2007 Free Matinees and Scholarships
Janet Pilla and Simon Gratz students
In the Spring of 2007, through the assistance of Tessie Varthas at the Office of Language, Culture & the Arts at the School District of Philadelphia, JRD company member and Instructor, Janet Pilla, met with Simon Gratz High School dance director Mikki Stephens, and arranged for a ten-session, in-school residency at Gratz. Ms. Pilla instructed 20 ninth, tenth and eleventh graders in the Limon Technique and the sessions culminated in a presentation by the students, as well as final research papers.
During the 2007 performance season, approximately 90 fifth & sixth graders from St. Malachy School and the Russell Byers Charter School attended a free matinee performance. They were transported to the Performance Garage on buses provided by Jeanne Ruddy Dance. Before the performance the students engaged in a talk-back session about both environmental issues and dance with Artistic Director Jeanne Ruddy and Composer Ellen Fishman-Johnson.
In July 2007, JRD company member and instructor, Janet Pilla led a one-week, intensive Improvisation residency at Archbishop Ryan High School. This residency was coordinated through the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership (PAEP). On the last day of the residency the students took turns leading the others in an improvisation, which encouraged a strong sense of community and leadership skills among the participants.
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!
