The Middle Project’s first teen leadership program through the arts happened this summer. We call this section of The Middle Project: btw_youth. It literally means “by the way underscore youth” when texting.

Tadej Brdnik, a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company, guided teens to choreograph a flash mob dance to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. And Executive Director Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D, also taught useful communication tools about how to deal with conflict and how they can use various leadership styles in their social circles. The youth performed a flash mob dance at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan on Saturday, June 25 and surprised congregants of Middle Collegiate Church with a performance on Sunday, June 26 during worship.

Video of the performance at South Street Seaport can be seen here:

If you’re having trouble viewing the video, click here to watch on Vimeo.

btw_youth teens dancing at South Street Seaport

btw_youth teens perform during a Middle Church Sunday Celebration

Homepage slider photo by Guilherme Licurgo.