Children's Center for Dance Education is a not-for-profit regional ballet school and performing arts company with teaching studios in Evansville, Newburgh and Henderson.
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Children’s Center for Dance Education was established in 1995 as a not-for-profit regional ballet school and performing arts company. Deena Laska Lewis is the Artistic Director and driving force behind CCDE. It was her dream to create a school that would provide opportunity for all children, regardless of race, special needs or financial need to experience the beauty of dance.
Under her hand; CCDE has blossomed into a program with studios in Evansville, Newburgh and Henderson. Children have the opportunity to participate in large scale productions in such venues as The Victory Theatre, The Centre, Murphy Theater and Henderson Fine Arts Center; as well as in schools.
Often partnering with schools in the Tri-State; CCDE creates worksheets, teacher packets, music and other supporting educational materials to support the blending of arts and education. Some of them include: The Nutcracker, Tubby the Tuba, Carnival of the Animals, Cinderella, Swan Lake & Sleeping Beauty.
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Deena Laska Lewis
Ms. Deena trained at the Julliard School of Music in New York City, North Carolina School of the Arts, and received her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from Indiana University. Her education includes training in Horton, Graham, Limon and Vaganova techniques. At CCDE, Deena employs a graded Russian syllabus that stresses education on muscle structure for correct placement and alignment for dance development.
Her professional experience includes principal ballerina with the State of Israel Ballet Company as well as artistic director with other dance companies. This rich experience brings to CCDE a caliber of training, technique and style that have provided the foundation for many former students to enter the world of professional dance.
Some of the achievements and awards Children's Center for Dance Education and Deena have received are:
2004 Outstanding Arts Organization (Leadership Evansville)
2005 Art Educator of the Year (Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana)
2006 Phenomenal Woman Award (University of Southern Indiana)
2007 Outstanding Individual in the Arts (Leadership Evansville)
2007 100 Years of Julliard (featured in history)
2008 Mayor’s Art Award (nominee)
2008 Athena Award Nominee
2009 Vanderburgh County Arts Award (Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana)
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To introduce children of the tri-state area to the experience of dance through outreach performances, professional dance exposure, and scholarships to the school. It is founded on the belief that all children regardless of race, creed, or color, should have the opportunity to dance expressively which fosters self expression, healthy body confidence and self discipline.
Reviews from the Courier Press
for
The Children's Nutcracker 2008
Fine art of ballet: Students wowed by "The Nutcracker"
click here to view the full story from the Courier Press December 5, 2008
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