REACH Summer Outreach Dance Program

We are glad that Reach will be represented at this event. Thank you Alan Kuang and Izaiah Lawton for performing as part of this celebration!

The BU Dance Program is pleased to share the news that our Coordinator of Dance, Micki Taylor-Pinney is receiving the Boston Dance Alliance Dr. Michael Shannon 2025 Dance Champion award. It is an award given annually that "recognizes a member of the metropolitan Boston dance community over the age of 60 who has made a great contribution to Boston’s dance landscape and whose body of work constitutes a significant legacy." Check out this opportunity to support the BDA's advocacy and community building work as well as to honor Micki. Congratulations Micki! Thank you for all of your hard work making the BU Dance program run smoothly.

Official statement from the BU’s Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Executive Director, Caitriona Taylor.

We are sharing that 2024 was the last year of the REACH program. For 18 years at BU, under Taylor-Pinney’s direction, the program provided a quality art experience to teens, college interns, and professionals. We are grateful for the impact Micki has on the REACH program! Highlights of the REACH program include:
• 16 years as Dance Collective Summer Outreach Program (1990-2005)
• 18 years as Reach: Summer Dance Outreach/Teen Apprenticeship Program (2006 – 2023)
• Over 100 Reach teen apprentices and 32 college interns or pre-professional “fellows”
• Over 16,000 urban youth attended Reach performances and workshops
• 1 year as Reach Pedagogy Intensive (2024) for pre-professional and experienced educators
• From 2006 - 2024, Reach raised over $360,000 in donations from foundations, businesses, and generous individuals to make this program possible.

Thank you to all those that have contributed to the REACH program throughout the years, we appreciate your impact and participation. We will continue to work on aligning the PERD Dance program and resources with BU priorities and initiatives.

Note from Micki Taylor-Pinney, Coordinator of Dance and Director of Reach
I am deeply grateful to all who have been a part of the Reach program, as participants, mentors, partners, supporters, and attendees at our performances. This past summer, we saw the level of interest and benefits of digging into the subject of dance pedagogy and doing so collaboratively in our Reach Pedagogy Intensive. We can be proud of the impact this program had over the years, first as Dance Collective’s Summer Outreach Program and then as Reach at BU and the opportunity it provided for learning and sharing all that dance has to offer artistically, personally, and communally. Thank you!

The time we spent with Kyre was a gift. When Reach went virtual during the pandemic, Kyre choreographed this beautiful solo with the help of
We honor and cherish these moments now.
Thinking of you, Sending you, your family and our entire dance community so much love.

The time we spent with Kyre was a gift. When Reach went virtual during the pandemic, Kyre choreographed this beautiful solo with the help of @lifes_a_mirage We honor and cherish these moments now. Thinking of you, @babyrizza1826 Sending you, your family and our entire dance community so much love.

Dear Reach family, I'm heartbroken to report that we lost one of our former teen apprentices, Kyre Ambrose, yesterday. For those who were in the program in 2019 or 2020, or saw the performances, perhaps you'll remember him for his passion and energy as a performer, his vibrant smile, and his brightly colored hair. His mom, Rina Ambrose, was a tireless advocate and supporter of Kyre and all in the Reach program. My deepest condolences to Rina, his family, friends, and all those who will miss him. I've posted some photos but for those who may have more, his mom is asking if they can be shared.
https://gofund.me/e2209b87

giving us another exercise for some sweet relief after a busy dance week! Thank you, Jessica!

@jessicatpearson giving us another exercise for some sweet relief after a busy dance week! Thank you, Jessica! #reach #BU #dance #pedagogy #injuryprevention

speaking about how teaching hip hop means teaching the black experience alongside the history of movements and the culture. This was such a valuable seminar! McKersin made the conversation about teaching or approaching hip hop as a new student so comfortable. McKersin, thank you for sharing your knowledge, experience and love of hip hop with us!

@mckersin speaking about how teaching hip hop means teaching the black experience alongside the history of movements and the culture. This was such a valuable seminar! McKersin made the conversation about teaching or approaching hip hop as a new student so comfortable. McKersin, thank you for sharing your knowledge, experience and love of hip hop with us! #reach #BU #pedagogy #hiphop

demonstrating and walking us through an exercise she practices with her dancers.
"It gives them that sense of tempo, that sense of rhythm and that sense of listening and hearing everyone working together."
Andy is such a thoughtful educator and we simply LOVED her folk dancing and anatomy of movement class! Thank you for sharing with us, Andy!

@andytaylordance demonstrating and walking us through an exercise she practices with her dancers. "It gives them that sense of tempo, that sense of rhythm and that sense of listening and hearing everyone working together." Andy is such a thoughtful educator and we simply LOVED her folk dancing and anatomy of movement class! Thank you for sharing with us, Andy! #reach #pedagogy #BU

Day Five of our pedagogy week!

What an absolutely incredible day learning, reflecting, and dancing together 🥰 Thank you participants for an incredible week! #reach #pedagogy #dance #BU #bostondance #play

Day four of our pedagogy week!

Yet again, we were blown away by the knowledge, culture and dance that was shared today. We are simply loving our time learning from these wonderful educators! #dance #reach #BU #pedagogy #bostondance #play

Day three of our pedagogy week!

Day three in the books! What a beautiful day it was! #dance #BU #reach #pedagogy #bostondance

Day two of our pedagogy week!

Day two of our Reach Pedagogy week! The knowledge and experience that has been shared the past two days is inspiring. Thank you instructors! We are having a blast! #reach #pedagogy #sel #joy

Day one of our pedagogy week!

First day at Reach! #BU #bostondance #pedagogy