MDT’s Next Steps Outreach Program

We strive to share the joy of dance with everyone.

For 2026, MDT received the Arts Education grant from Minnesota State Arts Board to partner with Minneapolis Public Schools to share the joys of dance through curated intro to dance classes to students ages 8–10.

The Impact in 2026

Eight outreach classes

Taught or scheduled for 2026
Reaching approximately 250 students

Five full-ride scholarships

Offered for the 2026 Summer Program
Full-rides include complimentary dance wear and food.

Scheduled for Thursday, December 17
Reaching approximately 200+ students

One Student Matinee Performance

Outreach Objectives

Coordination

Learn how to coordinate jumps, skips, & steps.

Musicality

Learn how to listen and respond to music.

Joy

The most important lesson: learn the joys of dance!

A group of young girls standing in a classroom, with one girl in the foreground extending her arm and pointing. The girls are dressed casually and are engaged in an activity or discussion.

Outreach Outcomes

Full-ride scholarships

Awarded to outreach students that show focus and a natural propensity for dance.

Develop a love for dance

Through dance, we learn how to care for ourselves, connect with others, and develop a deeper understanding of our bodies.

Ballet class with young students practicing at the barre in a dance studio

A young man with dreadlocks and tattoos is dancing in a studio, wearing an orange t-shirt, white pants, and black high-top sneakers, with a light background.

Darrius Strong

Darrius Strong is a member of MDT's year-round faculty, as well as the Lead Teacher of MDT’s Outreach Program.

Strong is an experienced teacher, performer, and leader. He is ecstatic to be leading MDT's outreach program, as he understands firsthand how impressionable dance can be to young children.

Learn more