Students who study an art are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and three times more likely to be awarded for school attendance according to the National Endowment for the Arts. However, the funding for arts pales in comparison to other subjects. According to the National Association of State Boards Education, "Federal funding for the arts and humanities rolls in around $250 million a year, while the National Science Foundation is funded around the $5 billion mark."

 

Mission

To enable equal access to professional dance education, so all students will have an equal opportunity to raise their own bar and meet their fullest potential through the art of dance.

 

I Believe

Dance education is a catalyst for students to cultivate essential academic and life skills including: creativity, problem solving, confidence, perseverance, team work, respect, focus, non-verbal communication, empathy, accountability, and dedication. So many young people don't have the means to access high quality dance programs to gain these skills. This needs to happen on a grassroots level.  

 

Where

After School Enrichment Programs - Preschool Programs - Disability Centers - Schools

• Over 70+ workshops at over 25 locations to date! 

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Workshop Structure

Consists of a warmup technique of ballet since it is such a fundamental dance genre. More importantly, guiding the students in movement based improvisation activities, which gives them the opportunity to think on their feet, work as a team and bridge the gap between the arts and other content areas. 

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• Mirroring Movement 

• Themed Improvisation Activity 

• Body Shapes Movement Exploration

• Slow Motion 

• Positive Space vs. Negative Space Activity

• Word Scramble 

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Goals 

1. Increase access to professional dance education 

2. Provide scholarships to continue their dance education

3. Exposure to professional dance performances and immersion in community service 

4. Increase appreciation for dance while sharing the benefits of it 

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Benefit Concerts 

Another mission of Raise The Barre is to raise scholarship money to allow students from my workshops the opportunity to continue their dance education at a dance studio. I do this by producing, directing, and hosting Raise The Barre benefit concerts in collaboration with local dance studios. This year alone, benefit concert ticket sales and donations from local businesses have enabled me to award seven students with full-tuition dance education scholarships.

 

 - performances include -

• one of my solos, shows students professional work 

• dances by the hosting studio, to show what studio dance entail

• Raise The Barre students student improvisation and choreography showcase

• live Q&A

• silent auction

 

If you would like to sponsor an upcoming benefit concert in Minnesota or a student scholarship, please contact me below. 

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Raise The Barre benefit concert in Waseca, MN - March 9th, 2018 - 6:30pm

Raise The Barre benefit concert in Rochester, MN - TBA 

Raise The Barre benefit concert Twin Cities - TBA 

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Get Involved

• All donations go towards dance scholarships for Raise The Barre Students

• Purchase a Raise The Barre t-shirt, click here: https://www.michaelenekarlen.com/raise-the-barre-shirts

• Attend an upcoming benefit concert 

• Host a workshop at your school or program; fill out the email form below

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As a professional dancer, I have been immersed in the arts my whole life. I founded Raise The Barre to share my passion by giving back to the community and giving students the opportunity to learn a new art form. 

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Thank you,

Michaelene Karlen 

Miss Minnesota 2018