DanceUp Summer 2016 - Newsletter of The Wooden Floor

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Dancing offers Mateo Opening a second home friends and collaboration, in Santa Ana's Arts District, pg. 7 pg. 4

Dance writer Pam Diamond on our Annual Concert, pg. 8

SUMMER

NEWS FROM THE WOODEN FLOOR

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Melanie Ríos Glaser Artistic Director & Co-CEO

One of a Kind

It’s 8:15pm and the dancers have finished rehearsing. The dance studio is empty now. The floor was the ground beneath 147 pairs of feet.

The room seems like its breathing is slowing— it’s done its work for today. The dancers made the invisible visible. The walls of the studio serves as the container, which holds all that beauty of mind, body, and spirit.

This rigorous rehearsal time leads to the performances of our upcoming Annual Concert.

As an audience member, you will see how their determination and dynamism fires up their dancing. It is a source of pride that we offer an exploratory approach through our commitment to bringing the most interesting contemporary dance choreographers to you. They partner with our youth to co-create dances that are one of a kind.

Multitalented and brilliant choreographer Karinne Keithley Syers will take you on a whimsical journey through the past and future.

Award-winning choreographer Chris Yon makes us do a double take as ordinary movement takes on new meaning. The sequel to my piece from last year, I hope, will draw a sigh.

It is the perfect exchange: the dancers give of themselves, and your intellect will be stretched.

Experience what’s on the edge in the dance world. Show up, and sit tall for that moment that will lodge itself in your heart.

Those 147 pairs of feet you’ll see on that stage are the fortunate ones. They are the onein-four who were enrolled in our organization on our Annual Audition Day. We had over 400 pairs of little feet wrapped around our building on that day, wanting to step on that foundation, the floor, and the stage that will set the rest of their young lives. We’re excited to announce our plans to answer the call to serve more young people. Read more on page seven!

Join us as we clap loudly for this exciting news, and for our students’ accomplishments at our Annual Concert titled, You. Me. We. It’s all pretty exceptional!

With much gratitude for all you share with us,

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Melanie Ríos Glaser

The Wooden Floor

Mission

Moment

Annual Concert Guest Choreographer Chris Yon, a McKnight Fellow and Sage Award recipient, works with his cast of 25 students in preparation for the premiere of his commissioned piece, by(e)路gone. Our commitment to bringing in artists who are among the best in their field exposes our students to new paths of thought, encouraging them to break through boundaries.

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In the First Person Mateo, Class of 2022 I dance because it inspires me to do better things in life. This is my second time performing in the Annual Concert, and I feel experienced. People ask me what I’m going to do, and I just say, "You have to wait and see!" Being in the Annual Concert makes me nervous, but it is thrilling. I embrace the nervousness. I say to myself, "If this is the last concert of my life, would I be doing what I’m about to do and in the way I’m about to do it?" By making dances, I learned that if you cooperate, things come out better. Communication is important. When you dance with someone else, you have to know what they’re doing. You predict their movements by being very present and tuned in to the other person. Sometimes you may not know the person you’re about to collaborate with, and through the Annual Concert, you get to know them, and they end up being one of your best friends.͟

Mateo is in his fourth year at The Wooden Floor. He has taken part in year-round Learning Workshops in reading, math, and science. Due to his advanced reading level, Mateo was moved up from the elementary level to the middle school level last summer.

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The Wooden Floor

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Newsfeed Snapshots of our youth in motion. @TheWoodenFloor

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YEAR-ROUND READING Elementary school students in our reading workshop read Mr. Popper’s Penguins together.

They also participated in daily journal writing, completed individual and group projects, and had the opportunity to present their work to the group. A post-workshop vocabulary test indicated a dramatic overall improvement for nearly all students.

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KAPLAN© PREP INFO SESSION

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Our high school juniors participated in KAPLAN© SAT workshops in preparation for college entrance exams. The workshops, offered completely free to our students, are a resource many wouldn't otherwise be able to afford.

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TESTWISE©

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Elementary school students engaged in a month-long workshop called TestWise©, designed to help them stay focused and confident on test-taking days.

The Wooden Floor

Expanding Our Footprint in Orange County

We are excited to be answering the call from our community to serve more youth in Orange County.

By the end of 2017, The Wooden Floor will grow to serve 100 more children and their families at a new annex location within the Depot at Santiago workforce housing complex in Santa Ana. The Wooden Floor was specifically selected by Orange Housing Development Corporation and C&C Development, the developers of the property, due to our outstanding reputation, high artistic quality, and results.

With ground breaking expected this spring, the annex will include a new dance studio as well as an education and family resource center. Annually, over 400 under-served youth and their families line up to audition for enrollment at The Wooden Floor, as seen in the photo above from 2015. Less than 1 in 4 can be accepted due to high student retention and space constraints, amplifying the need for the organization’s vision to serve more youth.

