Danceworks Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap 9th Annual Competition
2,200+ area young people to participate in citywide competition
Tap Couple at 2014 Danceworks Mad Hot Ballroom. Photo by Jeff Zmania.
MILWAUKEE…An estimated 2,200 local students from 45 schools—40 of those schools from MPS—will take center stage at The BMO Harris Bradley Center on May 16 in the ninth annual, citywide Danceworks Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap (MHBT) Competition, presented by The BMO Harris Bradley Center. This event is free and open to the public. The event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, located at 1001 N. 4th Street in downtown Milwaukee.
The first heat of the Tap competition begins at approximately 9:30 a.m., in which 4th-6th grade students will showcase Funky, Latin and Swing styles of Tap throughout the morning. The final round of the Tap competition is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. The Ballroom competition will start at approximately 1:30 p.m., featuring 5th-6th grade pairs dancing the Salsa, Rumba and Tango. The final round of the Ballroom competition will take place at approximately 4:30 p.m. The Competition will also feature performances by young dancers from Danceworks Youth Performance Company, a performance group of advanced dance students ages 11-17; many have come from the MHBT program.
Modeled after the successful New York City schools program featured in the hit documentary Mad Hot Ballroom, Danceworks MHBT promotes students’ social and emotional development, while increasing their respect for self and others as well as their physical activity, through dance programming during the school day. Students receive 24 hours of instruction from professional teaching artists over 12 weeks. The majority of schools are located in low-income neighborhoods of the city (please see list on next page).
“Danceworks MHBT’s dance steps get our city’s youth stepping in the right direction—helping them become more socially and emotionally competent and more physically active during the school day,” said
Danceworks Executive Director Deborah Farris.
“We have found that once students try dance through Danceworks MHBT, most discover that they’re good at it and that they like it. This experience connects them to their classmates and radiates into other areas of their lives,” Farris continued. “Teachers tell us that MHBT provides students with a venue for success, builds their self-esteem and creates teamwork within the classroom.
“Ultimately, we believe that MHBT helps students grow into healthy, confident individuals who have a positive impact on our community.”
Danceworks MHBT 2014-15 Participating Schools
ALBA School
Kluge School
Auer Avenue
Lloyd Barbee Montessori School
Benjamin Franklin
Lowell Elementary
Bethune Academy
Luther Burbank
Brown Street Academy
MacDowell Montessori
Browning Elementary
Maryland Avenue Montessori
Clarke Street School
Milwaukee College Prep (36th Street)
Clement Avenue School
Milwaukee College Prep (38th Street)
James Fenimore Cooper School
Milwaukee Environmental Sciences School
Craig Montessori School
Milwaukee French Immersion
Doerfler School
Neeskara School
Elm Creative Arts School
Notre Dame Middle School
Elm Dale Elementary
Parkside School
Forest Home School
Pierce School
Fratney School
Roosevelt Elementary
Golda Meir School
St. Marcus Lutheran School
Greenfield School
Sherman Multicultural Arts School
Hampton Avenue School
Siefert School
Hartford University School
Story K-8 School
Highland Community School
Trowbridge School
JW Riley School
Escuela Vieau School
Keefe Avenue Elementary
Westside Academy II
Kilbourn Elementary
Danceworks, Inc., enhances the joy, health and creativity of our community through performances, classes and outreach activities integrating dance and other art forms. Danceworks is a member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF).
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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