Providing Hope and Opportunity Through Dance, Academic and Family Programs
spring 2010
danceup MELANIE RÍOS GLASER, EXECUTIVE AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
The Wooden Floor from here you can step
in the first person: Kathy Avila, age 17 I first heard about The Wooden Floor through a friend when I was 9 years old. I was an active kid and loved sports so I looked at dance as just something to try, even though I wasn’t a fan of ballet. My parents didn’t have extra money for activities like this and I was able to attend for free. Little did I know how this decision would affect my life. I made a lot of friends, went to summer camps, and had opportunities to perform. I remember when I was little and in my first concert. Melanie gave us nicknames and my group, the youngest dancers, were called the “Pop Tarts.” Even now, she sometimes calls me her Pop Tart, even though I’m not so little anymore. The Wooden Floor was my home away from home. But everything changed when I was in the 5th grade. My parents went through a divorce and my sister and I went to live with my grandma. My parents were fighting and I didn’t have a good relationship with my dad. I was angry and started acting out and by the 6th grade I was suspended and almost kicked out of school. I was hanging around the wrong people. I had lost hope, didn’t care that I was failing school and I wanted to drop out of The Wooden Floor. My mom pleaded with me and told me, “This is a place that can help you. I
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Previously known as Saint Joseph Ballet
don’t have the resources.” With the encouragement of the staff and my mom, I started meeting with Teresa in Family Services. Those counseling sessions went on for 3 years. I knew I could go to Teresa if I needed to talk, and Melanie and the staff never gave up on me. I started receiving tutoring in the Education Center and was able to bring my grades up. I even signed up for some college prep classes at The Wooden Floor. I was on the wrong path and The Wooden Floor helped me find my way. Through all of this, dance was a constant in my life. Expressing myself on the dance floor and making something beautiful was something I could accomplish with hard work and discipline. It was an outlet for me and got me thinking about other goals for my life. Great news came two weeks ago. I have been accepted to Humboldt State and Cal State East Bay and I’m still waiting to hear from two more colleges. My parents are very proud. I will be the first in my family, on both sides, to attend college. And I am a role model for my little sister, who is also at The Wooden Floor. One day, she will go from being a “Pop Tart” to being the second in our family to attend college.
Saturday April 24, 10:30am
Thursday June 3 – Saturday, June 5
“Inside the Studio”
Graduates’ Brunch
27th Annual Concert
A captivating look at how our esteemed choreographers and spirited young dancers approach their art-making collaboration for The Wooden Floor’s Annual Concert. Please RSVP to Kelly at 714.541.8314 Ext. 140.
Join the Neighbors giving group for one of the most heartwarming events of the year. Show the Class of 2010 that their community is behind them as they share their hopes for where they will go from here. Please RSVP to Ellen at 714.541.8314 Ext. 124.
Choreographers Mark Haim, Melanie Ríos Glaser and Nami Yamamoto restage the sold-out January production which brought standing ovations to REDCAT. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster starting April 5th.
Thursday April 8, 6:00pm
Complete information on events featuring the students of The Wooden Floor is available online at www.TheWoodenFloor.org
A LETTER FROM MELANIE RÍOS GLASER Often as a result of socio-economic status, we witness the adversity that the students and families of The Wooden Floor face. I will call a spade a spade: some of our students have lived through neglect, deprivation, abuse, and have even been victims of crime inside and outside their homes. Many of them live with
Supporter Spotlight
“It is very obvious The Wooden Floor is succeeding, with 100% of their graduates going on to college, many the first in their families to do so. This falls right into line with Zonta Club’s mission of advancing the status of women through education,” Gerry Gerken says in her quietly passionate way. Gerry serves on the altruistic front lines for the Zonta Club of Newport Harbor, which was chartered in 1948. It is the 210th club of Zonta International, a worldwide service organization dedicated to advancing the status of women since 1919 through service, education and advocacy. Gerry has been a member of Zonta for 53 years, and has “served the club in every capacity.” In 2008, having read and heard about The Wooden Floor, then known as Saint Joseph Ballet, Gerry decided to investigate ways the Zonta Club of Newport Harbor might be able to help the organization’s mission. Immediately, the club got to work on a Career Day to inform students of The Wooden Floor about the wide variety of career choices out there. “We had thirteen speakers, which included an Anthropologist, a Rocket Scientist, a City Treasurer, a Hollywood Make-Up Artist, a CPA, an Obstetrician and Gynecologist and many others.” The Career Day opened student’s eyes to many paths of employment that they had previously not been exposed to. Also in 2008, the Zonta Club provided five complete Thanksgiving dinners for families of The Wooden Floor. The club has also made a tradition of providing a Christmas tree, with all the trimmings, for a family that would normally never be able to afford one. The list is long of meaningful ways The Zonta Club has contributed to the lives of students, including providing grants to help keep the programs offered at The Wooden Floor going strong. Personally, Gerry has inspired others close to her with her passionate support of The Wooden Floor. “I have had my family, my daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons involved with the Christmas trees, and attending the annual dance program at the Barclay Theatre. They have been very inspired when meeting the students and hearing their plans for the future. My family backs my participation at The Wooden Floor, one hundred percent.” 2 The Wooden Floor | spring 2010
SPONSOR A STAR The dance we value at The Wooden Floor is about possibility and expansion. We use dance to engage our students, nurture their creativity, and unlock a passion to excel in school and beyond. For our dancers, their Annual Concert performances are the culmination of months of rehearsals and dedication. Being witnessed by an audience demonstrates to these young people that they matter. They start to realize that they are deserving of collaborations with internationally celebrated choreographers and designers. They internalize higher standards because they showcase their work to so many. It
a single parent or in a dysfunctional environment. Others are children raised by responsible parents who nonetheless struggle to make a living. The Wooden Floor has a strong Social Services Program and works with the students and their families on solving any issue affect-
is a life changing experience that is retold many times by our students and alumni. Our annual Star Campaign celebrates this triumph with a tangible marker. Next to the bright lights of their dressing room mirrors, the children see their names displayed on large silver stars. Your generous Star sponsorship of a student supports the creation, production, and presentation of this remarkable performance. Every student should see their name on a Star! There are Star sponsorship opportunities for every level of giving, from $25 to $2,500. Please sponsor a Star today by sending a gift in the enclosed envelope, or contacting Ellen Reader at 714.541.8314 Ext. 124.
