New nonprofit

NEW NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION PROVIDES PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES TO CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES/SPECIAL NEEDS
Dramakinetics of Cincinnati to Start Classes in January

CINCINNATI, Nov. 13—The Resident Home Corporation, an organization that has been providing support to families and individuals with developmental disabilities since 1963, is proud to announce their sponsorship of a new non-profit organization, Dramakinetics of Cincinnati.

Dramakinetics of Cincinnati will provide 12 weekly performing arts classes, starting in January. These classes are for children with and without disabilities/special needs between the ages of 9 months and 14 years old. The classes include music, movement, and drama as the means to teach and learn.

“The activities allow children to work on their developmental goals, no matter what their abilities are, in a performing arts setting,” said Colleen McSwiggin, Associate Director. “The integrated classes mean that typical children can be role models for their peers with developmental challenges, and that children can interact in a diverse group setting to minimize the stigma attached to the labels of ‘disabled’ or ‘special needs.’”

The classes will be held at four locations at various times during the week. Class locations are:

• The Resident Home Corporation (in Monfort Heights)
3030 West Fork Road
Cincinnati, Ohio 45211

• The Madisonville Arts Center
5021 Whetsel Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45227

• The Kids First Sports Center (in Mason)
7900 East Kemper Road
Cincinnati, Ohio 45249

• The College Conservatory of Music (CCM) College Preparatory Department on the University of Cincinnati campus in the Corbett Center for the Performing Arts

There are fees for the classes ($15 per class for Beginning Dramakinetics and $18 per class for Dramakinetics I, II and III), but some scholarships are available.

Executive Director Pam Shooner, who has master’s degrees in Special Education and Theatre Arts, originally taught Dramakinetics classes in New York in the 1990s. Since the spring of 2006, she has taught two Dramakinetics classes each week: one at CCM and one at the Resident Home Corporation. Those classes were funded by a grant from CCM’s College Preparatory Department.

In order to expand services to additional children, Dramakinetics of Cincinnati was founded in April 2007 by Shooner and McSwiggin. McSwiggin, a former microbiologist for Procter & Gamble, is the mother of two boys: Joe (age 6) has Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), which is on the autism spectrum, and Jack (age 4) is typically-developing.

McSwiggin stated, “Both of my sons love the classes, but Joe especially has benefited. Things started to click for him – he’s less in his own world and starting to have actual conversations. Developmentally, he’s taken a huge step forward this year. I think a lot of that has to do with his involvement in Dramakinetics.”

Dramakinetics of Cincinnati is also available to provide classes to individuals of all ages and abilities at schools, libraries, assisted living facilities and other settings.

To find out more information regarding all of the services Dramakinetics of Cincinnati provides or to register, volunteer, or donate, please refer to the website at www.dramakinetics.org or contact Colleen McSwiggin at dramakinetics@fuse.net or 513-484-0112 for more information.