Discover a Dancer

Since 1997, the Discover a Dancer program has been providing dance training, dance attire and education of ballet as an art form for disadvantaged children and youth at risk.  This program offers a creative alternative to violence, gang association, substances abuse and leaving school for children whose family environment would probably never offer exposure to ballet.  Ballet class is a great equalizer for children, no matter what their social-economic background.

Children from an inner-city Title I school attend weekly ballet class at City Ballet studios for 40 weeks of instruction, they are provided dancewear, given tickets to attend professional ballet concerts with their family and the opportunity for each child to participate in City Ballet's Student Performance presented yearly.

The facility and materials are provided by City Ballet and each week the children's dance attired is laundered for them by faithful volunteers.  They attend class on the day of the week their school observes a half-day school day, thus providing them with a productive atmosphere of "belonging" besides to area gangs.  Discover a Dancer program gives these young people self-confidence and the good feeling that people care about their quality of life.