Our board and staff began exploring ways

to leverage our successful outcomes locally and nationally after an ambitious strategic vision was set in 2009 to deepen our work with Orange County's youth most in need. We know our approach to creative youth development works, lifting under-served youth from a life of poverty through the power of dance and access to higher education.

Prudence is one of the hallmarks of The Wooden Floor. We have worked to fully understand the organizational readiness factors required to grow our impact, while remaining dedicated to the students currently enrolled in our yearround programs. Our growth strategies have strengthened and evolved since 2009, and now, as announced late last year, also include a national licensed partner in Washington, DC. We look forward to sharing updates and ways you can support our growth, as we move on to break ground and open the doors to our new annex facility. To learn more about our exciting plans for growth, contact Dawn Reese at 714.541.8314 ext.

136 or Dawn@TheWoodenFloor.org.

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Annual Concert Promises Insight & Energy

by Pamela Diamond

Pamela Diamond is a freelance writer with a B.A. in Dance from University of California, Irvine. She writes a monthly arts column, “Center Stage,” for the Newport Beach Independent and received an Orange County Press Club award for Best Arts and Culture story. She has contributed to Dance Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, Coast Magazine, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Lincoln Center, and OC Weekly.

Tickets on Sale

33rd Annual Concert: You. Me. We. June 2-4, 2016 Irvine Barclay Theatre Benefit Seating, $50* Individual Seating, $20 Children under 13 and students, $10 *includes $30 tax-deductible donation www.TheWoodenFloor.org/YouMeWe 8

You. Me. We. Three simple words that, joined together, embody the transformative spirit of The Wooden Floor and its commitment to contemporary collaborative dance.

The title of the Santa Ana-based organization’s 33rd Annual Concert also evokes the cohesive strength and emotional connectivity of its dancers. More than 150 students, aged 8 to 18, will perform at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in June, having had the opportunity to work closely with visiting choreographers Karinne Keithley Syers and Chris Yon, as well as The Wooden Floor’s Artistic Director and Co-CEO Melanie Ríos Glaser, in creating four new pieces for the performance.

“There is an approach in the work

by Karinne and Chris that honors the issues that are relevant to the dancers and which speak to them of their time,” says Ríos Glaser, who juxtaposes structure with the creative chaos of play in her piece, Playground 2 (a sequel to last year’s Playground) set to music performed live on stage

by the Latin alternative folk band Cuñao.

“The works value—at the highest level—the dancers’ intelligence, intuition, and inner power.”

From Ríos Glaser’s insightful and energized take on childhood to Keithley Syers’ serendipitous exploration of landscapes in city swallow sky and An Apostrophe to Yon’s by(e)·gone, a gestural take on time travel set to an original sound collage, the abstract works presented offer intriguing challenges to the dancers. They’re well up to meeting them, affirms Yon during a recent rehearsal at The Wooden Floor’s Santa Ana studio.

“These dancers are like sponges: they really absorb the material both physically and conceptually,” he says. “I’m constantly struck by their generosity, by their ability and willingness to go anywhere the movement takes them and by the quality of the way that they dance.

They are capable of tremendous complexity.”

The Wooden Floor

Make a Strategic Gift Over the past few years, The Wooden Floor has benefited from an increasing number of strategic gifts from donor advised funds (DAFs). According to US News and World Report, DAFs are among the fastest growing practices in personal philanthropy. Such funds, or charitable accounts, allow donors to make a contribution of cash, appreciated securities or other assets, and then recommend and distribute grants from the fund over time. The tax advantages of a donor advised fund are substantial, which largely explains why they have exploded in popularity in recent years.

The Wooden Floor is grateful to be supported by a caring community of individuals, foundations and corporations, which fund over 90% of our annual operating budget.

To learn more about donor advised funds or other opportunities to strategically support our students and mission, contact Keegan Bell at 714.541.8314 ext. 140 or Keegan@TheWoodenFloor.org.

2015-2016 Board of Directors James A. Driscoll, Chairman Community Leader Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, NCARB, Immediate Past Chairman Partner & CEO, SVA Architects, Inc. Damien M. Jordan, Vice Chairman General Manager, Retired, American Funds/Capital Group Companies, Inc. Judith F. Posnikoff, PhD, Treasurer Managing Director, Pacific Alternative Asset Management Co., LLC Epiphany Owen, Secretary Partner, Government & Regulatory Law, Rutan & Tucker, LLP Sasha Ayloush Customer Service Manager and Secretary of the Board of Directors, Hydraflow Joan Beall Community Leader Maria Cirese, Parent Representative Community Leader Gilbert R. Cisneros President and Co-Founder, The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation Lidia Diezmo, Parent Representative Community Leader Bryan Green Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Sharon Hartshorn Community Leader Virginia Hunsaker Community Leader

