2006 Matinees and Scholarships
During both the Fall/Winter and Winter/Spring semesters, 8 Pre-Teens and 5 Teens from the surrounding neighborhoods of Fairmount and Spring Garden attended weekly modern dance classes on full scholarship. These classes were taught by JRD company member Gabrielle Revlock and JRD staff member Kate Jordan at the Performance Garage.
The Spring Garden Community Development Corporation (CDC) assisted Jeanne Ruddy Dance in identifying students from low-income and at-risk households to receive these scholarships.
As part of our outreach program, and 2006 Concert Season, Jeanne Ruddy Dance planed a special matinee for local fifth grade students.
Invited students observed JRD Company dancers warming up, followed by select performances from Mark Dendy's, No Fear of Flying and Jeanne Ruddy's newest work, Woa Cholena.
After the dances three students and one of their teachers were invited on stage to experience the process of learning dance movements. The audience could ask questions and all left with a 2006 concert season program and a new understanding of contemporary dance.
Here are some comments and Thank you's from the students!
"You can't make this performance better because it was great."
"The performance was perfect."
"Dear Ms. Jeanne, Thank you for giving us this trip and paying for it… thank you for paying for us to get on the bus. Most people don't do that for us but you [were] nice enough to do that. I loved the show!"
~Love always, Lonirah"
"I learned don't be afraid to show your true self"
"Don't be afraid to dance it doesn't matter what you look like or how old you are. "
"Thank you for having us at your wonderful Dance Garage Ms. Jeanne. You are a wonderful dancer... if you say we can [come back] I would be the first on the bus.
~Your friend Tychen"
We thank PNC Bank, Hassel Foundation, and The Harkness Foundation for Dance. We are very excited and working very hard but we couldn't do this without their generous funding and support. Thank you from all of us!
