United Cerebral Palsy Center – one of CDF’s first Community Partners

Children’s Dance Foundation continues to serve the children each week at United Cerebral Palsy Center – one of CDF’s first Community Partners.

“Go Away Toes, Come Back Toes.” Some parents know this song just as well as their children.  The song is one of the “greatest hits” that the children sing while participating in dance every Wednesday at United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Hand in Hand.  Children’s Dance Foundation (CDF) has been teaching our Movement-to-Music curriculum to the children in the Hand in Hand program since the mid 1980s.  UCP was one of CDF’s first community partners.  Classes are fun, educational and inclusive– a great compliment to Hand in Hand’s program.

Dance is a creative and healthy experience that benefits each and every child – the child who is healthy and the child who has special needs and challenges.  A non-profit founded in 1975, CDF reaches more than 1,500 students of all ages and abilities in our community arts center in Homewood and at more than 20 social service agencies, child care centers and schools throughout Birmingham – including UCP Hand In hand.

CDF’s Movement to Music curriculum is taught by a dancer and musician together.   Classes help children explore skills and concepts through movement, live music and tactile objects.  This creative and skill-building curriculum helps prepare the children to enter Kindergarten.  Many of the songs the children sing in class, including “Go Away Toes,” are featured on the CDF-produced CD, “Dance to Grow” which can be purchased from CDF.