Advocacy Is a Dance Move: 5 Ways to Make Your Work Speak for Itself

Every rehearsal. Every newsletter. Every time you invite a guest choreographer. That’s advocacy. It’s not about shouting louder it’s about creating more opportunities for others to hear you.

Here are 5 specific moves you can do right now:

1. Invite a school leader to class
   Even 15 minutes of their time can change their perspective on what you do. Let them see the process and not just the final bow. 
   *I loved that a few of my admins performed in my dance concert and during pep rally dances I choreographed! So much fun and the students loved it!
2. Highlight a student story
   Ask a student to share in writing or video how dance has impacted them this year and share it with parents or staff.
   *This is great for grants, social media posts, or just for yourself!
3. Apply for one small grant or local arts fund
   You don’t need $5,000 to make a difference. $200 can bring in a speaker, cover costumes, or buy props.
   *Consider grants that are not arts focused that still may apply to your program
4. Collaborate with another department
   Ask the theater teacher, PE teacher, or counselor if they’d be open to doing a joint project. Interdisciplinary = visibility. 
   *In my past I loved collaborating with the Health teacher for a Yoga unit and history teacher to plan out Black History Month events.
5. Create a digital recap or newsletter
   Use Canva, Slides, or a short video. Even a Google Doc with pictures and bullet points is a powerful advocacy tool. 
   *This could be an addition to share in a newsletter, or at your dance concert! Families love to see behind the scenes. 

💡 Bonus tip: Add a quote from a student, a parent, or even your principal.

📬 CTA: Want more advocacy ideas every month? If you want to hear about anything specifically or share how you’re advocating, please reply to this email. I would love to hear from you.