PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Nicole Touzien, Executive Director of Dancewave
2:07:20
ยท
141 sec
Nicole Touzien, Executive Director of Dancewave, testifies about the organization's impact on arts education and career development for youth in New York City. She highlights Dancewave's flagship program, Dancewave Through College and Beyond (DTCB), which supports high school students in pursuing careers in dance and the arts.
- Dancewave serves 62,100 people annually across all 51 city council districts and invests over $1 million in employing artists and arts workers.
- DTCB has facilitated over 3,000 transitions into higher education with over $16 million in college scholarships awarded over the past decade.
- Touzien encourages the committee to advocate for funding and consider how community-based organizations like Dancewave can inform and support proposed legislation related to college admissions and counseling programs.
Nicole Touzien
2:07:20
Chair Rivera and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity director of Dancewave.
2:07:22
Chair Rivera and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on behalf of Dancewave.
2:07:28
Dancewave serves 62100 people each year from all 51 city council districts and beyond and invests over $1,000,000 in employing artists and arts workers each year, including hosting interns from SYEP, CUNY Cultural Corps, and the New York University.
2:07:43
Our service programs support pathways to careers in arts and culture, especially for youth from underrepresented Dancewave Through College and Beyond or DTCB is the nation's only workforce development program for dance of its size and scope.
2:07:59
DTCB aims to ensure professional training and collegiate dance programs reflect the breadth and diversity of the field, providing year round education and resources to support high school aged youth with their first steps towards careers in the arts.
2:08:14
DTCB has facilitated over 3,000 transitions into higher education with over $16,000,000 in college scholarships awarded through our program over the past decade.
2:08:25
Dance wave is uniquely positioned to provide focused career development support, helping youth to understand, prepare for, and navigate the vast career options available to them.
2:08:35
We intentionally prioritize outreach to our wide network of over 50 New York City school partners where we engage thousands of students each year as well as peer organizations such as Jamelle Gaines Creative Outlet, Move NYC and Brooklyn Ballet.
2:08:49
We provide free access to DTCB for New York City youth who otherwise would not have access to the program and who are often first generation college students.
2:08:58
With the arts sector fueling the workforce and local economy, programs like DTCB will only help to strengthen our city.
2:09:06
I encourage the committee to continue advocating for funding and to consider how community based organizations like Dance Wave can serve as a resource to city council including, but not limited to, informing and supporting proposed legislation like the jointly sponsored introduction number 700, a local law requiring DYCD to establish a college admissions and counseling program to prospective college students and their families.
2:09:32
These initiatives can and should be fully inclusive of local programs, like DTCB and all of ours, that support college preparation and career development in the arts.
2:09:40
Thank you so much.