Special Olympics Dance Group arrives in NYC
After fundraising for the past two years, the Australian Special Olympics Dance Group recently raised enough money to bring nine of its dancers to the U.S. to take class at Broadway Dance Center in New York City – something that many members of the group have been dreaming about!
Now in the states, immersed in the heart of NYC, the group is preparing to take class from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. this Wednesday, August 19! Their class will be led by one of musical theatre’s new bright stars, Al Blackstone, who recently choreographed a routine for So You Think You Can Dance.
Blackstone is a NY-based choreographer, performer and educator and the recipient of the 2011 Capezio A.C.E. Award for Choreographic Excellence. He has created original work for Juilliard, Marymount Manhattan College, The University of the Arts, Dancers Responding to AIDS and the Fire Island Dance Festival. He’s worked as the associate choreographer to Sonya Tayeh on The Last Goodbye, Kung Fu and Head Over Heels. He’s toured nationally with Wicked and on faculty with JUMP Dance Convention. Plus, he’s worked on the feature film A Winter’s Tale, NBC’s American Dreams and Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh Show.
The Australian Special Olympics Dance Group is thrilled to be taking class with such an experienced and esteemed choreographer after hosting many fundraising events to get to Broadway Dance Center, including the big Don’t Dis Disabilities Extravaganza in Sydney in June.
The group was formed in April 2006 and has performed for countless events, including for the Governor of New South Wales, the arrival for the “Flame of Hope” Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and so many more important community and worthwhile charity events. These young dancers bring joy to their audiences, they highlight the achievement that can be reached through hard work, and inspire by overcoming adversity to create art.
In 2013, during their second Australian tour, Broadway Dance Center was able to share in the magic that is the Special Olympics Dancers. Director of Educational Programming Bonnie Erickson and Resident Choreographer Jim Cooney, together with the support of Sunrise and Channel 7, were able to offer the dance team the opportunity to learn the routine to John Lennon’s Imagine, as an entry for the opening performance for the Special Olympics Games that year. See a video about that wonderful visit below.
Photo: The dancers arriving in the USA, ready for their exciting journey. Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Dancers Facebook.