Art Spark Dance

Elements Inclusive Dance Class
2025-11-15 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Rosedale School, 7505 Silvercrest Drive, Austin, TX, 78757, United States
Art Spark Dance’s Elements class is a once a month dance class that is open to everyone, with or without disabilities, to explore and develop their own movement style. Led by professional dance educators, the class offers a welcoming and supportive environment where you can discover the joy of dance.

In this class, we will be studying dance improvisation, a structured form of movement that is less technically rigid. Improvisation allows dancers to explore and create in the moment. Movement material will be developed through creative explorations, including body mapping using levels, shapes, and dynamic frameworks and our everyday life topics.

The goal is to empower you to find your own language of movement, embracing your individuality and creativity. No prior knowledge or experience is needed, everyone is welcome. Join us to move, connect, and enjoy dance in a space where everyone is welcomed and valued.

The class takes place every 3rd Saturday of the month from 2 to 4 PM at the Rosedale School, located at 7505 Silvercrest Dr, Austin, TX 78757. There is no registration required, and the fee is on a sliding scale from $5 to $20; however, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Open to the public.

For questions email dance@artsparktx.org or call 512-454-9912.

About Teaching Artist Michele Owens:
For over 25 years, Michele has directed the WINGS program at Crockett High School, creating dance opportunities with and for teenagers with learning disabilities. Her work has traveled into schools, communities, correctional facilities, and recreation centers, always centering dignity, creativity, and the belief that movement belongs to every body.
From performing the interactive “ABCMeMove” for over 1,000 kids, to teaching annually at a women’s correctional facility through Beyond Bars, to leading WINGS II for older adults and a preschool dance program, Michele’s practice is rooted in connection, courage, and joy.
Michele believes:

“To move is to be human… I believe in the power of dance to celebrate life, and to unite, inspire, and express the uniqueness of each member of the human family.”

At this month’s Elements, Michele will guide us through an improvisation-centered class where:

The individual is at the heart of the experience

Movement grows from your innermost being rather than imitation

How it feels matters more than how it looks

All ages, bodies, and experiences are welcomed with care

Come move, breathe, and be together with a community.

DanceAbility Professional Learning Opportunity
2026-02-28 16:00 - 18:00 | Rosedale School, 7505 Silvercrest Drive, Austin, TX, 78757, United States
Inclusive Dance Teaching with DanceAbility

Organized by Art Spark Texas (Art Spark Dance)
Special thanks to Rosedale Foundation for making this professional learning opportunity possible
Saturday, February 28, 2026
4:00–6:00 PM
**Rosedale School (Austin, TX)

What is DanceAbility?
As dance educators, we believe integrated dance can reduce isolation and support self-expression and personal growth for people of all abilities. DanceAbility is an improvisation-based method that supports artistic exploration between people with and without disabilities. Through dance and movement, people from diverse backgrounds practice the art of being together—building connection and strengthening more inclusive communities.
DanceAbility cultivates common ground for creative expression with equal agency and representation. Movement material is drawn from the group present in the room, so no one is isolated or singled out. The method supports self-empowerment by offering ways for each person to participate fully and make creative choices—while also respecting personal limits.

Core principles you’ll learn
Sensation • Relationship • Time • Design
(often described as self, others, and community in motion)
What you’ll leave with

Practical, adaptable DanceAbility exercises you can use right away

Tools for inclusive improvisation, partnering, and facilitation

Strategies that support participation for people of all abilities

Who should attend
Dance educators • teaching artists • classroom teachers • therapists • movement facilitators • anyone curious about inclusive dance practice

Register here: https://forms.gle/oB9q7eG6g446B8gh7
Questions / Access requests: dance@artsparktx.org

Professional Learning with Krissie Marty
2026-04-18 16:00 - 18:00 | Creative Action, 1023 Springdale Rd. Bldg 3, Austin, Texas, 78702
DANCE EDUCATORS — COME LEARN IN COMMUNITY
A Collaborative Workshop with Krissie Marty
Master Trainer, Wolf Trap Institute
Bring your lesson plan ideas, your questions, and your teaching challenges.
In this free professional learning workshop, Krissie Marty will share tools and insights from her deep experience in creative movement and teacher training, while inviting participants into a collaborative process of reflection and exchange. Together, we will experience an exercise, unpack it, and reflect on what it reveals about teaching practice.
This workshop is designed as a space for learning, experimentation, and shared problem-solving, with additional support from Art Spark Texas on meaningful inclusion of students with disabilities.
April 18, 2026
Creative Action, Austin
1023 Springdale Rd, Bldg 3
Austin, TX 78721
Please register here. Free to attend
