I was away - in Santa Fe!
I have now come home certified as a SEEDs Program facilitator.
What is SEEDs?
SEED stands for Self-esteem, Empowerment, & Education through Dance. It is a program designed for teenage girls by Myra Krien of Pomegranate Studios in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been running the program for 10 years and offering teacher training for 5. There are currently 7 SEED Programs up and running nationwide. Here are links to some with websites:
I am thrilled to be able to offer this program in Hawaii. Right now I am looking into locations and the community support I will need to make this possible. If you are at all interested in this program (as a participant in the program or as a supporter of it) please contact me and let me know:
The Mission of SEEDs:
To mentor young women in order to create healthy and strong individuals who are socially and fiscally responsible to themselves and their community. This is accomplished through the vehicle of dance, specifically American Tribal Style (ATS) dance, talking circles, journal writing, and presentations.
The Goals for each girl:
To find her own voice and be able to listen to it
To have higher self-esteem and confidence
To learn to plan and achieve goals, generate choices, create options, resources & support
To be ready to face financial independence
To respect, appreciate and be able to care for her own body
To respect, appreciate, and be able to care for others in the community
To respect and appreciate diversity and culture
The Program
Typically, SEEDs accepts up to 25 girls (ages 15-18) for one academic year of after school classes, 1.5 hours each, three times per week. They are taught the elements of American Tribal Style dance which is rich in diverse, artistic cultural movement spanning regions of India, the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. The girls participate in talking circles and journal writing during which they discuss issues affecting them. Each girl identifies a personal goal that she would like to achieve during the course of the program. Guest speakers cover a wide variety of topics from nutrition and body awareness to financial education. Many successful women of various fields that are of particular interest to the girls address the girls each week. Students perform only for student salons for family & close friends. Entrance into the program does not depend on demonstrated talent, standard beauty, or ability to pay the fees the program would require.
Please watch this short video to see what the program is like and hear from the girls & their parents about what the program has done for them:
