Dance For All was formed to address accessibility for this art form and has been generously funded by the Irene W. and C. B. Pennington Family Foundation since its inception. Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge has spearheaded the program for the State of Louisiana and held its first informational session at the Louisiana Arts Summit in the spring of 2021. Conversations surrounding a formal training series and implementation followed, culminating in a visit by representatives of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to the Nashville Ballet Company, which hosts an accessible dance program for community members entitled Adaptive Dance: New Perspectives.

The goal of providing professional education and networking on a statewide scale to dance professionals, educators, administrators, occupational therapists, and physical therapists so that students of all abilities can fully participate in the art of dance throughout the state includes a cohort of dance leaders with directives in implementation of accessible dance in their areas of practice. The leaders in the first cohort participated in sessions with Nashville Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Boston Ballet specifically in these companies’ accessible dance programs. { Learn More }