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SHINE for Girls Applications – Student + Mentors NOW OPEN

by NewsUncategorized
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SHINE for Girls Applications - Student + Mentors NOW OPEN

📢 CALLING ALL 6th – 8th GRADE GIRLS + HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE WOMEN MENTORS ‼️ Join us for the next session of SHINE for Girls: DANCE + MATH = SUCCESS in BAKERSFIELD and LOST HILLS!

#KDA is SEEKING DANCING MATHEMATICIANS to participate and assist with our 2025 SHINE summer camps both in Bakersfield and Lost Hills! 💃💹

ABOUT SHINE:

SHINE for Girls: DANCE + MATH = SUCCESS is FREE innovative, curriculum- based program for middle school girls that uses kinesthetic learning by combining formal dance training with rigorous math instruction to improve girls’ math scores and spark their interest in STEM. The program covers national math standards from 6th-8th grade, while improving overall girls’ confidence and attitudes towards math.

👭 ABOUT SHINE GIRLS:

SHINE girls are 6th-8th grade girls interested in improving math scores, developing confidence, learning about STEM careers, and participating in a program that empowers women.

👥 ABOUT SHINE MENTORS:

SHINE mentors are local high school or college women who have qualified based on their math background, tutoring experience, dance experience, attitude and enthusiasm, and the results of a background check. The mentor training involves a customized certification system along with a half-day mentor training session.

👉 APPLY: kerndance.org/SHINE 

🗓️ PROGRAM DATES + LOCATION:

📍BAKERSFIELD
Monday, July 21 – Friday, July 25
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Dance Studio at Garces Memorial High School
Student & Mentor Application Deadline: Friday, July 11
Mentor Training: Thursday, July 17th

📍LOST HILLS
Monday, July 28 – Friday, August 1
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Yoga Studio at Wonderful College Prep Academy
Student & Mentor Application Deadline: Friday July 18
Mentor Training: Thursday, July 24th

Huge shoutout to our Bakersfield Sponsors: Garces Memorial High School and California Arts Council!👏
And our Lost Hills Sponsors: Wonderful Company, California Arts Council, and the Women’s and Girls Fund of Kern County!

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Call for MOVE Performers

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Kda move pre event performers call

CALLING ALL PERFORMERS! 💃🏽🕺🏼

KDA Is seeking movers and dancers to light up the stage at KDA’s 10th anniversary gala, MOVE, on September 20, 2025 at the iconic Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater!

MOVE isn’t just a performance opportunity, it’s a once-in-a-decade celebration of the Central Valley’s vibrant arts and dance community! By joining us, you’ll inspire, connect, and leave a lasting legacy in a region of California bursting with creative spirit. 🤩

Why YOU Should Join the MOVEment:

👉 All Are Welcome: Performers of any age, skill level, or dance style—your passion is what matters!

👉 Star in the Spotlight: Feature in the electrifying MOVE opening act with custom costumes provided.

👉 Gain Exposure: Sh ine on KDA’s MOVE website, social media, press releases, and local news/radio.

👉 Build Community: Forge lifelong bonds with local artists dedicated to keeping the arts thriving in the Central Valley.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this historic moment! APPLY TODAY!

🗓️ APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 1

LEARN MORE + APPLY 🔗 kerndance.org/MOVE

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Nominate An Influential “MOVER” – Past + Present

by NewsUncategorized
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NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS – nominate an impactful MOVER to be recognized at MOVE! 📢 🏆

KDA is marking a decade of service with our once-in-a-decade gala, MOVE, on September 20, 2025, at the Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater! Part of the event’s most special moments will be a chance to celebrate those who have moved our community since the inception of the Central Valleys many years ago. ��🌟

We’re honoring our communities’ most impactful dancers, dance educators, choreographers, etc.—past and present—who’ve kept the arts thriving in our community. 💃🏽🎁🕺🏼

You are invited to nominate your favorite mover or shaker today and help us spotlight their legacy!🎉

‼️ Nominate your favorite mover today!

