BIHD Arts, Culture & Dance Institute
Youth & Community Development Through the Arts
While BIHD is widely recognized for its leadership in legal services, workforce development, and community empowerment, the organization has developed a strong and expanding commitment to the arts as a critical pillar of human development, mental health, and community integration.
Through the BIHD Arts, Culture & Dance Institute, we bring together strategic partnerships, professional artists, and culturally grounded programming to provide meaningful access to the arts for youth and families.
This initiative serves as the institutional home for BIHD’s growing arts ecosystem, integrating programs in dance, music, movement, and cultural expression into a unified vision for youth and community development.
A Strategic Partnership for the Arts
A cornerstone of this initiative is BIHD’s collaboration with KRUG Community Circle and the Classical Ballet and Dance Academy, under the artistic direction of Inna Duerr, Director of Arts and Dance Programs at BIHD.
Through this partnership, BIHD offers structured, high-quality training in classical ballet, movement, and performance, providing youth with both recreational and pre-professional pathways in the arts. These programs are designed not only to build technical skill, but to cultivate discipline, creativity, confidence, and artistic excellence.
This collaboration represents a powerful model in which community-based organizations and professional artists come together to expand access to the arts in a way that is inclusive, sustainable, and deeply impactful.
Arts as a Tool for Human Development and Mental Health
BIHD’s arts programming is intentionally designed to go beyond technical instruction. It is rooted in the understanding that sound, movement, and artistic expression are essential to strengthening the human spirit, particularly for individuals and families navigating migration, cultural transition, or social stress.
Through participation in dance and movement-based programs, youth are able to:
- Build emotional resilience and self-confidence
- Develop discipline and focus
- Strengthen social connections and teamwork
- Process experiences through creative expression
These programs are integrated within BIHD’s broader Youth and Community Development Institute, ensuring a holistic, trauma-informed approach that supports both creative and emotional well-being.
Expanding Cultural Expression: Dance, Movement & Identity
In addition to classical ballet, BIHD incorporates Argentine Tango as a central component of its cultural arts programming, led by Netza Roldan, who brings over 25 years of experience in teaching tango as both an artistic discipline and a tool for human development.
Through collaboration with KRUG, tango has been introduced as an accessible and transformative practice that combines music, movement, cultural identity, and emotional expression. This work has proven especially meaningful for immigrant communities, fostering healing, intergenerational connection, and cultural exchange.
Youth Leadership and Employment in the Arts
As part of its continued growth, BIHD is integrating Youth Employment in the Arts opportunities into its programming. Youth participants, ages 14-22, are engaged in supervised roles that combine artistic and administrative responsibilities, including:
- Assisting instructors in classes and rehearsals
- Supporting younger participants as mentors and role models
- Helping coordinate program activities and events
- Assisting with outreach, organization, and program operations
Through these experiences, youth gain valuable skills in leadership, communication, responsibility, and workplace readiness, while developing pathways toward future careers in the arts and nonprofit sectors.
Accessibility and Community Impact
Accessibility is a central pillar of BIHD’s arts programming. All programs are offered in culturally and linguistically responsive formats, with many services provided at low or no cost to participants. BIHD actively works to remove barriers related to:
- Income
- Language
- Immigration status
- Access to cultural institutions
Programs are designed to be inclusive and adaptable, with accommodations available to ensure participation by individuals of all abilities, in alignment with Illinois Arts Council accessibility standards.
Through performances, workshops, and community events, BIHD’s Arts, Culture & Dance Institute serves as a bridge between communities, creating spaces where art becomes a vehicle for healing, dialogue, and shared human experience.
Leadership in the Arts
BIHD’s arts programming is supported by a dedicated team of professionals and artists, including:
- Inna Duerr, Director of Arts and Dance Programs
- Anastasia Beresneva, Artistic and Dance Instructor
- Tatyana Vaskanich, Dance Instructor
- Netza Roldan, CEO & Cultural Arts Lead (Argentine Tango)
Arts Advisory & Cultural Partners
- Roman Polinovskiy, CEO – KRUG Community Circle
- Lyuva Gonchar, Artistic Director – KRUG
- Tatyana Vaskanich, American Tango Institute
Our Framework
BIHD’s Arts, Culture & Dance Institute is built on three core pillars:
Through this integrated model, BIHD continues to expand access to the arts as a powerful tool for personal growth, community connection, and the holistic development of the individuals and families we serve.
Community Gallery
