Danco Education
D/2 Apprentice Company
PHILADANCO created DANCO 2 (D/2) Apprentice Company as a result of foreseeing the need to cultivate young aspiring dancers (ages 15-23) who demonstrated promise and the desire for a professional dance career. Through an extensive evaluation process, members of D/2 are selected and then trained in professional level classes. D/2 performs locally and in the surrounding counties of Philadelphia throughout the year, and is featured in the annual “Danco on Danco” concert.
D/3 Youth Ensemble
Danco 3 (D/3) became part of the PHILADANCO! Legacy in 2006. This youngest dance ensemble has been running strong ever since. D/3 was created to give young dancers who are really serious about dance access to performance opportunities and a chance to nurture their technique and performance skills. D/3 dancers range from the ages of 13 to 16 and have the option of moving on to D/2, PHILADANCO‘s apprentice company. D/3 has performed in various Philadelphia-based venues including The Kimmel Center, Penn’s Landing, The Painted Bride, and String Theory.
D/3 Juniors/Minis
D/3 Juniors ensemble is a newly added component of D/3. Founded in 2022, for dancers who ages range from 9 to 12. The focus of this ensemble is to enhance dancer’s technique and comprehension of codified dance forms, understanding of repertory, and build their skills in performance. They are next in line to be in D/3 PHILADANCO’s youth ensemble
DANCO 3 Minis founded in 2016, was created to give young dancers access to on-going training and performance opportunities throughout the year. D/3 juniors dancers range from the ages of 6-8 and have the option of moving on to D/3 Juniors and D/3 PHILADANCO’s youth ensemble.
Instruction and Training Program
PHILADANCO’s Instruction and Training Program allows members of the professional Company, DANCO 2 (D/2) Apprentice Company, DANCO 3 (D/3) Youth Ensemble, DANCO 3 Juniors (D/3 Juniors/minis) and local youth and young adults the opportunity to further develop their technical, artistic and performance skills. The program operates year-round at the Company’s West Philadelphia headquarters and is 46 weeks of ballet, modern, jazz and other dance styles taught by internationally renowned instructors.
The program’s two primary tracks provide dancers with a safe, accessible and enriching arts and cultural experience. In addition to improving the skills of emerging professional dancers and choreographers, the program is designed to promote both physical and mental health, and socio-cultural skills encouraging participants to grow both as dancers and as individuals.
For more than five decades, PHILADANCO’s Instruction and Training Program has delivered quality dance instruction to hundreds of youth and young adults, many of whom might otherwise not be able to attend due to financial constraints. Its dedication to the local community is especially poignant at a time when many schools have continued to eliminate or significantly reduce arts programming.
Instruction & Training: September – May
From September through May, the design of the 40-week program is to cultivate pre-professional dancers, providing them with the tools they need to become successful professional dancers. Expert teachers from around the world provide training in core dance genres, such as ballet and modern dance techniques. The program is free for participants, and classes are scheduled Saturday through Wednesday during after-school hours to accommodate students and their families. Participants are given free dancewear, counseling and participate in the annual ‘DANCO on ‘DANCO Choreographic Showcase Concert. The ‘DANCO on ‘DANCO Concert allows participants the opportunity to create and mount works on their fellow dancers, honing their choreographic and performance skills.
Summer Training Program
This six-week program provides training in one dance idiom of study per week, such as African, Hip Hop, and Jazz. During June, July, and August, young pre-professional dancers are introduced to the rigors of dance with Master teachers and instructors. Participants are selected through an audition process that takes place annually in June. Dancers attend classes five days per week for 90 minutes per day, plus workshop hours. The program offers nominal tuition rates with the possibility of financial scholarships. Summer program participants travel to local PHILADANCO performances seeing firsthand the working infrastructure of a professional dance company. The ‘DANCO on ‘DANCO Choreographic Showcase Concert is held at the conclusion of the Summer Intensive Program at venues such as The Performance Garage in Philadelphia.
‘Danco on ‘Danco!
In 1972, Joan Myers Brown realized the need to expand her vision of fostering the skills of emerging choreographers to include the dancers in PHILADANCO and established “Philadanco on Philadanco.” This opportunity was a mechanism for dancers and emerging choreographers to hone their artistic skills by creating new works on the dancers in the School or the Company. It became known as ‘DANCO on ‘DANCO, and the first performance was at the Painted Bride Arts Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the years, ‘DANCO on ‘DANCO has become a mainstay of PHILADANCO! and a much-anticipated culminating performance of the Summer Intensive Program. ‘DANCO on ‘DANCO has been the nexus for seminal works created by leading choreographers and launched the careers of dancers.
Arts in Education and Community Programs
Partnering with schools, educational organizations and community-based organizations, and performance venues, PHILADANCO achieves its commitment to delivering community-based arts education through workshops, lecture-demonstrations, master classes, and peer-to-peer conferences throughout the region.