IMAGINE
27th Annual Concert Witness the inspiring choreography that sold out performances and received standing ovations at Walt Disney Concert Hall’s REDCAT. At The Wooden Floor’s 27th Annual Concert, Choreographers Mark Haim, Melanie Ríos Glaser and Nami Yamamoto restage the sold-out January production which forged new perspectives on the stage and in the audience. According to OC Arts and Culture writer, Napoleon Gladney, “…it is a true gift to be able to watch the wise-beyond-their-years youth bare it all through movement...
The tears, laughter, and final standing ovation were all well deserved by this remarkable group of young people.” The Wooden Floor’s 27th Annual Concert June 3 through June 5, 2010 Irvine Barclay Theatre Tickets on sale April 5th through The Irvine Barclay Theatre Box Office, 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine 949.854.4646 and www.TheBarclay.org
ing their wellbeing. They come here first because they trust us. One way we help is through our counseling and crisis intervention programs. If it is outside our scope we have a wealth of resources and collaborators that we can refer them to. We are pained when we learn that a child is living through unimaginable hardships. However I am comforted that through these programs and plenty
of love from the staff and volunteers, we have seen the children get up and recover. Eventually, on the dance floor, the fear, sadness or indifference is replaced by joy and liveliness.
Melanie Ríos Glaser
Imagine Success If no one in your family ever attended college, striving for higher education is a difficult thing to fathom. The newly launched “Imagine” workshop for 7th and 8th grade girls lays the ground work for success-oriented thinking. The four-week workshop is lead by Gladys Teske and Sara Sierra-Valinsky; both are licensed social workers with a long history of facilitating workshops for students of The Wooden Floor. “Our grounding philosophy for the Imagine workshops is that selfawareness brings growth, understanding of oneself, and increases the potential of the individual,” said Sara. Objectives for the workshop include: SUPPORT THE MISSION AND VALUES of The Wooden
Floor through processes and content that challenge students to reach their highest potential. PROVIDE WEEKLY OPPORTUNITIES to increase
self -awareness. PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES for students to address
the link between current choices (decision making) and future goals. Another unique feature of this workshop series is the use of alumnae of The Wooden Floor in our sessions. Three graduates of The Wooden Floor will provide insights on their life experiences as relating to each weekly topic. After the workshop’s first session, Sara excitedly reported that the participating students “shared of themselves and gave insightful responses. They were able to connect with the content and relate it to their lives. We are so looking forward to seeing the girls grow over the next 3 weeks.”
the wooden floor news feed February 24 - 27 The short video, “Introducing the Wooden Floor” has been selected for the San Diego/Tijuana DANCEonFILM Festival Educational Program. This program is geared for young people and will be presented to schools in Tijuana, Mexico. February 4 & 5 A new academic workshop for all eighth graders was launched to prepare students to think about their future in higher education and provide them with the skills to successfully transition into high school. Workshops include topics such as time-management, college and career preparedness, and study skills. January 25 & 29 The Wooden Floor’s newest students participated in one of their first rites-of-passage as they finished their first semester and were bestowed with their very own set of dancewear. Dancewear is provided to students free of charge, and volunteers Glennda Adair, Dennis and Diane Baker, Valerie Brasher, Sharon Hartshorn, Gena Way, and Barbara Yingling participated in helping students get fitted and making the event memorable. January 28 The Wooden Floor management and staff finetuned the tactical execution portion of the Board-approved strategic plan by reviewing and refining the language within the three-year road map’s goals and objectives. January 25 68 Families attended the Family Services 101 workshop where first year parents learned to take advantage of the many services offered at The Wooden Floor. January 23 The popular DanceFree Days Saturday program of free African Dance and Drumming classes resumed with three more sections to be held over the next 6 months. As a service to the community, DanceFree Days has been offered as an alternative to those youth not admitted to The Wooden Floor’s core dance program for the first time. January 15 & 16 The Wooden Floor at REDCAT was an overwhelming success! Both performances were sold out, and dancers received standing ovations. Our young dancers galvanized the attention of the media as well as the Los Angeles art world! January 13 Thirty-one individual counseling sessions were conducted by The Wooden Floor staff in the past quarter. This includes in-house, walk- in, and crisis intervention counseling, as well as referrals to community food banks, emergency shelters, legal aid, community clinics, and unemployment services.
