OPENING DOORS by Jan Getz
W
hen my husband, John, and I moved to Asheville in 2010, we were looking for ways to connect with the greater community.
A painter and jewelrymaker, my mother introduced me to the arts at a young age — even offering art classes to the neighborhood kids in exchange for other moms teaching us things, like how to swim. She made sure my sister and I had both piano and dance lessons for five years. Then, we were allowed to choose to continue one artistic pursuit. My sister instantly chose the piano, and I instantly chose dance. My mother also put up monthly famous works of art over the kitchen table to discuss. She shared poetry and literature. She took us to museums and an artists’ series at the university where she and my dad taught. We saw Marcel Marceau, Andrés Segovia, plays, music, dance.
I had ushered at the local university when I was in high school, and John and I had both ushered at our university when we were grad students. So, naturally, we sought out an ushering opportunity when looking to meet new people and learn more about the local arts scene. That’s how we first came to the Wortham Center — as volunteers. As we grew to know and admire the staff, we continued to be impressed with the quality and variety of performances at which we ushered and attended. Eventually, we became donors, and, later, I was asked to serve on the board. Now, I serve as the board’s vice president. And through all these years, it’s been a grand experience.
As an adult, I was able to combine my love of dance with my profession as a television producer to attend the Dance and Television Workshop at the American Dance Festival, with a scholarship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Getting to work with the production team for the PBS series “Great Performances: Dance
Having been both a participant in the arts as a dancer and an appreciator of the arts as an audience member, I can say that, without a doubt, these experiences have enhanced my life. 54