🗓️ NOMINATION DEADLINE: August 20, 2025

LEARN MORE + NOMINATE 🔗 kerndance.org/MOVE

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KDA Celebrates 10 Years

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Since May 1, 2015, KDA has been championing the arts in California’s Central Valleys, impacting nearly 200,000 lives and raising $5 million to support artists and programs. Today, we are celebrating 10 YEARS! 🥳

From sparking learning through dance to aiding healthcare with creative therapies, we’ve proudly committed ourselves to making the arts more accessible by creating unique experiences meant to uplift our communities together! 🙌

We’ve used the arts to provide solutions that inspire our community, brought world-class talent to our stages, and earned recognition as a leader locally and nationally. 

We’ve also advanced the creative economy by advocating for fair pay for artists. The arts aren’t a luxury; they’re a cornerstone of the Central Valley’s economic vitality, driving innovation and growth. By centering culture as an essential asset, we’re building a future where creativity is valued in spirit and practice. ❤️🌟

But, we didn’t build this alone. KDA stands on the shoulders of trailblazers who laid the groundwork for the arts in our region – their legacy is the foundation of our work. Because of their efforts throughout the years, we proudly work alongside artists, advocates, and organizations continuing to weave a richer cultural tapestry. 🫶

Thank you to our board, donors, partners, artists, volunteers, media, consultants, leaders, and community—past and present—for weaving this vibrant tapestry with us. Together, we’ve built a legacy where voices are heard, stories are danced, and dreams soar. 

Here’s to 10 years of impact and many more of uplifting the Central Valley through the arts over the next decade. 🎈🎁

Help us celebrate 🔟 YEARS! 🥳

 

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Books in Motion Returns, Summer 2025

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Books in Motion Returns, Summer 2025

For the ninth consecutive year, Books in Motion®: DANCE + LITERACY, an award-nominated, evidence- based summer reading program that uses dance to promote literacy by focusing on Common Core Standards for Reading Literature returns to libraries across Kern County this summer. KDA, Kern County Library, and Kern County dance organizations will launch Books in Motion: DANCE + LITERACY with the goal of reducing summer slide by encouraging reading and promoting healthy living through movement and dance.

Families will be invited to visit Kern County library branches between July 7 – August 2, 2025 to watch dance performances based upon a children’s book. To further enhance learning, children will also learn a short dance that coincides with the book’s theme and create an accompanying craft to promote role playing.

The Books in Motion program is intentional about building home libraries and promoting daily reading adventures. Participating children can collect all of the books by visiting one of each of the performances to receive a FREE book at the completion of the show.

Books in Motion is geared for children in the early literacy stages (K-3rd grade) and is designed to tap into their imagination and encourage them to read. For some, reading is a concept that is too foreign to understand due to age and brain development. Books in Motion will bypass this intangible feeling by allowing children to see the magic of a book laid out with real characters coming to life. Children do not have to read the words – they can read the dancers’ movements to understand the story. By tapping into curiosity, children are motivated to explore literacy, which leads them back to the written words that brought the book to life.

Books in Motion has reached close to 15,000 children and has given away nearly 10,000 free books since 2016.

VISIT OUR BOOKS IN MOTION PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS
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An Artistic Discovery, Congressional Art Competition

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Calling all visual arts high school students living in Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties – you are invited to participate in the Artistic Discovery Congressional Art Competition. Submit your artwork for a chance to be showcased in Washington DC! Entries must be submitted by Friday, April 11.

For more information + competition guidelines: https://fong.house.gov/services/art-competition

 

VIEW INITIATIVE PAGE
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Dignity Health Announced as the Presenting Sponsor for MOVE, 10-Year Celebration

by News
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We’re thrilled to announce Dignity Health as the Presenting Sponsor for our upcoming 10-year celebration, MOVE, on Saturday, September 20 at the Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater!

Thank you Dignity Health for your immense support that will help us keep California’s Central Valleys moving through the arts over the next decade – we are so grateful for YOU!  

Want to join our esteemed list of sponsors supporting Kern County’s event of the year?  There’s still time to become a sponsor and be part of this milestone event!

Visit kerndance.org/MOVE to become a sponsor TODAY!

💃🏽 ABOUT MOVE:

MOVE is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to experience world-class entertainment and divine cuisine by pulling back the curtain of the Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater in a manner never seen before by the public. MOVE will illuminate your imagination and spark your love for the arts. Join us as we dine, drink, and dance the night away with renowned movers, leaders, and visionaries.

The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater
September 20, 2025

💸 Sponsorships NOW Available
🎟️ Tickets Available Soon