Also through Ticketmaster at 714.740.7878 and Ticketmaster.com For Sponsorship details, please contact Kelly at 714.541.8314 Ext. 140.
January 11 The Wooden Floor was one of the two organizations in the nation to win the Arts Presenters/ MetLife Arts Access Award for Engaging Underserved Communities given out at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ Annual Conference in New York City. Stay up to date – follow us on Twitter at TheWoodenFloor or find us on Facebook!
www.TheWoodenFloor.org 3
The Wooden Floor from here you can step
Non Profit Org. US Postage
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PAID
1810 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 92706 714.541.8314 www.TheWoodenFloor.org
Orange, CA Permit No. 356
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
The Wooden Floor Board of Directors 2009-2010 ERNESTO VASQUEZ, Board Emeritus AIA and Vice President, McLarand, Vasquez, Emsiek & Partners SOCORRO VASQUEZ, Board Emerita Community Leader DAMIEN JORDAN, Chair Senior Vice President, General Manager, The American Funds Service Company
Neighbors Needed
JIM SLAUGHTER, Vice Chair Attorney at Law, Slaughter & Slaughter LLP FRANK FOSTER, Secretary Principal, Residential Strategies, LLC
The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.” MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
RICHARD C. HUNSAKER, Treasurer President, Hunsaker Management GLENNDA ADAIR Wellness Retreat Weekends/ Cordelia Knott Foundation JOAN BEALL Community Leader BETH BURNS Saint Joseph Ballet Founder and Artistic Director (’83-’05) CATHERINE CHASE Senior Vice President, Credit Suisse ARLENE CRAIG President, The Betty L. Hutton Title Holding Co.; Vice-President, The Hutton Foundation JIM DRISCOLL Community Leader JAN FOSTER Community Leader
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At The Wooden Floor, there is a dynamic group of supporters dedicated to providing uplifting, creative opportunities to our youth – they are called Neighbors. Neighbors can be found chaperoning fieldtrips, helping backstage at the Annual Concert, hosting a brunch celebrating the successes of our graduating class, and introducing new friends to The Wooden Floor. The giving levels and involvement levels of each Neighbor is individual; however, each is bound by a deep desire to help bring about a generational change. Neighbors serve as a foundation to inspire our young people to pursue their goals and break the cycle of poverty though education, so that Levels of Support:
Associate $125
success is based on talent and determination, rather than where they live. Engagement from Neighbors lets our students know they are supported by an entire community. Join Neighbors and help make a difference. Since 2005, 100% of graduates from The Wooden Floor have gone on to college. 96% of our 388 year-round students come from low income families, and attend The Wooden Floor free of charge. With the support of Neighbors, students at The Wooden Floor are gaining the self-awareness and confidence to pursue their goals. We invite you to help low-income youth chart this new course in their lives.
Friend $250
Partner $500
Patron $1,000 and above
To become a Neighbor, please send your gift in the enclosed envelope, or contact Ellen Reader for more information, at 714.541.8314, Ext. 124 or Ellen@TheWoodenFloor.org.
FRANK HALL Vice President, Resource Development St. Joseph Health System SHARON HARTSHORN Community Leader GINNIE HUNSAKER Community Leader YVONNE M. JORDAN Community Leader JUAN LAGUNA Attorney at Law, Parent Representative CATHERINE MACIVER Senior Vice President Bank of America Insurance Services Group DONALD MCKAYLE Professor of Dance, University of California, Irvine YVONNE R. O’NEILL CPA, O’Neill Financial Management CYRUS PARKER–JEANNETTE Chair, Dance Department California State University, Long Beach SAMUEL RUIZ Machine Maintenance Manager ERAN Engineering, Parent Representative LARRY STOFKO Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer St. Joseph Health System SUSAN WHITTAKER Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer St. Joseph Health System FERNANDO VIVANCO Director of International Communications Boeing IDS Support Systems BARBARA YINGLING Community Leader WILLIAM YINGLING III Community Leader Photography by: Kevin P. Casey and Omar Galvez The Wooden Floor thanks Pickle Group for graciously underwriting a portion of the cost of this newsletter.
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THANK YOU TO THE CORPORATE SPONSORS WHICH HAVE COME FORWARD THIS SPRING TO SUPPORT STUDENTS OF THE WOODEN FLOOR.