Pacific
Northwest Ballet 
301 Mercer Street
SeattleWA98109
206-441-2435206-441-2430
Program: DanceChanceYear Started: 1994 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 55 Ages: 7-8 Budget: $60,000 DanceChance brings the world of dance to selected third grade students in Seattle. The program focuses on low-income, inner-city children who would not otherwise have access to dance instruction because of the cost, transportation difficulties or lack of exposure. Working with 12 central-city schools, the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) screens children each October to identify those with physical ability, musicality and interest and transports them to the Pacific Northwest Ballet school facility for twice-weekly classes. After a 5-week session, students who show promise and interest are invited to return for a 20-week spring semester. PNB provides tuition-free instruction, dancewear, supplies and tickets to performances. The program incorporates a variety of fitness opportunities, from toning, yoga and Russian folk dance to instruction in classical ballet. Students can remain in this program for up to 2 years, after which promising students are mainstreamed into the training school of the Ballet Company to continue on full scholarship. "These are the kind of life-training experiences that carry children through," according to Larry Jacobs, principal at ORCA Elementary School. Reflecting on one of his students in the program, Jacobs says that "even if he stopped right now, he will have this memory and vision of possibilities for himself for the rest of his life." |