The body says what words cannot. – Martha Graham
A typical day in the Metro Arts dance room can start before school (around 8:30am) and last until 10pm at night—it is by far the classroom with the most traffic on our campus.
Students arrive early, change out, and begin to warm up without any coercion—a work ethic which reflects the rigor and training of the department.
Beginning Ballet, Advanced Ballet, Middle School P.E., Physical Express (an art school version of P.E.), and Modern Dance may be in session on any given day. Students often work on their own choreography at lunch. The school’s dance company rehearses after school, and the resident dance company, which boasts some of our alumni, use the room at night. Community dance classes and workshops are also offered on weekends and nights, and many of our students take advantage of these.
We are a tuition-free, public charter arts high school. The students come from all over the Valley—some walk to school and others commute from an hour away. They are from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Some have never trained in dance and learn that they have a natural ability during their time in the program, while others have trained since they were toddlers.
Students do not have to ‘major’ in dance, which has, in turn, given amazing experiences to young men and women who can take the class, and who would probably never have had that experience or exposure to dance otherwise.
My Project
The very biggest challenge the Dance Department faces is that the floor of the dance room needs replacement. The floor is on the seventh year of a typical six-year lifespan, and shows its age. When the marley is worn down, it becomes slippery, which is not ideal.
Upgrading the existing floor will provide many benefits to the program.
The new flooring is thicker and will also work better with the sprung wood beneath. The wood color will revitalize the whole room, and will heighten the overall feeling and balance of the space. In general, it will brighten the days of the students and dancers, but also the teachers who devote their energy to instructing and inspiring the dancers in the program.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Lucas and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.