Our Mission
MindLeaps uses dance to develop the cognitive skills and social-emotional learning of at-risk youth to ensure that they can succeed in school, enter the workplace and leap forward in life.
Join us on April 11th in NYC: Empowering Youth and Refugees in Rwanda
Join us for an evening of conversation and cocktails to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda and meet the first MindLeaps Rwandan student ever to come to the USA!
Who We Are
MindLeaps is a not-for-profit organization staffed by dance instructors, educators, social workers, counselors and administrators, all dedicated to building a bridge to education and positive livelihoods through dance.
What We Do
We engage kids in fun dance classes that are part of a carefully crafted curriculum to develop the key cognitive and social-emotional skills vital to success in school and work.
Why We Do It
We believe that changing mindsets and opening the door to education and employment can change the future for youths who might otherwise be abandoned to hopelessness or radicalization.
How We Know It works
We monitor and evaluate progress with Tracker, our software program specifically designed to collect data and measure development of critical learning skills.
Misty Copeland and MindLeaps International Artists’ Fund
Last August, ballet superstar Misty Copeland returned to Rwanda to help vulnerable girls and refugee children. She shared her story and continues to provide a voice for these youth through MindLeaps’ International Artists Fund.
“Building Our Bodies & Our Minds” in Mauritania
MindLeaps, in partnership with SOS Pairs Educateurs, enrolls 120 at-risk girls in MindLeaps dance program to improve mental health. They will receive essential meals and be supported to return to school. Thank you to Dining For Women for making this possible.
