Atlantic Dance Theater Inc

Atlantic Dance Theatre (ADT), founded in 1985, is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing the joy of dance to Eastern North Carolina through collaborative educational opportunities and public performances. ADT wants to enrich the lives of all the students in our communities through exposure to professional dance performances.  Our long history includes partnering with JT Barber Elementary School in the 1990’s to provide a three-year residency.  This residency won the Governor's Award for Programs of Excellence in Education. Since 2018, ADT has provided multiple in-school performances, while expanding its reach beyond Craven County to provide enriching performing arts for students in Jones, Pamlico, Duplin and Greene Counties.  

ADT remains focused on its mission of providing dance to build young lives while fulfilling its commitment to enriching culture and supporting the area's vibrant arts community. We’ve partnered with Craven Community Lifetime Learn Center (CCLLC) to bring multiple professional artist to the area to perform at Orringer Theater.

The arts, in this case dance, helps children’s brains develop and make connections.  It’s amazing to see the students become engaged and enthralled as they learn about different cultures and are exposed to different forms of dance. We witnessed an autistic student find a new outlet through dance as a result of a residency we were able to bring to his rural school.

Our programs have included the Carolina Ballet, West African dancer and drummers, Native American jingle dancers and hoop dancers, Scottish dancers showcasing traditional dancers while relating it to local history and modern dancers performing a dia de lost muerto’s dance to classical composer Saint Saen.

Art enriches our lives, offering depth, meaning, and connection. It invites us to explore the world through different perspectives, fostering emotional expression and reflection. Dance is an incredible way to engage both the body and mind. It encourages creativity by activating the brain's neural pathways, helping to improve coordination, focus, and problem-solving abilities. By combining both art and dance, we nurture a holistic approach to creativity and personal growth, stimulating both emotional and cognitive faculties.