Yvonne M. Jordan Community Leader Jeremy Krout President and CEO, Environment Planning Development Solutions, Inc. Catherine M. MacIver Community Leader Danny Melita Community Leader Yvonne R. O’Neill Certified Public Accountant, O’Neill Financial Management Arthur Ong Executive Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC Dawn S. Reese, CFRE Executive Director and Co-CEO, The Wooden Floor Melanie Ríos Glaser Artistic Director and Co-CEO, The Wooden Floor Kristy Santimyer-Melita Community Leader Saar Swartzon Principal Attorney, Cohn & Swartzon, P.C. Mary E. Tolar Vice President and Senior Strategic Program Manager, American Funds/ Capital Group Companies, Inc. Beth A. Burns, Board Emerita Founder of The Wooden Floor and Artistic Director (’83-’05) Richard C. Hunsaker, Board Emeritus President, Hunsaker Management Socorro Vasquez, Board Emerita Community Leader

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When you

SUPPORT A STAR! marlen, Class of 2021

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of The Wooden Floor’s Annual Concert you make an impact in two ways:

You help underwrite a student’s participation in the Annual Concert, which allows our youth to think differently about themselves, to push through obstacles, and emerge as strong and confident leaders.

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Students like Marlen receive your words of encouragement. It lets them know that who they are, and what they have to say, matters.

Support a Star today using the enclosed gift form.

Or, make your gift and submit your Stargram(s) online at www.TheWoodenFloor.org/Star.

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The Wooden Floor

Supporter Sightings < INSIDE THE STUDIO

Supporters gathered inside The Wooden Floor's dance studios to get a sneak peek of the dance-making process for our Annual Concert. Guests enjoyed a lively demonstration and discussion with guest choreographer Karinne Keithley Syers and our students, who shared how dance has made a difference in their life.

Supporter Spotlight

"I am honored to play a role in Genesis’ life. As her Dance Partner, I get to support her in her passion and enjoy her love of dance. What a privilege! "

–Kathy Rosenberger, Dance Partner

KATHY ROSENBERGER WITH STUDENTSGENESIS (LEFT) AND VIVIANA.

SCOUTING FOR CHARITY >

Every year, Cub Scout Pack 227 selects a single charity to support. Over the course of that year, Scouts and their families collect spare change or ask friends and neighbors to donate. These amazing little philanthropists collected $800 to support the youth of The Wooden Floor, which they presented to us at their pack retreat.

CUB SCOUT PACK 227

To learn about more ways to get involved, please contact Keegan Bell at 714.541.8314 ext. 140 or Keegan@TheWoodenFloor.org.

Upcoming Event

10th Anniversary Keep the Promise Wine Tasting Benefit Thursday, September 22, 2016 Save the date for the 10th Anniversary of our Keep the Promise Wine Tasting Benefit! The benefit is also on track for another amazing milestone - to cross the $2 million mark in total funds raised. It has become a leading way that new and long-time supporters come together to celebrate and raise funds for The Wooden Floor’s incredible outcomes. Taste 12 award-winning wines from around the globe, rated an average of 97+ points, which are hand-selected by passionate supporters of The Wooden Floor, Janice and John Markley. Artfully-prepared, heavy hors d’oeuvres elegantly complement the evening’s extraordinary

wine selections, alongside silent and live auctions, opportunity drawings, and visiting with students deeply impacted by your support. Tickets to this benefit sell out every year-reserve your space today by becoming a sponsor.

Sponsorship opportunities range from $1,000-$30,000.

Please contact Keegan Bell for more information at 714.541.8314 ext. 140 or Keegan@TheWoodenFloor.org.

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RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

1810 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 92706-2727 714.541.8314 www.TheWoodenFloor.org

PRESORTED FIRST CLASS - MAIL US POSTAGE PAID SANTA ANA, CA PERMIT NO. 949

June 2-4, 2016

33rd Annual Concert: You. Me. We. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre Experience the unexpected at this not-to-miss contemporary dance performance, featuring a high-caliber dream team of the nation's top artists, designers, and choreographers working in tandem with our students. Our Annual Concert consistently produces thought-provoking, ground-breaking, and unique danceworks that have drawn national accolades and encouraged our young people to think differently about themselves. Tickets on sale now at www.TheWoodenFloor.org/YouMeWe.

June 3, 2016

Make it an Arts Night Out! presented by 89.3 KPCC Explore the work in You. Me. We. with the cast and choreographers at a free pre-concert chat followed by complimentary hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres and wine at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Please respond by May 31 to Jessica@TheWoodenFloor.org.

September 22, 2016

10th Anniversary Keep the Promise Wine Tasting Benefit Enjoy some of the finest wines from around the globe!

Featuring 12 wines rated an average of 97+ points, the evening not only offers a feast for the palate but inspiring stories, as our students share the many successes they've experienced during their years at The Wooden Floor. Sponsorship opportunities are available, ranging from $1,000-$30,000. Please contact Keegan Bell for more information at 714.541.8314 ext. 140 or Keegan@TheWoodenFloor.org.

Photography by Kevin P. Casey, Christine Cotter, Edie Layland, and Mindy M. Schauer. Š2016 The Wooden Floor. DanceUp is a trademark of The Wooden Floor.

Come join us!