Create Beautiful DancersFor Sixty - Five years Balletcenter has been the focal point of classical dance in Cebu, nurturing talent, educating audiences and opening windows of expression for countless numbers of citizens. Ten - years ago we implemented our Barangay Pasil outreach scholarship program. Each summer we scholarship over a hundred children in an introduction to classical ballet. Summers 2008 to 2012 we taught yoga-fusion classes for the senior citizens of Barangay Pasil to help heal their aches and give them an overall feeling of well-being. All students young and old were given free training as part of our mission to reach out to the underprivileged. In 2007 we started the year round scholarship program for the under privileged. We presently teach forty-five aspiring dancers at Balletcenter from beginner to advance.
As an integral part of our mission, we continue to reach out to touch the lives of the underprivileged through classes and performances. • Fall 2006 we gave a free performance at SM. In the summer of 2007 we taught for the Missionaries of Charity in Barangay Alaska. • Fall 2007 we gave a free concert in the Ayala Activity Center • Summer 2008 we gave a free concert in the Barangay hall of Pasil. • Summer 2009 we gave free classes in Barangay Pasil 2010 - 2011 we scholarship twenty-two students for our annual school program. We provide all costumes free of charge. In 2011 Balletcenter extended its reach to Jao Island Bohol. Teaching to over a hundred students age 4-adult in rudimentary circumstances. Quarterly teachers are sent to Jao to work with the underprivileged. • 2012 – 2013 We scholarship over two hundred students from Barangay Pasil, Mandaue Central School and Jao Island in Bohol combined. • 2014 – 2015 We launched our scholarship program at Barangay Banilad, Labangon, Looc, Lapu – Lapu and Lapu – Lapu Central School. Raising our scholarship attendees to three hundred. For the last Ten - years we’ve donated tickets to the underprivileged and less fortunate including the Missionaries of Charity, to our performances. Over half of our audience comes from the donated tickets to the underprivileged. And over 2/3 of the participants in our productions are our scholarship students. The scholarship program was designed to encourage the dancer in all of us. To let flow the wings of creative energy to the masses and invigorate the desire to achieve! Through the fulfillment of dancing and moving through space each individual is able to feel joy and freedom. The study of ballet indeed fosters a myriad of positive attributes and encourages the student to excel in all walks of life. “We’re not only building dancers we’re building the Future!” The program in the barangays is taught in a humble environment. The students are barefoot and clad in an array of lose fitting garments. From this concentration of students over a 3 - year period, those that excel in motivation (be their body ideal for dance or not, as we are primarily focused on building the adult of the future) are promoted to attend classes in Balletcenter proper. The role of a scholar promoted to Balletcenter proper is to undergo teacher training which will give them the tools to earn a living, thereby caring for themselves and their families. Independence is the object. Independence from financial need. Balletcenter presently teaches 300 children in the barangays. 45 scholars have been promoted to Balletcenter proper. Now with the Philippine Deped instituting the K-12 program. Balletcenter training fuses perfectly with the ideal to make the graduating student job ready . To date we've sent eight dancers/ teachers to The Kingdom of Thailand and two to Vietnam. Ten teachers on staff came from the scholarship program. Fifteen students are assistant teachers. Annually all scholars are invited to perform in Balletcenter performances giving them training in confidence, stage presence and courage. Funding is needed to continue the programs. 1. To subsidize the teacher’s salaries that teaches the disenfranchised 2. To provide ballet attire, leotards, tights, and ballet shoes 3. To provide Pointe shoes for the intermediate- advanced students 4. To provide costumes for all participants 5. To provide daily clothes and shoes for all participants (which will uplift their feeling of self worth) (most are lucky to own a pair of shorts and done facsimile of a shirt and flippers) 6. To pay for transportation for scholars to attend classes, rehearsals and performances 7. To pay for meals for scholars who attend classes, rehearsals, and performances 8. To build sets, backdrops and props for productions 9. To pay for theater costs 10. To pay for light and sounds 11. To pay for the crew to work the performances 12. To pay for transportation of sets and props 13. To pay for advertising 14. To pay for programs for the performances 15. Pay for medical care for the senior scholars 16. Pay for medical insurance for senior scholars 17. Pay for dental care |
PICTURES taken over the years
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