Canton Ballet has received an award of $3,685 from the Stark Community Foundation for an 8-week residency to create, produce and direct special needs students at Stark DD Rebecca Stallman Southgate School in a movement-based work for public performance at the school this fall. Artistic and executive director Cassandra Crowley will direct the project.
The charitable grant is funded by $1,000 from The Shira Charitable Fund and $2,685 from The Harvey J. and Elsie Dick Charitable Fund at the foundation.
The Southgate project by ballet faculty will expand the ballet’s reach into the special needs sector of its community. It will include music appreciation, curriculum integration and performance values awareness as well as arts, crafts, set design and construction and costume-making by students assisted by school staff.
The ballet offers awareness of and instruction in the art of dance with its public performances and its ballet school to the northeast ohio community. With its programs of financial aid, it also provides dance education and performance theatre opportunities to underserved youth.
Canton Ballet did a similar residency with Southgate School in 2010 which was funded by ArtsinStark and was met with great enthusiasm by Southgate principal Myrna Blosser, the students and their families. Blosser states she is “very excited to collaborate!!!” on the 2019 project.
