A Partnership Making Moves in Manchester
Since the 2019- 2020 school year the DEA Educational Foundation (DEAEF) has partnered with Granite State Dance Center to bring dance and positive life lessons to students in Manchester, New Hampshire. Through both Operation Engage and National Programs, this collaboration extends beyond teaching dance—it's about fostering resilience, promoting healthy choices, and building community in an area significantly affected by substance abuse.
Granite State Dance Center, led by owner and director Cathy Richard, has become a cornerstone of DEAEF’s outreach in Manchester. Cristine Dhimos, DEAEF Regional Director, praises Richard’s dedication: “She’s phenomenal. Cathy consistently goes above and beyond for DEAEF, bringing fresh ideas and a heartfelt commitment to her community. Her instructors are wonderful, and she cares deeply about Manchester, where there is a serious drug problem.”
“She’s phenomenal. Cathy consistently goes above and beyond for DEAEF, bringing fresh ideas and a heartfelt commitment to her community. Her instructors are wonderful, and she cares deeply about Manchester, where there is a serious drug problem.”
Bringing Dance to Schools, Summer, and Spring Break
Granite State Dance Center has taught DEAEF dance classes in many schools in the city and currently runs a 20-session program at Green Acres Elementary School. In January, they will expand to Beech Street Elementary and McLaughlin Middle School with 10-session programs. Each program kicks off with an energetic assembly featuring dance instructor Dyamond Peebles and her three sisters, who perform and engage students with messages of strength, health, and self-expression. Brian O’Keefe, DEA Outreach Specialist for DEA New England, often attends these assemblies, offering motivational talks to the students.
In addition to school-year programs, Granite State Dance Center also often runs DEAEF-funded Spring Break programs and summer camps. During Spring Break, the center opens its doors to students from participating schools, providing a safe, engaging environment where kids can continue learning and dancing while their parents are at work. "We teach them to stay busy and enroll in positive activities,” Richard explains. “It keeps them active and away from negative influences.”
The summer camps, also funded by DEAEF, are open to students from participating schools and the Granite State Dance Center community. These camps not only provide dance instruction but also emphasize healthy lifestyle choices, offering kids a constructive way to spend their time when school is out.
Impacting Lives Beyond Dance
Granite State Dance Center’s involvement goes far beyond choreography. Richard and her team use dance as a platform to address peer pressure, drug prevention, and making healthy life choices. They create a safe space for students to have open, sometimes difficult, conversations.
Richard recalls one parent thanking her after a discussion about peer pressure, saying, “It’s different when it comes from someone else other than a parent.” These interactions reinforce the program's broader goal: to keep kids engaged, provide them with healthy alternatives, and build a sense of belonging.
As Richard notes, hip-hop has become the dance style of choice: “Hip-hop resonates with the kids. They love the beats, the energy, and it’s a style that gets boys involved who might otherwise shy away from dance. It’s a fun, accessible way to reach them.”
“Hip-hop resonates with the kids. They love the beats, the energy, and it’s a style that gets boys involved who might otherwise shy away from dance. It’s a fun, accessible way to reach them.”
Looking Ahead
As Granite State Dance Center and DEAEF prepare to expand their reach in January, their shared mission of using dance as a tool for empowerment and prevention remains stronger than ever. Their partnership continues to offer students not just the joy of movement but life lessons that will stay with them long after the music stops.
“We're here to make a difference,” Richard says. “Music pulls everyone together, and through dance, we’re teaching kids how to make good choices and how to say no. It’s a message they need now more than ever.”
Updated Dec 23, 2024
Partnerships, YDP