An annual tradition on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day continued on Monday at Garth Fagan Dance.
The organization offered free dance classes in Rochester to children and their families.
Amaya Brice is the School Administrator, and hopes that this event will continue to grow.
“I would love for our students, whether children or adult, to see that dance can be a job option and that they can look up to our company members who are teaching the classes today and see a strong black woman, (strong) black male, taking space and showing that they can lead a room,” Brice said.
Angela Burns was one of the parents at the event. She went to the event on Monday to support her 15-year-old daughter, who has been dancing at Garth Fagan for several years.
“My daughter has been here for five years, and during that process, this is our second home like they're so welcoming, so open, and I wish more people were aware of just such an amazing program,” Burns said. “It is such amazing organization and I just hope in the future that it can grow to be even more than it already is.”
Ethan Beckwith-Cohen is a dancer with Garth Fagan Dance, and is also a co-director of the student ensemble.
He talked about the joy of seeing their studios filled with eager dancers, reflecting the company’s strong community spirit.
“Dance is really powerful because we’re creating art with nothing but the bodies that we’re given,” noted Beckwith-Cohen. “It inspires perseverance and self-discipline to accomplish what we need to here.”
The annual free dance lessons on MLK Day at Garth Fagan were briefly disrupted in 2020 because of the pandemic, but school officials have worked to restore it and also help it grow every year.
Garth Fagan Dance offers scholarship discounts for some students based on income. Brice said one of the motivations here is to provide children with a safe, accessible space to dance and encourage them to return in future years.
