Launch of New Nonprofit in Brunswick County Brings Art and Movement Education to the Underserved

CALABASH, N.C. - Feb. 15, 2016 - PRLog -- Inspired by her work with the local chapter of Communities in Schools, one of the nation’s most effective and widely respected community-based organizations  helping kids succeed in school and prepare for life, dancer, creative director and owner of Movement Works, and social advocate Nancy S. Smith, has launched Community Movement Alliance in hopes to generate social change within the community.

Community Movement Alliance, Inc., is a non-profit organization that brings together the physical and cognitive benefits through the disciplines of dance, martial arts, and the practice of yoga, and  makes them accessible to children of all walks of life.

“Poverty limits opportunity by restricting access to resources and information, better paying jobs, education, social capital, as well as exposure to the arts and humanities,” says Nancy Smith, founder and executive director of Community Movement Alliance. “One of the best opportunities we can give children in Brunswick County and beyond is to imagine a life outside of their community.”

Community Movement Alliance operates on the belief that access to movement education like dance and yoga instruction supports self-discovery, critical and creative thinking, passion, life skills, and career opportunities, and gives under-served children equal time to find and foster a passion for things they're good at.

“Only three percent of schools in the U.S.  offer dance education,” explains Melissa Warren, Community Alliance, Inc. board member.  “ And with twenty-eight percent of children in Brunswick County currently living in poverty, they don’t have the funds to pay for extracurricular classes in the arts, and therefore, don’t have access to their benefits.”

Community Movement Alliance's creative movement programs are unique and transformative experiences. They facilitate physical and spiritual growth like strength, flexibility, balance, self-regulation, critical thinking, and compassionate communication.  Its goal is to use the tools of yoga, dance, and martial arts, to help the children in the community grow stronger, heal from past experiences, and create for themselves meaningful, healthy lives that are inspired, safe, and joyful.

Every Body Move is an In‐school dance, martial arts and/or yoga program for students in the South Brunswick and Horry County School Districts that offers schools the opportunity to craft an Arts in Education program for the specific needs of their curriculum and students' abilities.

In addition to the residency program, Community Movement Alliance offers MOVES, anafter school holistic dance, yoga and martial arts-based curriculum where we inspire students to express themselves authentically through a variety of classes for all levels and ages, designed to uplift their spirits while strengthening their bodies. MOVES emphasizes leadership, community service, academic excellence, physical fitness and cultural arts awareness.

​Community Movement Alliance is currently the only non-profit organization in the community that focuses on movement education based programming. Through movement education, we can cover a wide variety of issues facing our youth and their families, including making self-regulated choices, improving self-esteem, handling stress, and inspiring an appreciation and a passion for the arts.

“Our movement arts education programs are an ideal way for teachers and school administrators to incorporate art and physical education into their curriculum,” says Nancy. “Particularly since those programs are among the most affected by funding.”

Area children have already been exposed to movement education programs at Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary, Cedar Grove Middle School, and Shallotte Middle School, thanks to the partnership between Communities in Schools and Movement Works. Community Movement Alliance wants to continue that success and reach even more students, making dance, yoga, and martial arts available to all those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the transformational benefits of these movement-based disciplines.

Community Movement Alliance is funded by private donors and local businesses. It will apply for grants throughout the upcoming year, but also hopes to make the programs sustainable through fundraising.

Helping support Community Alliance’s mission doesn’t take deep pockets. Individuals and businesses can help by simply going to the website and giving $15 to buy a yoga mat for a child, or they can sponsor  a month of yoga for a child at $60. It’s an easy way to make a big Impact and inspire social change.

“I want to keep doing this until every child in Brunswick County has access to movement arts, and the arts in general, no matter who they are,” Nancy says.

Community Movement Alliance, Inc. will host its official launch event on Earth Day, Friday, April 15, 2016 at Farmstead Golf Links in Calabash, NC. The public is invited to attend.

To learn more, visit www.communitymoves.org.

About Community Movement Alliance, Inc.
Founded in 2015, Community Movement Alliance is a nonprofit organization committed to cultivating the physical and emotional wellbeing of children and adults in our underserved communities of Brunswick County. Through an inclusive strategy, movement education helps children develop confidence, self-expression, self-care, and inner peace. Community Movement Alliance is committed to education, community, and narrowing the gap on the lack of access to art programs for every person. We envision a world where every child deserves the same access to health, wellness, and art no matter where or how they live.  For more information, visit the Community Movement Alliance, Inc. website at www.communitymoves.org.

Contact:

Nancy Smith, Executive Director

info@communitymoves.org

Phone: 910-579-4845