Dance and Dialogue Brings Abundant Joy to Beverly Hills
Film and television producer/director Ernie Glucksman, his wife Judy, and their family lived in Beverly Hills for decades, always making it a priority to serve their community’s residents. Together, the couple supported the local schools, synagogues, and churches that asked for help by producing, directing, and choreographing countless local fundraisers. Now, decades later, their daughter, Ricka Glucksman Kelsch, has returned to her BH roots at the helm of her nonprofit, Dance and Dialogue. Through this arts organization, she has provided $15,000 worth of free programs per year to the Beverly Hills High School Dance department for the last five years!
Following an exciting, decades-long career in dance, choreography, and education, Ricka founded Dance and Dialogue in 2012 to make the highest quality dance classes accessible to youth everywhere – with an immediate emphasis on those in the overlooked regions of Los Angeles. The programs bring vetted, consummate professionals to these areas, and participants later apply what they learn, bringing their own creative input back to their communities. This exchange adds to the vibrancy that each of these locations contribute to the greater Los Angeles ecosystem.
Ricka is now a Certified Council Facilitator, PEERS provider, (a social skills program offered through UCLA’s Semel Institute), a Certified Social Emotional Facilitator, an Autism Movement Therapist, and is Certified in Social Emotional Arts (SEA) by UCLArts & Healing. Her work has garnered recognition from the Violence Prevention Coalition of Los Angeles, from previous Los Angeles Mayor, Eric Garcetti, current Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass, and several arts organizations on the local and state level. She has also received the Lester Horton Award for Community Leadership from the Dance Resource Center of Los Angeles. In 2022, Ricka was named to the Advisory Board of the Tarjan Center at UCLA.
Built on the principles of equity and equality for all, Dance and Dialogue is focused on providing intergenerational, multicultural programming throughout Southern California that combines evidence-based methods of social emotional learning, mindfulness practices, and social skills to promote cultural understanding. A true sense of community is created as the students work to address the fears that hold them back from connecting with one another.
“As we seek to build individuals, we also begin to build a sense of connection, and work to create a ripple effect of joy and promise for the future.” – Ricka Glucksman KelschAnd why BH? “Because everyone needs to be a part of the conversation when talking about equity and equality for all,” says Ricka. “Everyone needs to show up for kindness and humanity. Regardless of their demographic, today’s youth are most often suffering with high levels of anxiety, depression, and fear. When we operate from this mindset, our ability to see the full potential of our vision becomes limited and almost impossible to achieve.”
The Dance and Dialogue programs offer a way out of this mindset, moving participants from being fearful to being fully engaged and celebrating not only their strengths, but the uniqueness they each bring to the table. Students celebrate and uplift others through peer mentoring programs as they delve into age-appropriate, relevant themes such as bullying, gratitude, and civic engagement – all explored through the arts.
As the youth of BH works with BHUSD on committing to sustainable acts of kindness, Dance and Dialogue is proud to be an anchor to further this mission. Not only does the organization use the highest quality arts instructors available, but Ricka’s model of teaching has proven results, which will impact future generations of BH residents – and beyond. The students of BH are committed to supporting each other, and now through Dance and Dialogue, have the opportunity to connect way beyond the borders of this city, as they weave the fabric of culture, kindness, and a commitment to civic principles into the greater Los Angeles region. Using the arts as their common interest, participants come together as strangers, but leave forever bonded through this unique and empowering experience.
“I have to credit Ricka Kelsch and her Dance and Dialogue program as being the most thoughtful and appropriate program for the children of this generation.” – Connie Brandstetter, Administrator of Instruction, LAUSD
From All-City Workshops (recently taught by So You Think You Can Dance Professionals at the Wallis & more), to In-School Residency Programs for grades 3-12 in partnership with local school districts, to After School Community Centered Programs that engage whole families, to Summer Leadership Intensives, and new programs in the works, Ricka and her team are driven to create sustainable programs for maximum impact in the communities they serve. All programs are free; to inquire and learn more, visit https://danceanddialogue.org.
Dance and Dialogue is excited to announce a new special workshop, offered just to the students of BH in grades 4-12 on April 30th, in partnership with the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Anyone in the community in need of kindness, connection, and an abundance of JOY and dance is encouraged to drop by to witness the magic! Please RSVP to contact@danceanddialogue.com
Please join Ricka and Dance and Dialogue in the journey to impact, uplift, and connect more Southern California youth each year – over 36,000 served and counting!
