Ballet Blooms in Urban City of Compton, CA, Receives City, State & Federal Honors
Compton, CA -- March 30, 2008 - Proving that classical dance can thrive as an alternative to hip hop's strong influence in one of the country's most challenged inner cities, honors were given to a small community based dance academy in the heart of Compton, California last week. In honor and recognition of excellence in community service, Compton Dance Theatre (CDT) and its Founder/Artistic Director, Carol Bristol-Henry, received awards and acknowledgements from local, state and federal representatives at the City of Compton's 2008 Community Development Week luncheon.
From the City of Compton, Bristol-Henry and Compton Dance Theatre, a ballet, modern and traditional dance foundation, received the Addie Patterson Award for Outstanding Service in Community Development. A Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition was bestowed from the U.S. House of Representatives, and a Certificate of Recognition was presented from the California Legislature Assembly. Additionally, Bristol-Henry was the recipient of a Teacher of the Year 2007-2008 award from CDT's students and parents.
Students along with members from its professional troupe performed two pieces choreographed by Bristol-Henry. The audience, comprised of numerous City of Compton commissioners and dignitaries, and representatives from the state of California and U.S. House of Representatives, were impressed with the dancers' discipline, technique and choreography.
Upon receiving the award, Bristol-Henry gave an emotionally charged acceptance speech, acknowledging the dedication of her husband, students, their parents and supporters. As she thanked the City of Compton, state and federal representatives, she recapped the beginnings of CDT in Compton and the barriers she faced in establishing the fledgling dance academy in the inner city.
'I started Compton Dance Theatre Foundation unintentionally', Bristol-Henry remarked, 'and my friends thought I was crazy; they said I shouldn't do it; that it would ruin my career by association'. Visibly moved by Bristol-Henry's message and emotion, the audience frequently responded with 'Amen' and words of encouragement throughout her speech.
With a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Howard University, a Masters Degree in Dance and Dance Education from N.Y.U., CDT's Founder studied dance at Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She is also an accomplished performance artist. Bristol-Henry explained, 'I reluctantly started teaching dance at Compton High School as a way to earn money between gigs. I was very uncertain about making any kind of a difference'.
She described how she used to wait for traffic to clear before leaving the high school to go home and she noticed that idle students would fight just to entertain one another. The more studious young people were left to defend themselves or seek refuge in the few after-school activities that were available to avoid becoming prey to the fighters.
'On a whim', continued CDT's Founder, 'I offered to teach the dances I had started working on during my regular daytime classes to three students after school. They came consistently, invited their friends and relatives and expressed how grateful they were to me for spending time with them and giving them an opportunity to feel good about themselves.'
'Later', stated Bristol-Henry, 'several of them confided in me about not having alternative activities to gangs and other risky behavior, and that dance was their only reason for showing up to school everyday and not getting into trouble.'
With arts acting as a reflection of society and culture, Compton is more known for 'gangster rap', 'soft-porn rap videos', corruption and crime. It is this reputation that the City of Compton is combating and which makes it vitally important for arts programs such as Compton Dance Theatre to exist and to serve the youth of the greater South Los Angeles area.
After seeing the overwhelming need for regular after-school dance programming, Bristol-Henry scrambled for space to hold classes for her faithful students. 'This is the only dance outlet that promotes an entire re-education on dance for both genders. Instead of being violent to one's self or another person, the preservation of life, health, and well-being is addressed. The young people in my program not only receive professional training in dance, they are held accountable for being self-directed, disciplined, and aspiring toward excellence in all that they do. They are also encouraged to experience life beyond their zip code', she added.
In 2002, Bristol-Henry founded the 501c3 nonprofit corporation to become eligible for the much needed artistic and financial support. She explained, 'I decided to call it Compton Dance Theatre Foundation because I wanted my students to have something that was a positive reflection on their neighborhood and on their efforts to make a difference in their community.'
Evidence of the quality of CDT's dance training is seen in one of its 11 year old students, Victoria Portor, who auditioned and was accepted to American Ballet Theater's 2008 summer intensive program. Compton Dance Theater has developed partnerships with the Los Angeles Music Center which referred American Ballet Theater's education outreach director to CDT.
'Of course funding remains the biggest challenge we face and survival is put to the test on an all too frequent basis', said Bristol-Henry, adding 'we have been the recipient of grants and appreciate what has been provided thus far. But to continue, we need additional funding and more funding resources. We also need a permanent home.'
