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| 03/15/01
CONTACT:
Adele Field
Luckman Complex
(323) 343-6616
Calendar
of Events | BALLET HISPANICO BRINGS
"PRIMEROS PASOS"
TO L.A. PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOS ANGELES - On March 15, 2001 over 2,000 public school students attended performances of Ballet Hispanico's "CROSSING BORDERS" at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State L.A., presented by the Luckman's Creating Opportunities for Learning Through the Arts (COLTA) program. COLTA and the LAUSD Visual and Performing Arts Unit also arranged for Ballet Hispanico dancers to present more than 38 dance workshops in Los Angeles public schools. In the Schools
Ballet Hispanico, internationally renowned for its electrifying repertory and dancing, had its dancers work directly in the classroom with nearly 1,000 Los Angeles public school students. From March 12 through 16, a packed schedule of workshops, master classes, teacher workshops and performances highlighted the contributions of Latino traditions to contemporary culture. The company's dancers met face-to-face with the students in a series of lively, movement-filled classroom workshops, based on the scintillating rhythms and dances of Latino cultures from around the world. Among the 14 schools participating were Breed Street Elementary, Griffith Magnet Middle School, Western Avenue Elementary School, Grandview Elementary, Nightengale Middle School and Robert F. Kennedy Elementary. The Luckman
On Thursday, March 15, the Luckman Fine Arts Complex presented Ballet Hispanico's specially designed outreach performance Crossing Borders. Drawn from vibrant works created especially for Ballet Hispanico's repertory by Tony Award-winner George Faison and modern innovator David Rousséve, this 50-minute performance provided a theatrical insight into the dreams and struggles of immigrants in the United States. "This week's activities provided what I consider to be an ideal arts experience for students," says Luckman's Director of Education Carole Valleskey, who was a former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. "To have dancers of this caliber come into their schools and work directly with students, exploring movements and themes from their performance, and then for the students to see those very dancers onstage in that performance - well it's a transformative experience. There were some truly magical moments." She continues hopefully, "This is something that deserves to happen every year here. We just need a funder." Ballet Hispanico
Now celebrating its 30th anniversary under Artistic Director Tina Ramirez, Ballet Hispanico has performed for over two million people on three continents. The company's national television appearances include CBS Sunday Morning and the 1999 Hispanic Heritage Awards on NBC. Ballet Hispanico has been a pioneer in the field of arts education with its innovative public school program, "Primeros Pasos." Each year, Ballet Hispanico teaching artists and company members bring performances, workshops and tuition-free dance classes to over 25,000 public school students and teachers across the country. Funding
Coordinated by the Visual and Performing Arts Unit of the Los Angeles Unified School district and the Luckman Fine Arts Complex COLTA program, this residency was underwritten by the GE Fund, the national sponsor of Ballet Hispanico's acclaimed "Primeros Pasos" educational program, with additional support from the Lear Family Foundation and the Frances Lear Foundation. The GE Fund, a leading supporter of arts-in-education programs across the nation, is the 2000/01 national sponsor for "Primeros Pasos," continuing its nine-year support of this vital educational program. # # # |
