Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Griffith.
Annie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Down For Dance (DFD) is a non-profit dance program for individuals with Down syndrome. Our mission is to empower individuals with Down syndrome to build a stronger sense of self through dance. Our vision is to spread DFD across the globe so that all individuals have access to high-quality dance programming. Most of our dancers have Down syndrome but we are definitely open to other abilities and we have a handful that don’t have DS.
I founded this program with my dear friend Sari Anna Thomas in the summer of 2017 – so just over three years ago (Sari Anna Thomas is our Artistic Director & I’m our Executive Director). Sari and I started this program because we really saw a need for high-quality dance and arts programming for these individuals. There are limited opportunities for these individuals, so we created DFD to bring high-quality dance classes to individuals with DS and provide year-round performance opportunities for our dancers. Our classes are designed to mirror a typical dance class where dancers learn dance technique & terminology and rehearse choreography.
We started with 20 dancers in 2 classes a week (both hip hop) in 2017. Pre-pandemic in early March, we had 75 dancers across seven weekly classes (hip hop, musical theater and contemporary) in 4 locations throughout Southern CA. Since quarantine, we have grown this program nationwide serving over 100 dancers across 20 states by moving all of our classes online. We currently have ten weekly classes in a variety of styles: hip hop, musical theater, contemporary, ballet, yoga and art. Classes are run year-round – we have four sessions a year: winter, spring, summer, fall.
I’m personally connected to the Down syndrome community because I have a brother Sam with DS. He lives in PA with my parents so previously he would only be able to take class with us when he would come out to CA to visit and now that we’re online, he’s taking classes three times a week and I love that I get to see him so much!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The pandemic really forced us to stop and re-evaluate how we can continue to serve our dancers remotely. An online program was never something we had even thought about. We always wanted to expand this program outside of Southern CA and our original thought was to offer teacher trainings so that instructors could train with us and take DFD into their communities.
Now that we are offering everything online, we are able to reach far beyond Southern CA – we now have dancers in 20 states throughout the country. We want to continue to reach farther and make this accessible for as many individuals as possible.
Online programming gives our dancers the opportunity to: attend more classes throughout the week, try new styles of classes, learn from multiple instructors and dance with dancers from around the country!
When we are able to, we absolutely want to get back into a dance studio with our dancers who are local, but we also plan to continue our online program now that we have dancers from all across the country.
Please tell us about Down For Dance.
Our classes are unique because we offer high-quality programming. We have had so many parents tell us that they love that we set the bar high for our dancers. Sari really strives to mirror a typical dance class through her instruction. We are the only organization that I’m aware of in this area offering this level of high-quality dance training to these individuals.
There are so many important benefits of our classes, including: physical exercise & movement, an emotional outlet through artistic expression, increased strength, balance & coordination, greater self-confidence, new friends, social interaction & connection…And they do this all while having fun!
I grew up dancing and loved it so much. I wasn’t great at other sports and dance class was a place where I felt like I could express myself. We’ve had parents tell us similar stories – their child has tried various sports and never enjoyed them and as soon as they found our program, it was something their child loved (and provided them with exercise and many other benefits).
I’m proud that we are making dance accessible to those that might not normally exposed to it. We’ve also created a close community through our classes – our dancers have become friends through our classes and their parents have also become friends and formed a support system for each other.
We also have a sizable volunteer program. Pre-pandemic we had over 40 volunteers working 1-on-1 with dancers in every class. It’s been difficult to integrate the volunteers with our online program but they are so dedicated and we still have some that support us every week in our Zoom classes.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I personally feel like it’s so important to do work that is meaningful to you. Working with these individuals gives me so much purpose – it’s what I’m meant to do. I want to help make this world a better place (even if it’s small). For me, it’s about impacting the lives of others – large or small – that helps move everyone forward in a more meaningful direction.
Pricing:
- Classes cost anywhere from $125-$300 depending on the length of the session.
- We offer scholarships and never turn away a dancer due to their inability to pay for class and we rely on fundraising to support these scholarships.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DownForDance.org
- Phone: 949-478-3224
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @downfordance
- Facebook: facebook.com/DownForDance
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/downfordance
Image Credit:
D. Park Photography; Down For Dance
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