Dance Alive is a two-week introductory dance program. This year marks the 19th year of the partnership between Ballet Tennessee and the City of Chattanooga’s Department of Youth and Family Development. The program is funded in part by George R. Johnson Family Foundation, ArtsBuild, Tennessee Arts Commission, and from donor support.
Students from recreation centers are transported to Ballet Tennessee at John A. Patten Recreation Center in Lookout Valley.
Students are greeted at the door each morning where they begin two hours of dance instruction and choreography. The children help to create movement patterns that the instructors then incorporate into the choreography. Selected by an audition process, the students are all on full scholarship for the two-week program. This is a community wide process as the dancers represent many areas where the Youth and Family Development centers are located around Chattanooga.
John A. Patten Youth and Family Development Center: Myah Waite and Emma Williams
Shepherd Youth and Family Development Center: Chase Farrar, Ke’Aira Foster, Jada Owten, Sydney Sewell, Raniah Strickland, Jacobi Wilkes, and Jaliyah Wilkes
First Centenary Youth and Family Development Center: Aniyah Harvey, Iyona Harvey, Haven Jones, and Victoria Williams
Tyner Youth and Family Development Center: Khariah Carter, Tierny Hitchcock, Kamari McCullough, and Kaylea Moore
Cromwell Youth and Family Development Center: Erielle Hilt
Brainerd Youth and Family Development Center: Alexiana Jackson, Anijah Norman, and Eriunna Penn
Carver Youth and Family Development Center: Maria Williams
Hixson Youth and Family Development Center: Semaj Freeman
North Chattanooga Youth and Family Development Center: Ryan Gomez, Thomas Marsh, and Mecca Sales
East Lake Youth and Family Development Center: Kayla Rivers
Chattanooga community dancers are Caroline Badenoch, LeRonnie Bussey, Virginia Chimley, Madison Cothern, Kylie Davis, Mesha Dockery, Raven Griffin, Joy Hansen, Robin Hansen, Phoeba Heinzer, Olivia Henry, Lovest Hogstrom, Kelsea Holland, Victoria Rose Johnson, Delaney Kieu, Essence McClure, Aleah Sanders, Skylan Sapere, Macey Smith, Makenzie Smith, Deshuna Tremble, and Makenna Turney.
Dance Alive and Ballet Tennessee’s annual three-week Summer Intensive for intermediate and advanced dancers both culminate in a free public performance on Friday, July 24, 2015 at 6 p.m. The performance is at UTC Fine Arts Center at the corners of Palmetto and Vine Streets.