Growing Together: A Mid-Year Update from Los Angeles
Written by Allie Laliberte, LA Program Manger
As we move through 2026, the Creative Netwerk Los Angeles Chapter continues to expand opportunities for young people through arts education, mentorship, and community partnerships. The first half of the year has been filled with meaningful growth, both in the number of students we serve and in the depth of the experiences we provide. Through dance, DJ education, performance opportunities, and workforce development initiatives, we remain committed to empowering young people and strengthening the communities we serve.
One of our largest partnerships this year has been our continued work with Glendale Unified School District. From January through June, Creative Netwerk provided dance programming at 15 school sites across the district, serving students from Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten through 6th grade. Throughout the semester, our teaching artists delivered high-quality instruction that encouraged creativity, self-expression, teamwork, and confidence. Students had opportunities to explore movement, rhythm, and performance while building important social and emotional skills that extend beyond the classroom. Working across 15 schools allowed us to consistently engage hundreds of young people each week and further demonstrate the value of arts education as an essential part of student development. We are excited to continue this partnership in the fall and return to all 15 schools for another year of programming.
Alongside our school-day partnerships, Creative Netwerk continued its long-standing collaboration with After-School All-Stars Los Angeles. Throughout the spring, our team facilitated more than 10 dance and DJ classes each week, providing students with creative outlets and access to culturally responsive arts programming outside of the traditional school day. These programs create spaces where young people can develop confidence, learn new skills, and build meaningful relationships with mentors and peers. Whether students are learning choreography, experimenting with music technology, or discovering new forms of artistic expression, they are gaining skills that support both personal and academic growth.
The success of our spring programming has led to an expanded summer schedule with After-School All-Stars. This summer, Creative Netwerk is facilitating over 25 dance and DJ classes each week, significantly increasing access to arts education for young people across Los Angeles. The growth of this partnership reflects the impact these programs have on students and the continued demand for high-quality arts opportunities in after-school spaces.
This spring also marked an exciting return to Boys & Girls Club Watts-Willowbrook. Throughout the month of May, Creative Netwerk facilitated two classes per week with teaching artist Rebekah Denegal, reconnecting with students and staff while bringing creative movement and arts experiences back into the community. Being back at the club reminded us of the importance of sustained community partnerships and the positive impact that consistent arts programming can have on young people. The enthusiasm and energy from students quickly reaffirmed why this work matters.
Our spring sessions at Boys & Girls Club Watts-Willowbrook also helped launch an expanded summer partnership. Throughout the summer, we are facilitating a two-week intensive program that will take place twice each week, with two classes offered per day. These sessions provide students with opportunities to deepen their skills, strengthen their confidence, and experience the benefits of sustained arts education in a supportive environment. We are grateful to continue investing in the young people of Watts and Willowbrook and look forward to building on this partnership in the years ahead.
While students experience the impact of our programs directly, much of the work that strengthens those programs happens behind the scenes. Throughout 2026, Creative Netwerk has made a significant investment in supporting and developing our teaching artists. National Program Manager Dorian Cohen has conducted one-on-one meetings with instructors to strengthen individual curriculum development and help teachers continue growing as educators. These sessions provide opportunities for reflection, feedback, and collaboration while ensuring that students receive the highest-quality learning experiences possible.
Our DJ programming has also reached an exciting milestone this year. Under the leadership of Jesus “MadChill” Robles, our Head DJ Instructor, Creative Netwerk has developed and refined a comprehensive DJ curriculum that can be implemented across programs throughout the region. Jesus worked closely with our growing team of DJ instructors to create curriculum materials, establish learning outcomes, and ensure consistency across classrooms. Through a series of collaborative meetings, instructors shared ideas, tested lesson plans, and refined content to create the strongest possible learning experience for students. This work has laid the foundation for continued growth in our DJ programming and will help us serve even more young people in the future.
Our dance educators have also come together throughout the year to strengthen their teaching practices and learn from one another. Creative Director King Charles led professional development sessions that explored his personal teaching methodologies, including the Puzzle Technique, a strategy designed to help students break down movement concepts into manageable pieces before combining them into larger choreographic works. This training provided valuable opportunities for instructors to expand their teaching toolkits and deepen their understanding of effective arts education practices.
In addition to formal professional development, Creative Netwerk prioritizes relationship-building among staff. Throughout the year, teachers have gathered for coffee meetups and team-building sessions that allow them to share successes, discuss challenges, and collaborate on ways to increase their impact. Building a strong community among educators helps create stronger experiences for students and supports the long-term sustainability of our programs.
Beyond classroom instruction, Creative Netwerk continues to create meaningful performance opportunities for young artists. This year, Los Angeles team members Allie Laliberte and Dorian Cohen worked alongside ICEF Performing Arts to support students participating in a production of Newsies. Collaborations like these provide students with valuable opportunities to develop their performance skills while working within a professional artistic environment.
Our partnership with ICEF also created opportunities for students to perform outside of traditional school settings. ICEF dancers were invited to perform at BlaktinX, a professional dance showcase celebrating Black and Latin culture through movement and artistic expression. Featuring choreography by Dorian, the performance gave students the opportunity to share the stage in a professional setting while representing their communities and showcasing their talents. Experiences like these can be transformative for young people, helping them build confidence while exposing them to new possibilities within the arts.
The ICEF students continued performing Dorian's choreography at additional events throughout the year, including performances at Downtown Disney and Olympic and Paralympic Day celebrations. These opportunities allow young artists to share their work with wider audiences while developing the confidence, discipline, and professionalism that come from performing in public settings.
One of the most exciting developments within our Los Angeles chapter this year has been our continued commitment to creating pathways from student participation to employment and leadership. At Creative Netwerk, we believe youth development does not end when a student completes a program. We strive to create opportunities for young people to remain connected to our organization as mentors, assistants, instructors, and leaders.
This year, we have continued implementing a model that brings former Creative Netwerk and ICEF students back into our programs as assistants. This approach benefits both younger participants and emerging leaders. Younger students gain mentors who understand their experiences, while former students develop valuable professional and leadership skills that can support future career opportunities.
A powerful example of this pathway is Ronnell Stanford. Ronnell first engaged with Creative Netwerk as a student and has since grown into an important member of our team as assistant teaching artist. Throughout this year, he has assisted classes at Boys & Girls Club Watts-Willowbrook and After-School All-Stars, supporting instructors and serving as a role model for younger students. Through his dedication, leadership, and commitment to the community, Ronnell has continued to grow as an educator and mentor.
This July, Ronnell will teach his first class as a Creative Netwerk instructor. His journey from student to assistant to teacher represents the type of long-term impact we hope to create through our work. It demonstrates the power of investing in young people, providing mentorship, and creating pathways for leadership and employment within their own communities. Watching former students return as educators is one of the most meaningful measures of success for our organization, and we are incredibly proud of Ronnell's achievement.
As we look ahead to the second half of 2026, we remain focused on expanding access to high-quality arts education while deepening our impact across Los Angeles. We are excited to continue summer programming with After-School All-Stars and Boys & Girls Club Watts-Willowbrook, and we look forward to returning to Glendale Unified School District this fall to serve 15 schools once again. At the same time, we will continue investing in our teaching artists, strengthening curriculum development, creating performance opportunities, and supporting pathways for youth leadership.
None of this work would be possible without the support of our community partners, educators, families, donors, and students. Together, we are creating spaces where young people can explore their creativity, develop confidence, discover their potential, and build meaningful connections. Every class, performance, mentorship opportunity, and partnership contributes to a larger vision of empowering young people through the arts and creating lasting positive change within our communities.
