Jamnastics Inc

Causes: Arts & Culture, Arts Education, Dance, Physical Fitness & Community Recreational Facilities, Sports

Mission: To use the arts/sports of dance and gymnastics as a vehicle to build community, celebrate diversity, and promote positive change. On the surface this means that JAMNASTICS programs consist of quality dance and gymnastics instruction that is fun and meets the highest standards of safety as they are set by USA Gymnastics - the national governing body of gymnastics. Below the surface this means that while we strive to make our programs fun for youth, we also make sure they are educational. Through primary prevention programming, JAM'NASTICS Inc. provides youth with positive and constructive activities in and related to the arts/sports of gymnastics and many styles of dance. Through these activities, we cultivate self-esteem and life skills like goal-setting and conflict-resolution, as well as promote physical and mental health, non-violence and drug prevention. Most programs end with a culminating performance through which the youth are encouraged and provided with a forum to express their own ideas. Their performances give our youth the opportunity to share what they have learned with others, as well as act out their own thoughts and feelings about what is important to them. Our methods are designed to empower participants. Using techniques including skill progression and selective positive feedback, we are able to see and show participants their own success and progression at a pace that is comfortable to them. When participants are able to see their own success it helps build confidence, self-control, and the desire for additional success - and most importantly the ability to attain it. All of this is built around a core of understanding and appreciation for diversity. JAM'NASTICS strives to bring together students, teachers, and other staff members from many different backgrounds, which in itself provides an invaluable experience to everyone involved. Many of our students and staff are from low-income and various racial and ethnic backgrounds, and we at JAM'NASTICS know how important it is to bring primary prevention programs to youth who might not otherwise have access to them. Our most important goal is to keep our fun, safe, and educational programs available to the youth who most need them.