Look Who it Was Random video

On Location: The Power of Dance (by Anderson Middle School, Berkley, MI)

210 views · Published 10 July 2018 · 4:51 · Indexed 30 October 2026

Channel: Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning · 2018 · Education

Watch on YouTube

The Power of Dance is about discovery. Students were given the privilege to talk with Barbara Selinger, the founder and artistic director of the Detroit Dance Collective (DDC). She described the purpose of DDC and what they do in schools.

Established in 1980, DDC, is a contemporary dance company dedicated to producing visually striking dance performances that express important social themes. The company is widely recognized for its innovative use of video, unusual costuming, diverse selections of music, and spectacular set décor.

Modern dance was developed in the early 20th century as a contrast to the structured techniques and costumes characteristic of ballet. It is a more relaxed, free style of dancing that focuses on creative self-express and centers on the dancer’s own interpretations.

The Detroit Metropolitan Area is an arts-minded community bursting with artistic pride. Marshall Fredricks created the sculpture, “Spirit of Detroit.” Music buffs recognize many blues, jazz, and MoTown artists. The Detroit Opera, Fox Theater, Cranbrook, the Detroit Institute of Arts, plus countless other galleries, music halls and theaters all provide spaces for artists’ creations. Even the layout of Detroit exhibits artistic design. Designed to represent the spokes of a car’s wheel, the streets paved the way for countless car companies, hence the nickname Motor City.

From 2008-2010, nineteen schools from across the United States created videos as part of the On Location program. A "media studio on wheels" visited each school for two weeks and provided students the gear and training to tell the story of the arts in their community.

From go-go music in Washington DC, to gullah woodburning in Beaufort, South Carolina, to modern dance in Berkley, Michigan, the arts of a community can be as different as it's geography.

The Kennedy Center traveled the country to help students tell the story of the arts in their community, and the result is a video collection reflecting a rich diversity of local artists and art forms across the United States.

The videos in this series were scripted, produced and edited by students using professional equipment, under the supervision of Kennedy Center teaching artists.

More from this channel