The Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation
was established in December, 1999 by family
and friends in memory of Gabriella Axelrad, a
13−year−old who loved to dance. It was the
hope of Gabri's family and friends that
underserved Los Angeles children might receive
the same joy and benefits from dance that Gabri
had in her short life.
In May, 2000, the Foundation's dance program,
everybody dance!, opened its doors in a
low−income housing project just west of
downtown. The program started with 35
students in 12 weekly classes. Demand for
dance classes was so intense, however, that
the program was forced to keep adding classes
and establishing wait lists. There are now more
than 1000 students enrolled in over 150 weekly
dance classes in ballet, jazz, tap, hip−hop,
ballroom and modern dance. The program has
been featured in the Los Angeles Times, People
Magazine, Biography Magazine, California Lawyer
Magazine, Family Circle Magazine and on KNBC,
KCAL, KTTV, KCBS, KMEX and KNXT Radio.
In 2005, the Foundation opened a
dance−themed public elementary charter school
– one of the first such schools in the United
States. Gabriella
Charter School (GCS)
students study dance one hour each day
(taught by everybody dance! instructors) and
dance is infused into the standards−based
curriculum. In 2006, Los Angeles Magazine
described GCS as “one of 60 great elementary
schools you should know about;” in 2007,
GCS won a Siart Foundation Charter School
Excellence Award; and in 2008, GCS won the
Insight Innovation School Award.
With the help and support of many individuals
and organizations, everybody dance! is giving
Los Angeles' underserved children a chance to
expand their potential and broaden their
horizons through the arts. everybody dance!
strives to instill in its students a love of dance
and the arts, while increasing their chances for
a productive future.
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