Adolescents from across the city have been enjoying hip-hop dancing taught by one of the city's leading professional choreographers.
When they meet for their last session Tuesday they will be placing the finishing touches for a talent show next Friday.
Perhaps no one is more excited about the success of this program than Aurora Sanchez. Since last September she has been responsible for coordinating teen activities at the library in Center City. It's been a challenge thinking of a monthly series of programs that appeal to high school students.
“This week we had our third week of hip-hop dancing,” Sanchez said. “We were privileged to have Collette Tini of Koresh Dance Studios teach this class. The students actually danced from 4 to 5 p.m., but they always arrive here early at about 3:30 p.m. and wind up staying until about 5:30 p.m. They really see this as a place to socialize, a stop on their way home from school so they don't have to go straight home, and something positive to do,” she said.
While most of the youngsters had never taken a dance class before and most have no interested in becoming performing artists, they are still drawn to the class.
All are avid listeners of hip-hop music and most take in regular doses of watching music videos showcasing this genre of dance. Consequently, most of these 14 to 18-year olds are eager to show off what they have learned so far at the after-school library program.
Sanchez said that to keep the teenagers interested in the library activities she tries to expose them to something new each month. Since the 2006-2007 academic year began she has had a salsa dance program, representatives from the CHOICE program come in to discuss sexual issues, and regular movie nights.
During February, the program will focus on photography. After discussing with the more than a dozen regular adolescents who come on a consistent basis what their interests were, she found that they are interested in the visual and performing arts. Thus, she hopes that the photography workshops will meet with the same success as this month's dance series.
Sanchez is uncertain just how long the after-school teen program has been running at the library. She knows for certain that someone else facilitated the initiative during the previous school year. She hopes the program continues because she sees it as beneficial to all who participate.
“I'm not going to say it teaches them discipline or that they get anything intellectual from the program,” Sanchez said. “What is does is gives them an alternative to just hanging out when they don't want to go straight home from school. Some of the teens are more mature than others so that (dictates) what they get out of the programs. What I think all of them, despite how mature they are, get out of the program is some enjoyment. They tell me that they like to come here and they have fun. So in that regard I think the programming has been successful this school year.”
Israeli-born choreographer and artistic director Ronen Koresh founded the Koresh Dance Company and School of Dance.
The dance company was born in 1991 and the dance school was started two years later. Koresh's mission is to promote the arts and bring arts education to underserved children in the Delaware Valley. They provide training for toddlers to senior citizens. They also participate in the Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour program funded by the William Penn Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and others.
The dance company and school's home base is located at 2020 Chestnut St. in Center City. For more information call (215) 751-0959 or visit www.koreshdance.org .
Other programs for adolescents are being held at public library branches across the city.
Today, the “Teen Technology Program” will be held at the Lillian Morrerro branch, 601 W. Lehigh in North Philadelphia at 3:30 p.m.
The “After School Chess Club” will meet today and next Friday at the Chestnut Hill branch, 8711 Germantown Ave.
There will also be “Line Dancing” lessons at the Wyoming branch at B and Wyoming, Monday at 4 p.m. A special “College Preparatory” workshop will also be offered at the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional branch on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 1 p.m.
This article appeared in the Philadelphia Tribune in January 2007.
by Arlene Edmonds
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