"Your desire to innovate dance in the high schools and your contagious energy is refreshing and wonderful for our teens." -- Riverside Brookfield High School

"We have hosted Melissa Thodos and her dance company several times. Each residency experience has provided our students, both novice and seasoned dancers, with a stimulating educational arts experience and genuine compassion for student learning in the arts." -- Barrington High School

You did an incredibly careful job of translating my desire to have a "real" show for elementary school students into something engaging and appropriate and magical.  Through the whole process you were available, considerate and positive.  Planning the event from my end was easy thanks to your help.--Alexander Graham Bell School, Chicago

"My kids were so impressed what they saw they came home, donned dancewear and attempted to emulate many of the moves they saw." -- Laurie Dolan, mother of 5 & 8 year old daughters.

Thodos Dance Chicago conducts a variety of educational programming for virtually all levels (beginning to professional) and all ages (five years old to seniors) in virtually any venue. Typically the company conducts the following programs which are customized to the needs of the students:

• Master Classes
• Residencies
• Lecture/Demonstrations
• Choreography Workshops
• Setting choreography on orchesis groups
• In addition, the Company offers specific shows performed at elementary, junior and senior high schools:

"Imagine Dance" is an exciting 40 minute interactive dance assembly program that educates students about the concepts and tools employed in making a dance. Professional dancers from TDC perform three pieces of acclaimed repertoire and, along with a narrator, demonstrate the concepts, stages and tools needed to create a dance. The program contains three participatory exercises requiring student-generated ideas and the execution of those ideas by students themselves on stage with the dancers. Students use their ides throughout the assembly as dance concepts are learned and developed by way of students working together with professional dancers. Recommended for grades K through 8. Study Guide Available!  

"Dance Smash" recommended for Jr High and High School students, is a full on hour repertory concert with lecture demonstration, best performed in a theater setting. Acclaimed dances from the repertory of TDC are performed by the entire Company for the student body. The concert is presented with full production elements inclusive of lighting and costumes. A question and answer session with the entire Company is conducted with students following each performance.

Thodos Dance Chicago is pleased to have been selected for the Illinois ArtsTour roster, which means that you can receive a subsidy to book the company.  For more information, see the Illinois Arts Council website.

For more information about our educational programs, please contact us through our website or call us at 312-266-6255.