WHO ARE WE?
Our Story:
Founded in November 2024 by Sameea and Esha Patel—dancers from Hinsdale Central High School—The Movement Project grew from a simple idea: share their passion for dance.
For Sameea and Esha, dance (competitive dance, Hinsdale Central Poms, and Kathak) is much more than an afterschool activity. It has provided a fun method of exercise that simultaneously allows them to explore their creative side. It is an excellent stress reliever, and most importantly, it has given them a dance family.
As volunteers at a local assisted living facility, Sameea and Esha built relationships with the residents by spending time together playing games, doing crafts, and teaching Spanish. Through conversation, they learned more about the residents and what interesting lives they have led. They saw how excited the residents were to see them on a regular basis.
Sameea and Esha realized that they could share their love of dance with the residents in a modified way to help improve their mobility and give them a chance to connect with local high school students. They created The Movement Project with this goal in mind.
They recruited an enthusiastic team of high school volunteers through their network of dancers. What began as weekly classes at one facility has now expanded across the Chicagoland area, bringing movement, music, and connection to more communities.
For Sameea and Esha, dance (competitive dance, Hinsdale Central Poms, and Kathak) is much more than an afterschool activity. It has provided a fun method of exercise that simultaneously allows them to explore their creative side. It is an excellent stress reliever, and most importantly, it has given them a dance family.
As volunteers at a local assisted living facility, Sameea and Esha built relationships with the residents by spending time together playing games, doing crafts, and teaching Spanish. Through conversation, they learned more about the residents and what interesting lives they have led. They saw how excited the residents were to see them on a regular basis.
Sameea and Esha realized that they could share their love of dance with the residents in a modified way to help improve their mobility and give them a chance to connect with local high school students. They created The Movement Project with this goal in mind.
They recruited an enthusiastic team of high school volunteers through their network of dancers. What began as weekly classes at one facility has now expanded across the Chicagoland area, bringing movement, music, and connection to more communities.
