Organization Details:
The River Performing And Visual Arts Center
The River’s mission is to provide an accessible, affordable, fine arts education for special children, ages 2-19, who have disabilities, chronic illnesses, or are economically disadvantaged. Siblings are welcome.
Description:
The River is a place where underserved children, along with their siblings, can feel welcome, express themselves creatively, and meet new friends so they feel less socially isolated.
The River is about inclusion in the world of dance, music, art and drama. Students have a broad range of disabilities. Some are mild, some severe. The River focuses on the ability, never the disability. It’s about success. It’s about artistic expression, which may be as simple as shaking a tambourine to a beat or as complicated as learning an African dance routine. Students gain a hands-on appreciation for the arts while boosting their self-esteem, socialization skills, and ability to follow directions.
The River provides Saturday Morning classes during the school year, and six one-week summer camps during the summer months. The students perform in recitals at the end of each semester and at the end of each week in summer camp. They shine on stage!
History:
In 1996, a little girl with mild cerebral palsy named Samantha wanted to take ballet, just like many other little girls. Dance studios, concerned that they couldn’t accommodate her, turned her down. Samantha’s determined mother, Cathy Binstock – vowing that no child should be denied the opportunity to participate in the richness of an arts education – rolled up her dedicated sleeves, contacted arts instructors and friends, and The River Performing and Visual Arts Center was born. Twelve years and more than 8,000 children later, The River’s students represent a broad ethnic background as well as a broad range of disabilities that include: autism; ADD and ADHD; blindness/visual impairment; Down syndrome; deafness/hearing impairment; developmental delays; spina bifida; and many others.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (713) 521-2358
Address:
Web Site: http://www.theriver.org
Directions:
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Please contact The River office for directions. |
| Last updated on January 13, 2009 |
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