About Sensory Friendly Dance
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The Sensory Friendly Dance Program invites the autistic community to live dance performances and classes that are designed to make everyone feel accepted and comfortable in an inclusive environment. This program welcomes everyone to participate in the power of dance, both neurodiverse and neurotypical individuals! The classes offer individuals of all ages the opportunity to express themselves in a judgement free zone, benefit from power of physical exercise, and the ability to socialize in a nurturing environment. Our events are designed to make everyone, particularly individuals on the autism spectrum, feel welcomed and included in the arts. Traditional theater and dance classroom rules are relaxed. Participants are allowed to enter and exit as needed, play with fidget toys, dance, talk, sing and express themselves as they feel comfortable. Families can enjoy quality time at the theatre without worry, and are provided an opportunity to connect with our community in a climate of acceptance and understanding. Sensory Friendly Dance is committed to make it's performances as accessible as possible to the community. In addition to keeping ticket prices at just $5 per person, Sensory Friendly Dance has offered 100 free tickets annually to families with a financial need.
History of the Program
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The Sensory Friendly Dance Program was founded by Alexandra Cunningham, a former principal dancer with the Sacramento Ballet for 14 years. With a passion for making dance accessible to underserved communities, and through researching the needs of her community, Alexandra found that Sacramento lacked live dance performances that were inclusive to neurodiverse populations. In partnership with the Sacramento Kings Community Foundation, Alexandra launched the city's first-ever Sensory Friendly Dance Performance in 2017 at the Crest Theater. In 2018, Alexandra secured a California Arts Council Local Impact grant and expanded the program to include dance classes in addition to two performances hosted at the Crocker Art Museum in partnership with their Art on the Spectrum program. In 2019, the Sensory Friendly Dance Program was honored to receive funding from Kaiser Permanente and was again able to expand class offerings and produce three performances at the Crocker Art Museum and The Sofia, home of B Street Theatre. This year, the program is thrilled to present Ron Cunningham's Peter and the Wolf, a delightful story ballet that invites all community members into the theater for a truly inclusive experience.
The Sensory Friendly Dance Program was originally presented under the organization Capital Dance Project, and has grown into its own entity. Sensory Friendly Dance receives fiscal sponsorship from DBA Arts Inc, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations to the Sensory Friendly Dance Program are tax deductible.
If you'd like to support this program, please consider making a donation of any amount today:
The Sensory Friendly Dance Program was originally presented under the organization Capital Dance Project, and has grown into its own entity. Sensory Friendly Dance receives fiscal sponsorship from DBA Arts Inc, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations to the Sensory Friendly Dance Program are tax deductible.
If you'd like to support this program, please consider making a donation of any amount today:
Photos by George Young and Frances Chae