Community Engagement

with Steamboat Dance Theatre

SDT offers a variety of different programs designed to bring dance education into schools, youth clubs and more.

Outreach

In the Schools

SDT is working with the local elementary schools to bring World Dance programming into the physical education curriculum. In 2023 SDT brought dance to 3rd graders in 4 schools in the area. In 2024 the program expanded to include 5th grade and reached 8 schools in Routt County. The program went from serving approximately 200 students in 2023 to almost 500 students in 2024. Students learn various styles of dance from different cultures, and learn about the countries and origins. SDT trains and pays the instructors through generous grant funding, so that this program is FREE to the schools. Thank you to the Steamboat Springs Education Fund Board, The City of Steamboat and the Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation for supporting this effort!

Other

Youth Initiatives

In the FY 23-24, SDT brought dance to Boys and Girls Club, worked with the City of Steamboat and Perry Mansfield to bring dance to after school and school days off programming, and partnered with Steamboat Creates and The City of Steamboat for summer camp initiatives.

Spring 2025: “For the second year, Steamboat Dance Theatre was invited as a community partner with the Sleeping Giant School PTIC who hosted a Spring Fling Family Dance on April 16, 2025 for families and elementary students from Kindergarten through 5th grade. SDT provided two instructors to help facilitate several different dance styles ranging from Latin to Line Dancing, using different styles of music sprinkled through the playlist to encourage participation for both students and their families who attended. An estimated 200-250 people were in attendance for what was a fantastic community event – it was so fun to see kids dancing with their friends, their parents, and the SDT instructors leading dances in the middle of the gym floor! Similar to last year, SGS PTIC received several emails from parents and teachers in the days following saying how much the SGS students love this event and appreciate SDT for their community partnership for this great event!

Thank you all so much again! :-)”

Tasha Murphy, Sleeping Giant

Dance Vitality: bringing dance education and free workshops to the community on the multifaceted benefits of dance!

Embrace the Rhythm of Aging

Did you know? It has been scientifically proven that the ONLY physical activity to offer protection against dementia is frequent dancing:
Reading= 35% reduced risk, Cycling & Swimming = 0%, Crossword Puzzles (4x/week)= 47%, Golf = 0%, Dancing Frequently = 76%!  Study suggests – do it often!  Seniors who took dance lessons 4 days a week had a measurably lower risk of Dementia than those who did it once or not at all.

SDT aims to bring instructors to Steamboat throughout the year to teach movement classes for those with Parkinson’s, other mobility challenges, or the aging population who just wants to MOVE.  Help your brain, help your body! Dance Today!

Weekly classes are offered at the Community Center from 10:30-11:30 Thursday mornings.

The Movement Experience

Dancing is a TOOL for mental health, an outlet that grounds you and lifts you and fosters innate joy. Dancing is a form of expression that allows the person to lose oneself and find oneself simultaneously. SDT aims to help Steamboat residents increase quality of life by providing opportunities and education on the benefits of dance as it relates to mental health. We offer FREE therapeutic movement classes- contact us today confidentially at info@steamboatdancetheatre.org with interest.

Data indicates that ANY exercise (including dancing) is better at treating depression than just taking an SSRI. So, if a doctor tries to give you medication without offering other solutions, please make sure you ask questions. Your health and happiness may literally depend on it.

The study was published this week in BMJ, and it revealed that dancing is the *most* effective exercise for alleviating depression symptoms.
After analyzing 218 studies involving over 14,000 participants, researchers found that dancing outperformed medications and other physical activities including walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training.
Just how significant were the results?
For this measure, a small effect is considered 0.2 to <0.5, medium is 0.5 to <0.8, and 0.8+ indicates a large effect. The effect of dance was .96 and is 50% greater than the next best activity.
Meanwhile, SSRIs came in at .26, which barely counts as a “clinically important benefit.”
While the effectiveness of various exercises varied across demographics, dance consistently stood out as the top activity for reducing symptoms across all groups.

Athletic Performance

It’s no secret! Professional football players and other athletes are adding dance to their training repertoire.  Why? Ballet provides an excellent foundation in stability, flexibility, agility, core strength, balance, and rhythm.  It also can help prevent injury and aid in injury recovery.  Several recent studies have shown these results.  SDT is bringing ballet into Steamboat’s athletic associations as well as partnering with a local studio to offer a ballet for athletes class.  Contact us today to set up classes!

Collaborations

In the Community

SDT works to bridge the gap between high cost of living and accessibility to the arts by partnering with local organizations and nonprofits such as Boys and Girls Club, REPS, Queer Futures, The Health Partnership, and Winter Sports Club to offer free dance instruction and exposure to the powerful transformative nature of dance. If you have an interest in partnering or learning more please contact us.

Adaptive Dance
In October, 2024, Steamboat Dance Theatre brought Denver-based “Feel the Beat” to Steamboat and trained 6 instructors in adaptive dance techniques. We are now partnering with the Steamboat Springs Schools, the Town of Oak Creek, STARS and True North to implement classes. If you’d like to get involved or request classes, please contact us today!