P3B373: Ballet and Books: An Innovative Program to Build Children's Literacy and Physical Fitness Through Dance in Historically Marginalized, Under-resourced Communities

Background: Disparities exist in physical fitness opportunities and literacy development for children in historically marginalized, under-resourced communities. Children in high-need communities have fewer opportunities to engage in physical fitness programs. Further, children growing up in low-income homes hear far fewer words by the time they enter kindergarten compared to their more affluent peers. Evidence has shown that children learn in different ways; kinesthetic learners may learn literacy best through movement. To address these gaps, we developed a community-based, national nonprofit – Ballet and Books. This free program was created to address the cost-prohibitive nature of dance and literacy programming. We describe the program’s 1) novel approach to literacy intervention through dance; 2) innovation in building collaboration between local libraries, dancers, college students, and nonprofits; 3) approach to securing diverse funding sources; and 4) future outreach plans.

Methods: We worked with college students (mentors) and local partners (libraries, dance stores, schools, community centers) to direct programs that integrate dance and literacy. Ballet and Books takes place for 90 minutes at the local partner’s site (e.g. local library) for eight weeks each fall and spring. Programming includes 45 minutes of dance led by mentor dancers followed by 45 minutes of one:one literacy work with a mentor. The mentor is paired with the same child weekly and utilizes curriculum that we developed (Figure 1). Format and curriculum were refined based on community feedback. Mentors are trained in dance outreach, literacy engagement, Ballet and Books curriculum, and identity and bias. Children ages three-to-nine are invited to participate through a community partner and receive free dancewear and books. At the end of the year, children perform at the collaborating university alongside their mentors (Figure 2).

Results: Between 2017-2023, we collaborated with 10 communities to host programs. We partnered with nine libraries, seven dancewear organizations, 10 universities, and three schools. We served over 400 children and reached over 450 college mentors. Pilot data demonstrated that local partners were pivotal for hosting accessible programs. Qualitative data illustrated that children leave the program excited to continue learning and with a newfound sense of community. Unexpected findings illustrate that mentors find the opportunity to be meaningful and return each semester.

Conclusion: Ballet and Books is an innovative physical fitness and literacy intervention. This novel program has been successful in engaging community partners, families, and college students. National partners (Colgate), community foundations (ArtsWave) as well as student-led fundraisers have created a steady funding stream. We continue to work with communities to start new programs. Our newest program at the University of Michigan partners with the Dance Department as well as the Washtenaw Head Start program. We plan to conduct a formal program evaluation in 2024 to guide improvement.