A Research-Backed Approach to Helping Kids Thrive
We know dance works — and we can show you why.
Our programs are guided by a clear and credible model that links dance participation to measurable outcomes for children and youth. Rooted in research and refined through years of practice, our four pillars show exactly how we help kids grow up strong — in body, mind, and community.
Where Movement Meets Research
Our Programs
Powwow x Ballet
Our Powwow and Ballet programs are delivered in partnership with the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta. These six-week sessions offer a unique cultural and social exploration through dance. A ballet instructor and a Powwow dancer co-teach, weaving together both disciplines to create a meaningful, shared experience for Indigenous youth.
When Indigenous traditions are represented in the dance studio, youth see their heritage honoured and their voices reflected. This inclusion strengthens confidence, connection, and pride within their creative journey.
Newcomers Programming
Working in partnership with immigrant serving agencies, Alberta Ballet Community is active across the province with beginner ballet programs for newcomer youth.
Connecting newcomer youth to dance creates a bridge between cultures, confidence, and community. Through movement, newcomer youthy discover a universal language that transcends words—helping them build belonging, express identity, and connect with peers in their new home. Dance supports emotional well-being, fosters social inclusion – both for students and their families – and celebrates the diversity that strengthens Alberta’s communities.
Connecting newcomer youth to dance creates a bridge that fosters cultural understanding, confidence, and community.
Access Dance
Our after-school programs offer free, accessible dance experiences for youth ages 7–16. In partnership with frontline organizations such as YMCA and the Africa Centre, we work together to ensure that these programs are structured to remove barriers to participation, creating new pathways for more children to experience the transformative power of a safe, welcoming space to explore creative movement and connect with peers.
By introducing dance in familiar settings, students gain confidence, build connections, and experience the joy and health benefits of movement. These programs are designed with equity at their core—eliminating financial barriers, reducing transportation challenges, and ensuring that every child has access to high-quality arts experiences regardless of family income or circumstance.
By meeting youth where they are, we create opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. The result is a more inclusive community where access to dance is shaped by potential, not privilege.
Access Dance - Rural
Alberta Ballet extends its commitment to access by bringing dance beyond city centres and into rural communities across the province.
By hiring teachers who live and work throughout the province, Alberta Ballet brings high-quality recreational programs directly to communities that may not have access to established studios or arts infrastructure. These educators travel to nearby towns to deliver classes, helping families overcome the financial and logistical barriers of commuting to larger centres.
This model builds local capacity—creating sustainable arts opportunities that grow from within each community. It ensures that children and youth across Alberta can experience the same standard of instruction and creative enrichment as those in urban settings, fostering pride, connection, and a shared sense of belonging through dance.
Four Pillars of Impact
Physical Health & Literacy
Dance offers a joyful, creative way to stay active, improving coordination, balance, flexibility, and the confidence to move for life. Especially powerful for kids who don’t feel at home in traditional sports.
Mental
Well-Being
As both movement and creative expression, dance reduces stress, boosts mood, and builds resilience, helping kids process emotions and develop coping skills.
Social Belonging
Group dance builds trust, friendships, and inclusion. It’s where kids feel seen, valued, and connected, especially those who might otherwise feel isolated.
Confidence
Identity
Dance helps young people discover what they’re capable of, fostering self-esteem, leadership, and a healthy relationship with their bodies.
Research in Action
Studies show dance is one of the most effective ways to improve physical literacy, emotional well-being, and social connection — especially for adolescents and those in underserved communities.
Every class, residency, and performance we deliver is shaped by this evidence. That’s why when you give to Growing Up Strong, you’re not just funding the arts — you’re investing in a proven determinant of health for young Albertans.
