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Photo by Ryan Kratzer

The LEADD Program (Learning and Engaging through Arts Discipline and Development) is Tanner Dance’s arts and education program for adults with disabilities.  The LEADD Program teaches valuable life skills through dance, music, theater, and visual art, and incorporates lifelong learning through reading, creative writing, and science classes.  The LEADD Program is designed to give adults with disabilities a place to learn and grow as individuals as well as express themselves as artists through multiple artistic mediums and genres.  The LEADD Program participants will have the opportunity to perform and display their work in a year-end showcase.

The LEADD Program currently offers four classes each week during the fall and spring sessions.  Registration is per class.  All four classes will participate in the year-end showcase.

For ages 18+. 

 

LEADD Literary Arts

The Monday “Literary Arts” class will focus on literature, visual art, creative writing, and drama.

  • Literature will include thinking and engaging with on-level reading for adults with disabilities.  They will read fiction and non-fiction material.
  • Visual art will explore concepts such as shape, line, color, texture, and pattern and use class literature and writing as springboards for visual art composition.
  • Creative writing will contain thematic units working with students’ own ideas through pictures, tracing, and sentence structure.
  • Drama will focus on building fundamental acting/theatre skills through improvisation, on-level games, and readers theater. This class will directly support the skills learned in Literature and Creative Writing classes.
Needs-based scholarships and monthly payment options are available. Tanner Dance is a DSPD provider.
If you have DSPD, DO NOT register below. Please contact Jared Thomson at jared.thomson@utah.edu with your support coordinator's name, phone number, and email so we can work out billing with them. We will also help you register for the class(es) you're interested in.
2023-2024 Scholarship Form

Schedule Overview:

Mondays
12:30 - 3:30 PM

LEADD STEAM

The Tuesday “STEAM” class will focus on science, music, and dance.

  • Science will include investigation, problem solving, and hands on experiments through engaging, on-level science curriculum for adults with disabilities.
  • Music will increase participants’ knowledge in melody, rhythm, and dynamics while the class sings, composes, and performs together.
  • Dance will explore shape, space, rhythm, movement quality and include appropriate technique exercises for the whole body.  Teachers will utilize literature and ideas from science curriculum to engage students in creative movement exploration.
Needs-based scholarships and monthly payment options are available. Tanner Dance is a DSPD provider.
If you have DSPD, DO NOT register below. Please contact Jared Thomson at jared.thomson@utah.edu with your support coordinator's name, phone number, and email so we can work out billing with them. We will also help you register for the class(es) you're interested in.
2023-2024 Scholarship Form

Schedule Overview:

Tuesdays
12:30 - 3:30 PM

LEADD Community of Caring

The Wednesday “Community of Caring” class will focus on history, community & service, personal & social well-being and include a short movement class. Art, music, and movement will be integrated throughout each lesson.

  • History & Global Awareness will help students build awareness of their world and the impact of previous generations.
  • Community Service will focus on participating in projects that serve the Salt Lake City community while also learning how to be aware of our role in the community.
  • Personal & Social Well-Being will focus on developing self-advocacy skills and how to respect one’s own emotions while respecting others as well.
  • Movement class will get participants up and out of their seats through creative movement as well as games.
Needs-based scholarships and monthly payment options are available. Tanner Dance is a DSPD provider.
If you have DSPD, DO NOT register below. Please contact Jared Thomson at jared.thomson@utah.edu with your support coordinator's name, phone number, and email so we can work out billing with them. We will also help you register for the class(es) you're interested in.
2023-2024 Scholarship Form

Schedule Overview:

Wednesdays
12:30 - 3:30 PM

LEADD Fine Arts

The Thursday “Fine Arts” class will focus on dance, visual art, and music.

  • Dance will explore shape, space, rhythm, movement quality and include appropriate technique exercises for the whole body.  Teachers will utilize literature and other springboards to engage students in creative movement exploration.
  • Visual art will explore concepts such as shape, line, color, texture, and pattern, and culminate in unique visual art compositions.
  • Music will increase participants’ knowledge in melody, rhythm, and dynamics while the class sings, composes, and performs together.
Needs-based scholarships and monthly payment options are available. Tanner Dance is a DSPD provider.
If you have DSPD, DO NOT register below. Please contact Jared Thomson at jared.thomson@utah.edu with your support coordinator's name, phone number, and email so we can work out billing with them. We will also help you register for the class(es) you're interested in.

Schedule Overview:

Thursdays
12:30 - 3:30 PM

Meetings with New Participants

As a new participant, our program directors would love to meet with you before you register. We will give a more specific program overview as well as discuss program expectations, specific needs for the participant, answer questions, and gain a general sense if this program will be a good fit.  By meeting before classes begin, Tanner Dance faculty will have a better understanding of how to best support the participant and ensure a positive experience.

Please email Ben Tillotson at ben.tillotson@utah.edu to schedule a date to meet with our LEADD and Elevate directors.

Adults with Disabilities Calendar

Below are the calendar dates for all of our Adults with Disabilities Programs (all LEADDS and Elevate). Please refer to the calendar below if you have any questions about when classes begin, end, and any breaks in between.

Adaptive Needs Dance Class

Consider adding a class on Saturdays! What is Adaptive Needs Dance? Every person deserves the opportunity to dance! Adaptive Needs Dance classes are for children and young adults who wish to experience the joy of moving and self-expression. The class includes appropriate technique exercises for the whole body, and dancers explore shape, space, rhythm, and movement quality. Teachers use literature and other springboards that they creatively weave into the class. All classes have live accompaniment by experienced and engaging musicians. The AnD classes have the opportunity to perform at Kingsbury Hall in a year-end performance. For more information, please contact Joni Wilson at joni.wilson@utah.edu.