Compton Dance Theatre is currently located at 534 W. Compton Blvd. and can be reached by calling (310) 669-9908 or at www.comptondancetheatre.org
/Online version of this news release, PDF, MSWord:
http://www.rapidpressrelease.com/Press-Release/Arts+Entertainment/005385.asp/
Contact:
Adrienne Malka
Compton BalletCompton Dance Theatre Foundation
P.O. Box 3092 Compton, California 90223
(310)669-9908
From the City of Compton, Bristol-Henry and Compton Dance Theatre, a ballet, modern and traditional dance foundation, received the Addie Patterson Award for Outstanding Service in Community Development. A Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition was bestowed from the U.S. House of Representatives, and a Certificate of Recognition was presented from the California Legislature Assembly. Additionally, Bristol-Henry was the recipient of a Teacher of the Year 2007-2008 award from CDT's students and parents.
Students along with members from its professional troupe performed two pieces choreographed by Bristol-Henry. The audience, comprised of numerous City of Compton commissioners and dignitaries, and representatives from the state of California and U.S. House of Representatives, were impressed with the dancers' discipline, technique and choreography.
Upon receiving the award, Bristol-Henry gave an emotionally charged acceptance speech, acknowledging the dedication of her husband, students, their parents and supporters. As she thanked the City of Compton, state and federal representatives, she recapped the beginnings of CDT in Compton and the barriers she faced in establishing the fledgling dance academy in the inner city.
'I started Compton Dance Theatre Foundation unintentionally', Bristol-Henry remarked, 'and my friends thought I was crazy; they said I shouldn't do it; that it would ruin my career by association'. Visibly moved by Bristol-Henry's message and emotion, the audience frequently responded with 'Amen' and words of encouragement throughout her speech.
With a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Howard University, a Masters Degree in Dance and Dance Education from N.Y.U., CDT's Founder studied dance at Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She is also an accomplished performance artist. Bristol-Henry explained, 'I reluctantly started teaching dance at Compton High School as a way to earn money between gigs. I was very uncertain about making any kind of a difference'.
She described how she used to wait for traffic to clear before leaving the high school to go home and she noticed that idle students would fight just to entertain one another. The more studious young people were left to defend themselves or seek refuge in the few after-school activities that were available to avoid becoming prey to the fighters.
'On a whim', continued CDT's Founder, 'I offered to teach the dances I had started working on during my regular daytime classes to three students after school. They came consistently, invited their friends and relatives and expressed how grateful they were to me for spending time with them and giving them an opportunity to feel good about themselves.'
'Later', stated Bristol-Henry, 'several of them confided in me about not having alternative activities to gangs and other risky behavior, and that dance was their only reason for showing up to school everyday and not getting into trouble.'
With arts acting as a reflection of society and culture, Compton is more known for 'gangster rap', 'soft-porn rap videos', corruption and crime. It is this reputation that the City of Compton is combating and which makes it vitally important for arts programs such as Compton Dance Theatre to exist and to serve the youth of the greater South Los Angeles area.
After seeing the overwhelming need for regular after-school dance programming, Bristol-Henry scrambled for space to hold classes for her faithful students. 'This is the only dance outlet that promotes an entire re-education on dance for both genders. Instead of being violent to one's self or another person, the preservation of life, health, and well-being is addressed. The young people in my program not only receive professional training in dance, they are held accountable for being self-directed, disciplined, and aspiring toward excellence in all that they do. They are also encouraged to experience life beyond their zip code', she added.
In 2002, Bristol-Henry founded the 501c3 nonprofit corporation to become eligible for the much needed artistic and financial support. She explained, 'I decided to call it Compton Dance Theatre Foundation because I wanted my students to have something that was a positive reflection on their neighborhood and on their efforts to make a difference in their community.'
Evidence of the quality of CDT's dance training is seen in one of its 11 year old students, Victoria Portor, who auditioned and was accepted to American Ballet Theater's 2008 summer intensive program. Compton Dance Theater has developed partnerships with the Los Angeles Music Center which referred American Ballet Theater's education outreach director to CDT.
'Of course funding remains the biggest challenge we face and survival is put to the test on an all too frequent basis', said Bristol-Henry, adding 'we have been the recipient of grants and appreciate what has been provided thus far. But to continue, we need additional funding and more funding resources. We also need a permanent home.'
Compton Dance Theatre is currently located at 534 W. Compton Blvd. and can be reached by calling (310) 669-9908 or at www.comptondancetheatre.org
/Online version of this news release, PDF, MSWord:
http://www.rapidpressrelease.com/Press-Release/Arts+Entertainment/005385.asp/
Contact:
Adrienne Malka
Compton BalletCompton Dance Theatre Foundation
P.O. Box 3092 Compton, California 90223
(310)669-9908
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