Ballet West is known for its artistic and professional excellence both locally and globally, but at the core of its mission is ensuring that the art of ballet is accessible to diverse communities throughout Utah.
Ballet West's education programs now serve more than 148,000 Utah students and teachers and is continuing to expand.
The I CAN DO program gave over 5,000 students a year of hands-on dance education instruction and other children received virtual education.
I CAN DO is an acronym for Inspiring Children About Not Dropping Out, a free program giving fifth-grade students the chance to participate in a class taught by professional dance instructors every week during the school year, culminating in a final performance for the community.
I CAN DO Associate Director Dana Rossi says the focus is not on ballet, but rather the joy of movement and life skills learned in the process.
"Kids learn that it's safe to try something new, it's okay to make a mistake and learn from it, and if they do something a little bit different – it's not bad," said Rossi. "We help them realize that everybody's best doesn't look exactly the same. Even the performance, they know it's okay if it's not a perfect, polished piece. They're showing us where they are at, what they've created, and it's beautiful where it is."
You can learn more at balletwest.org.
