Monday through Thursday morning from January to April, students from Boston Public Schools arrive at the large brick building at the corner of Clarendon Street for an hour of fun. Stepping off the bus, they find themselves immersed in a world of dance.
They hang up their coats and change into their ballet leotards provided by the Boston Ballet as Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” plays over the speaker system, incentivizing them to change quickly, before the end of the song. Many of these students have never experienced the arts or dance before the program but welcome the opportunity to explore new heights.
Through the Boston Ballet’s Citydance Program, thousands of local students in the past thirty years have capitalized on the opportunity to learn about dance and connect with other students. While some students go on to careers in dance, the program emphasizes the value of the arts and bringing communities together. Community education program manager Natalie Correa expanded upon the program’s value.
“It is a tuition-free introduction to dance education for Boston Public Schools’ third graders,” she explained.
There are two parts, or acts as they are affectionately called, of the program. In the fall, ballet educators visit registered classrooms across the city and teach students about different dance concepts and fundamentals. In the spring, students from each classroom get the opportunity to come into the Boston Ballet education building and learn immersively.
“[We] select about five students from each classroom who really demonstrated body control and awareness, respect for self and others, enthusiasm for the workshop itself and who we can see really thrive or benefit from continuing their dance education with us,” Correa shared.
During the second act of Citydance, students spend time learning both about traditional ballet and a different movement form each week.
Correa explained the ease with which classrooms across Boston can sign up for the program, and how the Boston Ballet Team coordinates all of the behind the scenes work, including busing, for all the students.
“Since we handle all the paperwork and logistics directly … it is really just a matter of the classroom teachers signing up for the email list and being aware of when it's time to register for phase one of the program.”
To keep the program running strong for the past 30 years, Correa described how the community comes together to provide support. Local guest artists, ballet association volunteers and current company members all contribute to Citydance.
This past Wednesday, students stood in four rows of eight each, in line with one another during the ballet part of the lesson. Instructor Jacqui Strong cultivated a warm environment as students experimented with different facial expressions while trying out different movements like the plié and relevé.
As Strong asked, “What do these words mean?”, the students enthusiastically shouted out for each, respectively, “rise and bend!” Students eagerly asked if they would be able to sauté today. Sure enough, most enjoyed the sauté — or jump — which was saved for the end of programming.
Local hip-hop instructor Ashton Lites, also known as “Stiggity Stackz,” led a workshop on hip-hop with students in the second portion of the class, teaching them how to bounce and rock: two fundamentals of hip-hop dancing. As Lites demonstrated, students gathered round in an attempt to mimic his steps. They marveled at his smooth moves, shouting out “How does he do that?” Clearly, they were captivated. Counting to eight, he demonstrated a series of hip-hop steps and then added music in behind, leading the class.
By far the third graders’ favorite part of the lesson was the dance battle in which they combined newly learned steps with backing music and their own creativity. Lites encouraged students to hype each other up, fostering a supportive environment as everyone cheered for one another and clapped.
Beyond dance lessons with local artists, there are other opportunities for interactions between Citydance participants and members of the larger community. Last week, students were able to ask questions to current Boston Ballet Company members.
Correa noted the community building crucial to Citydance. “It’s layers of community that come together to make this happen.”
In addition to the community that works to make Citydance happen, Citydance itself is a community, made of the thousands of participants who have taken part in the program. Correa explained how alumni go on to work in diverse fields.
She described how, coincidentally, the last time she visited the dentist she found out her hygienist was an alumna of the Citydance program. The hygienist also told Correa how she made a best friend in the program who would eventually become her maid of honor at her wedding.
Other students have pursued careers in dance. For some students, program scholarships are the bridge to further education.
“We have something called the Raising the Barre Scholarship … we select about 30 students to receive a full scholarship. They get one summer program which is called ballet arts and explorations. … They get free tuition for elementary one, which is the first level of our classical ballet program … so there is a possibility to continue even further.”
The program has produced professional dancers as well, who have gone on to perform and work as choreographers.
Isaac Akiba, now retired professional dancer who danced with the Boston Ballet company for over ten years, explained how Citydance enabled him to discover the joys of dance in a personal essay for the Boston Magazine.
“I hadn’t known until then that the basic ballet movements I was learning in class could lead to what I was seeing on stage,” he wrote.
Another famous alumna danced alongside Beyoncé.
“Ebony Williams, who's a famous choreographer, and one of Beyoncé’s Single Ladies was part of the first cohort of Citydance,” Correa shared.
Citydance helps students develop a profound appreciation for the arts by welcoming students and showing them that dance is for them.
“I think what's great about the program is that it's not about the technique. It’s truly about fostering a love for dance and the arts. And creating the arts advocates and enthusiasts of the future.”
