Everybody Dance La

Everybody Dance, La is a public benefit corporation that was orignally founded in memory of Gabriella axelrad as the Gabriella Foundation. Renamed as Everybody Dance, La (edla), its mission is to transform lives and communities through the power of high-quality Dance education in low-income areas of los angeles. the vision of edla is to cultivate in its young students of Dance the lifetime skills of collaboration, discipline and self-expression so they become confident and engaged participants in their education, career and community.edla started its Everybody Dance! Program in may 2000 in the townhouse, an affordable housing project located in inner-city los angeles, with twelve classes serving 35 first-time dancers. From the beginning, the goal was to provide high quality Dance instruction at little or no cost to children in underresourced communities. Over the years, the program has expanded exponentially as demand has increased. Through in- and after-school Dance classes, the program curently serves over 7,500 students annually with classes in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and modern Dance at over 40 sites in macarthur park, south los angeles, and watts. On average, students in the after-school program stay with Everybody Dance! For 7+ years and 30% study more than one Dance form - the depth of learning they experience becoming part of them as they transition into post-high school college and career pursuits. Everybody Dance! Is anything but fleeting: 99% of students surveyed say that Everybody Dance! Improves their physical fitness; 94% said their self-esteem improved; 97%, their self-efficacy; and 96%, their sense of being supported by friends and the community.