai children from various programs, schools for the physically disabled and Special Olympic athletes. Acclaimed actor and pop singer Leon Lai joined the event to perform the world premiere of his new song dedicated to the 2007 Special Olympics World Games.
The "Dancing Into the Future" program received extensive media coverage, airing on programs across China, helping to educate and bring the arts to a wider public audience. The Academy Award-winning team of director John and Anthony Avildsen filmed the month- long cultural exchange program and have made it into a documentary which is to be released in 2007.