top of page

A healing centered
approach to dance.

Dance For Life provides participants with therapeutic dance classes in an emotionally and physically inclusive and supportive environment.
 

Our goal

Our primary objective is to instill and celebrate a sense of resilience and share how movement can be an effective part of the healing journey.  Dance For Life meets participants where they are, literally and figuratively.  Since 2016, we have provided programs in a variety of dance genres, from hip hop to ballet, in juvenile detention halls, preschools, homeless shelters, hospitals, senior centers, parks, housing projects and homes for foster youth.

Though our classes are generally not open to the public, we do share culminating
performances with the permission of participants. If you are interested in attending a class or
performance, becoming an organizational partner and/ or financially sustaining friend, then
please contact: Jamie@ponyboxdance.org

About

dance renewal.png

Jamie knows firsthand that dance saves lives and that all people NEED the joy, vitality, beauty and power of Dance.  Jamie is a Survivor of Childhood Sexual and Physical Abuse, and dance provided a much needed way of transcending her circumstances.  The daughter of an Argentine immigrant,  she was not able to study dance formally until college, so Jamie made dances and learned as much as she could from books and films.  At the age of 17, she landed her first gig as a paid dancer in a musical and went on to perform in 3 other musicals.  She also began teaching dance and has since taught dance to students ages 3 to 83, from Japan and South Central Los Angeles, and is presently teaching in the college.  Jamie’s vision is to improve and change lives through exposure to world class contemporary dance performances and through professional dance instruction. 

chici.jpeg
"My students have benefitted tremendously. In addition to receiving free professional classes, the children have had the opportunity to perform in the Rose Garden at the Exposition Center and to attend a lecture/demonstration of Complexions at the Music Center in Los Angeles. In terms of mentorship, the students made African headwraps, received inspiring talks from African-American professionals, including a nurse, an attorney and filmmaker…..
This program has the potential to be life saving."

Kimberly McKinney,
20 year veteran of the Los Angeles Department of Probation
Officer, Imperial Courts Housing Project in Watts, CA.

Ray LP _edited.jpg

Partners

Organizations

Los Angeles County Department of Probation, Downtown Women's Center,

Dimondale Group Homes, GEMS Uncovered, Precious Lamb Preschool, New Life Beginnings, Harlem GEMS, LA LGBQT Center, The Center, Nonprofit New York, Miller’s Women and Childrens Hospital, Hilldale Group Homes, Optima Group Homes

Funders

Annenberg Foundation, Danny’s Dance Warehouse, The Music Center, Ballet Barres West, The Dance Store, Whole Foods, LACAC, California Arts Council, Wells Fargo Foundation

download (3).png
a.png
sad.png
l.png
The Dance for Healing Project
01:40

The Dance for Healing Project

Through healing skills, we address the urgent recovery needs of youth who demonstrate physical and mental health symptoms related to their experiences with traumatic events. With a combined 16 years as non-profit service providers, The Dance for Healing Project model was planned in 2014 to respond to observations and evidence of youth recovery and healing intervention. By first offering therapeutic dance with mentorship in 2016, we collected youth outcomes over the course of 12 months. The results were as follows... 96% of youth mentees reported: “I feel best when I am performing.” 82% of youth mentees reported: “I would consider dance as my new healing method.” 90% of youth mentees reported: “I feel less afraid, upset or sad.” Our efforts for youth to sustain these healing skills and utilize our mentorship support post class, has been a tremendous success. We are looking for funding to provide 55 youth with these skills throughout LA County Juvenile Detention Centers, Camps, and LAUSD Schools. All participants are boys and girls previously identified as victims of trauma related to human and/or natural causes. Youth participants are also either receiving special needs services; waiting for foster care placement; boys and girls recovering from commercial sex trafficking, and youth receiving mental health services due to parent/caregiver substance abuse or other related neglect. Funds will be used for: 1. 50 units of Adult size dancewear for teen girls and boys/ for each youth to keep (Sizes SM-XXL) 2. 50 pairs of Adult size ballet shoes/and 50 pairs of dance shoes (Sizes 6-11) 3. Four 4x6 glassless mirrors/ Two Plexiglass Mirrors 4. One month of follow up dance instruction classes per youth mentee after permanent placement 5. Youth mental health resource manuals 6. Trauma Recovery Training for 25-30 Dance Instructors 7. Mentor and Instructor background check screenings 8. Youth clinical therapy sessions post permanent placement 9. Therapeutic 90-minute dance instruction per week for in 8-week increments
bottom of page