Robotics in Motion
A dance and technology program connecting students to ballet by redesigning the point of entry.
ROLE: Artistic Director, New York Theatre Ballet
Partners:
- VENMY
- George Jackson Academy
- Simons Foundation
LOCATION: New York City
PROGRAM TYPE: Pilot Program, Multi-Partner Initiative
The Friction
New York Theatre Ballet’s mission calls to “build a love for dance and diverse audiences for the future.” In practice, participation did not yet reflect that goal. Black and brown boys especially remained underrepresented both within the organization and across the broader ballet ecosystem. Existing entry points into ballet were not reaching them, and existing outreach models were not shifting that pattern.
The Method
Children ages 10–15 were taught how to build and program LEGO robots while also learning fundamental concepts of choreography and ballet. Students programmed the robots they built to perform the choreography they created. The program culminated in a presentation of the students’ dancing robots.
The program was built through targeted partnership with organizations whose own missions were not being fully realized through their existing models. Each partner addressed a limitation within its own work through participation in the program, the structure aligned incentives across organizations while creating a new pathway into ballet.
New York Theatre Ballet provided ballet instruction, artistic direction, and program leadership; gained a new entry point to engage an underrepresented student population.
VENMY provided robotics instruction and technical expertise; gained expanded access for students and advanced curriculum alignment.
George Jackson Academy provided a hyper-local student population; gained arts programming and broader cultural engagement.
Simons Foundation provided philanthropic support advancing the missions of four organizations, none of whom qualified for funding independently.
Infrastructure
- Program IP
An interdisciplinary program that has been replicated and adapted, and can be licensed. - Student pipeline through partnership
A sustained, hyper-local relationship with George Jackson Academy, creating a direct pathway between the student body and ongoing opportunities at New York Theatre Ballet and VENMY. - Expanded funding access
The partnership makes new funding possible and creates a path for the program to continue through tuition and licensing.
Legacy
The pilot program resulted in a measurable shift in how students viewed the role of men in dance and led to three students receiving scholarships to join the ballet academy the following year.
Following the pilot, the program expanded into new formats and settings. The curriculum was adapted for in-school use, shortened and extended into one-week and six-week versions, and implemented in additional communities. It was also successfully delivered in an all-girls school and in intramural settings.
To support continued use, a teacher training program and printed guide were developed, allowing the program to be implemented beyond its original context.
The project demonstrates a model for building sustainable community engagement programs that connect talent with opportunity by redesigning how and where participation begins.