THE RICHMOND BALLET

Minds in motion (mim), richmond ballet's primary community engagement program, reached 1016 children from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds in richmond and portsmouth in the 2024-2025 season. This in-school program features an engaging, movement-based curriculum taught by professional teaching artists and musicians in elementary schools. Mim strives to nurture self-confidence in students and endeavors to cultivate communication and teamwork skills. Teaching artists follow a curriculum that guides students toward mastery of movement and music, requiring memorization skills and the ability to quickly pivot and catch-up when steps may be missed. Through the experience of successful group learning, students perceive and model the value and benefits of teamwork and respectful communication. The program concludes with an original production presented for a live audience, with a theme that relates to the students' curriculum at school. Of the 15 schools served in richmond, 7 are title i and 2 are tuition-free independent schools. Two schools are served in portsmouth through a residency serving approximately 160 students. Since its inception, mim remains the only program of its kind in the commonwealth of virginia. The program celebrates the students' achievements in a culminating performance with over 3,500 peers, families, and community members in the audience. Mbers in portsmouth, virginia.