Summer is upon us with a wide variety of dance offerings to view and experience throughout the Capital Region and beyond. Dance Alliance is pleased to announce that $2200 in scholarship and grant money has been awarded in the past month to three deserving applicants.
Patricia and Sven Peterson Dance Scholarship recipient for 2022:
Kayleigh Duggan is a sophomore at Skidmore College with a double major in Dance and English.
She will attend the Bates Dance Festival from July 17-August 6. The Patricia and Sven Peterson Scholarship awarded Kayleigh $700 toward this summer dance experience.
Project Partnership Grant recipients for 2022:
The committee awarded Tsehaya Smith $750 toward a multi-generational project that will explore Flamenco’s percussive footwark and rhythm along with its geographical origins. The “From Page to Stage” program will take place at Firestation-Old Ladder #3 in Albany and includes additional funding and community collaborations with Albany County Youth Bureau, Susan Dake Family Foundation, and Capital Repertory.
The committee also awarded Kim Engel $750 for a 3 day multi-genre, timely, and collaborative program from September 19-21 at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center. Urban Bush Women will present works and workshops that revolve around social justice and racial equity for local high school students free of charge to the audience members. Tentative works may include UBW’s “Women’s Resistance”, “Give Your Hands to Struggle”, “Girlfriends”, “I Don’t Know, but I Been Told”, and “Haint Blu”. Prior to the performance, UBW will provide teachers with a curriculum guide to enhance the attendees’ experience.
The Patricia and Sven Peterson Dance Scholarship and the Project Partnership Grant are just two of your Dance Alliance membership benefits.
MOVE ON!, Dance Alliance’s teen/adult outreach program for participants with disabilities, will continue its community collaboration with SPAC’s School of the Arts during the summer months. A free dance class will occur from June 22 to August 4 on Wednesdays from 6:15-7:15. All in-person spots are currently filled, however, virtual spots in this hybrid class are still available. Registration is required: https://www.dancealliance.org/move-on/ In addition, the dancers of MOVE ON! will participate in a free ACCESS class taught by New York City Ballet dancers on Saturday, July 16th.
In addition, twenty-three of us will attend the July 15th SPAC performance of NYCB’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to which members received a significant discount. It will be one of the many opportunities for our members to meet and greet each other in the months ahead. See you in the audience!