On Friday September 28, 2012 three hundred children from East Midvale Elementary School, a Title I school, attended a performance of ballet. They watched nine original works that ballet majors had choreographed, cheering loudly for each performance. Rachel Osterman, Sorenson Dance Scholar, had provided their teachers with instructional material about ballet prior to the show. She also served as MC, introducing the children to the theatre and hosting Q & A after each work. The students identified “classical” and “contemporary” works, happy and scary music, and asked many interesting questions. They wanted to know how our dancer kept so straight, what the ladies’ pointe shoes were made of, why the men wore tights, and how the dancers all managed to stay together. Our dancers had an opportunity to impress upon them that hard work and practice pay off!
One of the teachers reported: “The kids were excited by what they saw and came back to school twirling and standing on their toes, as well as talking about lighting, costumes, and creating straight lines, among other things.”
This performance was made possible by the generosity of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation.
Photos by Professor Richard Wacko.
