COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
SALT CREEK BALLET’s Community Engagement programs enhance the cultural fabric of Chicago’s western suburbs, and the Chicago area by sharing our love for dance with community members, organizations and schools.
Dance Explorers
A free program partially funded by League Chicago Theaters, DuPage Foundation, and Illinois Arts Council. Hosted in the Salt Creek Ballet studios, children engage in playful physical activities with dance, music, and community, incorporating body vocabulary, that promote the development of their sensory and motor skills.
Community Partnerships
Salt Creek Ballet annually offers multiple single session programs at venues across the community including Westmont and Skokie Public Libraries, The Morton Arboretum, DuPage Children’s Museum, Girl Scout events, Cantigny, Hinsdale Historical Society, and more. Students and patrons at these events observe lecture-demonstrations featuring dancers from the Salt Creek Ballet Company and personally experience dancing through short classes provided on-site.
- Library Programs
We Bring Literature to Life through Music and Dance! Children learn dance movements based on characters from a selected theme/book and perform for their parents.
- Performance / Lecture Demonstrations
- Girl Scouts (Brownie Dancer Badge Workshop) – Available at SCB studios or at troop meeting locations.
Salt Creek Ballet: Dance Conversations
Salt Creek Ballet is proud to host Dance Conversations, a series of enriching discussions designed to deepen the spectator’s understanding of dance and expand appreciation for the art form. These engaging talks provide a platform for artists, students, and audiences to explore the creative and technical processes behind performances, fostering a greater connection to the world of dance.
Past Art Talks Include:
-
- 2024: Articulating Tchaikovsky
- With Maestro Benjamin Nadel and Artistic Director Erica De La O, this discussion delved into the intricate relationship between Tchaikovsky’s iconic music and the physical storytelling of the dancers.
- 2024: Exploring August Bournonville and Modern Dance Expressions
- Artistic Director Erica De La O led this session, examining the historical significance of Bournonville’s classical ballet style and its connection to modern dance. The talk explored how both forms relate to human expression through dance and mime, accompanied by a live performances by Salt Creek Ballet company dancers.
These conversations are integral to Salt Creek Ballet’s mission of enriching the community’s understanding of dance while nurturing a deeper engagement with the arts.
School-Based Programs
Literature Through Dance
Literature through Dance exposes students to ballet and classical music through the presentation of fairy tales in their classrooms through multi-week residencies. Students in these programs also have the opportunity for field trips to the Salt Creek Ballet Studios in Westmont, as well as receive free tickets to annual performances including The Nutcracker.
Opportunities for Seniors
- Lecture Demonstrations
Accompanied by Salt Creek Ballet Company dancers, dressed in beautifully made costumes, our visiting artists share insights to the production and artistic process. Great preparation for upcoming field trips and groups!
Lecture demonstrations run 45 minutes and can be tailored to fit the needs of your retirement community or other community group.
- Pre-Performance Group Lectures
Salt Creek Ballet offers a preview of the upcoming performances as well as insights into the choreographic process. FREE with Senior ticket purchase to performance! (approx. 20-25 minutes long)
Salt Creek Ballet Gives Back
Salt Creek Ballet students proudly volunteer their talents to support community-benefit events, using dance to uplift organizations and causes they care about. Through these performances, they contribute to meaningful initiatives while fostering a spirit of service and artistic outreach.
Past Volunteer Performances include:
2023 and 2024 Children’s Welfare Fundrasing Gala
Yearly Winter Festival Community Performance
Dr. Kelly Stokes
Community Engagement Coordinator
Dr. Stokes received her Ed.D. in Dance Education from Temple University. She received both her B.A. and M.A. degrees in Physical Education and Dance Education at the University of Southern California. Dr. Stokes is currently a humanities instructor at College of DuPage.
Please contact Dr. Stokes at kstokes@saltcreekballet.org, (630) 769-1199 to book a community engagement activity or for more information.
Take A Look At One Of Our Programs
A Tour of Salt Creek Ballet:
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
SALT CREEK BALLET’s Community Engagement programs enhance the cultural fabric of Chicago’s western suburbs, and the Chicago area by sharing our love for dance with community members, organizations and schools.
Dance Explorers
A free program partially funded by League Chicago Theaters, DuPage Foundation, and Illinois Arts Council. Hosted in the Salt Creek Ballet studios, children engage in playful physical activities with dance, music, and community, incorporating body vocabulary, that promote the development of their sensory and motor skills.
Community Partnerships
Salt Creek Ballet annually offers multiple single session programs at venues across the community including Westmont and Skokie Public Libraries, The Morton Arboretum, DuPage Children’s Museum, Girl Scout events, Cantigny, Hinsdale Historical Society, and more. Students and patrons at these events observe lecture-demonstrations featuring dancers from the Salt Creek Ballet Company and personally experience dancing through short classes provided on-site.
- Library Programs
We Bring Literature to Life through Music and Dance! Children learn dance movements based on characters from a selected theme/book and perform for their parents.
- Performance / Lecture Demonstrations
- Girl Scouts (Brownie Dancer Badge Workshop) – Available at SCB studios or at troop meeting locations.
Salt Creek Ballet: Dance Conversations
Salt Creek Ballet is proud to host Dance Conversations, a series of enriching discussions designed to deepen the spectator’s understanding of dance and expand appreciation for the art form. These engaging talks provide a platform for artists, students, and audiences to explore the creative and technical processes behind performances, fostering a greater connection to the world of dance.
Past Art Talks Include:
-
- 2024: Articulating Tchaikovsky
’s Nutcracker Score & Dancer Interpretation - With Maestro Benjamin Nadel and Artistic Director Erica De La O, this discussion delved into the intricate relationship between Tchaikovsky’s iconic music and the physical storytelling of the dancers.
- 2024: Exploring August Bournonville and Modern Dance Expressions
- Artistic Director Erica De La O led this session, examining the historical significance of Bournonville’s classical ballet style and its connection to modern dance. The talk explored how both forms relate to human expression through dance and mime, accompanied by a live performances by Salt Creek Ballet company dancers.
- 2024: Articulating Tchaikovsky
School-Based Programs
Literature Through Dance
Literature through Dance exposes students to ballet and classical music through the presentation of fairy tales in their classrooms through multi-week residencies. Students in these programs also have the opportunity for field trips to the Salt Creek Ballet Studios in Westmont, as well as receive free tickets to annual performances including The Nutcracker.
Opportunities for Seniors
- Lecture Demonstrations
Accompanied by Salt Creek Ballet Company dancers, dressed in beautifully made costumes, our visiting artists share insights to the production and artistic process. Great preparation for upcoming field trips and groups!
Lecture demonstrations run 45 minutes and can be tailored to fit the needs of your retirement community or other community group.
- Pre-Performance Group Lectures
Salt Creek Ballet offers a preview of the upcoming performances as well as insights into the choreographic process. FREE with Senior ticket purchase to performance! (approx. 20-25 minutes long)
Salt Creek Ballet Gives Back
Salt Creek Ballet students proudly volunteer their talents to support community-benefit events, using dance to uplift organizations and causes they care about. Through these performances, they contribute to meaningful initiatives while fostering a spirit of service and artistic outreach.
Dr. Kelly Stokes
Community Engagement Coordinator
Dr. Stokes received her Ed.D. in Dance Education from Temple University. She received both her B.A. and M.A. degrees in Physical Education and Dance Education at the University of Southern California. Dr. Stokes is currently a humanities instructor at College of DuPage.
Please contact Dr. Stokes at kstokes@saltcreekballet.org, (630) 769-1199 to book a community engagement activity or for more information.
