"DANCE UP" SPRING 2012 - THE NEWSLETTER OF THE WOODEN FLOOR

spring 2012

providing Hope and Opportunity Through Dance, Academic and Family Programs

danceup melanie ríos glaser, artistic director

In the First Person Maritza, mother of Jennifer, Class of 2007; Erica, Class of 2012; Andrea, Class of 2014; and Angelica, Class of 2016 I don’t know what our family would do without The Wooden Floor. We have one daughter that graduated from here and three others still at The Wooden Floor. We’re so used to coming here each day, and then going home excited to share what was learned. I see the energy my daughters bring home and I feel grateful for this organization, that it exists.

Our oldest daughter, who graduated from Cal State Fullerton with The Wooden Floor’s help, learned how to be responsible and make good decisions. The staff helped her with her education and taught her to be self-motivated. Another daughter is getting ready to graduate high school this year and go to college. She has come to really rely on the friendships she has made at The Wooden Floor.

Our other two daughters have increased their self-esteem. Through the camping trips and other services offered, they gained courage and support from the dance teachers and staff of The Wooden Floor. Our girls have been challenged to do things they have never done before, and they learned that it is okay to be afraid sometimes, but worth it to try new things.

The Wooden Floor helped me to have my girls follow a positive path. This really is our second home, and I trust the teachers and staff because they take care of our kids like they are family. This is a safe place for them to develop and grow with strong values.

Thursday, April 12 Inside the Studio 6:00pm

Saturday, April 28 Graduates’ Brunch 10:30am

Thursday, May 31 Saturday, June 2 29th Annual Concert

Observe contemporary dance through the lens of celebrated choreographer Chris Yon as he demonstrates the collaborative art-making process with our young dancers. RSVP to Ellen at 714.541.8314 ext. 124

Join the Neighbors support group for one of our most heartwarming events of the year. Show the Class of 2012 that their community is behind them as they begin their journeys to college. RSVP to Susie at 714.541.8314 ext. 115.

Experience the unexpected. The Wooden Floor’s Annual Concert features many vibrant and inspiring young dancers creating works in partnership with celebrated choreographers at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Tickets on sale April 2 at www.TheBarclay.org

Complete information on events featuring the students of The Wooden Floor is available online at www.TheWoodenFloor.org

a letter from melanie ríos GLASER

supporter spotlight

“We’ve all had help along the way and I want to do my fair share to give another generation the chance to thrive,” says Jim Driscoll about his and wife Jane’s sense of responsibility to give back. Since 2007, their contribution to The Wooden Floor has been immense, from supporting our Student Christmas party by asking friends to help them provide desserts and wrapping supplies, to being underwriters for The Wooden Floor’s Annual Concert, so our students can have the opportunity to be seen and celebrated on stage.

The Driscolls became deeply involved with The Wooden Floor almost instantly after being introduced to the organization by long-time Board Members, Rich and Ginnie Hunsaker. “Once I had a chance to take a look behind the scenes I was pleasantly surprised at what a well-run organization was in place.”

Shortly thereafter, Jim joined The Wooden Floor’s Board of Directors, an experience he says has invigorated him. After a recent Board Governance Committee meeting, for which Jim serves as the Chair, he recounted, “I always feel energy coming at me when I walk onto this campus. The staff, the students, and other Board Members always seem to be in high gear. There is a very distinctive sound that is made by a class of 20 kids running barefoot across a wooden dance floor and coming to a stop. It is a sound that will be forever associated in my mind with The Wooden Floor.”

As far as his long-term hopes for The Wooden Floor, Jim says he wishes for the organization to continue helping to break the cycle of poverty in Santa Ana and be a beacon of hope for other under-served communities. It’s a sentiment that illustrates the visionary and hopeful nature of the Driscolls.

Photography courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

2 The Wooden Floor | spring 2012

future, the radical call to eternally abiding love.”

Here at The Wooden Floor we will continue to be inspired by Jack’s definition of conscience.

The Pew Research Center recently published an article in which they state that “the spread of poverty across the United States that began at the onset of the Great Recession of 20072009 hit one demographic group especially hard: Latino children.” We are well aware of this, as demand has grown dramatically for

Dancing Full Circle

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Jane & Jim Driscoll

Recently, The Wooden Floor community lost one of its greatest advocates and supporters, my beloved father-in-law Jack Glaser. Jack served on The Wooden Floor’s Board of Directors for ten years, helping to shape the values our organization holds so dear. He was also nationally recognized for his work as an ethicist particularly in the realm of health care on behalf of St. Joseph Health System. In his published writings he describes conscience as “the mystery of invitation, the absolute yes to man’s

An Interview with Annual Concert Choreographer Chris Yon

This summer’s Annual Concert at the Irvine Barclay Theatre features a cast of over 50 dancers performing a new piece created in collaboration with Minneapolis-based choreographer Chris Yon. The newest artist to be invited to The Wooden Floor, Yon says that since he can remember, dance has been the lens through which he viewed and made sense of the world. “I am a product of free arts education in Southern California,” he notes. “I discovered dance at age six at an after school program at the Echo Park Recreation Center near Downtown Los Angeles.”

“Dance took me out of Los Angeles. It has given me opportunities to travel across the United States, Canada, and Europe; it has been my salvation in the toughest of times; it became very personal, very important for me to return to Southern California, to pay it forward.”

Yon learned of The Wooden Floor through fellow choreographer, and past collaborator in the Annual Concert, Mark Haim. “It is no surprise that these young dancers are smart and talented,” Yon continues, “Mark Haim had told me years ago about this unusual oasis in Orange County, gushing about his amazing experience with these kids. This is an opportunity to put ideas into practice and realize a vision in a way I haven’t had and may never have again…a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Chris Yon is joined by fellow choreographers John Heginbotham and Artistic Director Melanie Ríos Glaser, creating contemporary dance works with our students to be shown at the Irvine Barclay Theatre May 31-June 2. Be a part of this unforgettable experience by joining us as a 2012 Annual Concert Underwriter, with levels of support ranging from $25,000 to $2,500.

For more information on underwriting the Annual Concert, please contact Keegan at 714.541.8314 ext. 140 or Keegan@TheWoodenFloor.org

our Family Services programs, which include in-house counseling or referrals to partner organizations, to name a few. Through these services we have the opportunity to help when a family is facing a crisis or when our students need support while making difficult choices.

We can show abiding love through mentoring, guidance, and direction. As families rely on us as their second home, we say yes to their future as we partner with them to raise creative and healthy children who will grow up to contribute in meaningful ways to the world we live in.

Thank you Jack, for the part you played in the success story of The Wooden Floor, and to all our supporters for answering the radical call to love through your contributions to the youth we raise together.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CO-CEO, THE WOODEN FLOOR

the wooden floor news feed March 12 History in the making: Steve Paxton, iconic founder of the dance form contact improvisation, holds a two-week master class with students of The Wooden Floor entitled Material for the Spine.

February 6 New York choreographer John Heginbotham begins the first of several residencies as he returns to reprise the popular work Pieces of Wood for the Annual Concert this summer.

January 23 New students participate in their first rite of passage and receive their very first set of free dancewear, handed out by caring volunteers of The Wooden Floor.

January 18 Artistic Director Melanie Ríos Glaser restarts rehearsals after the winter break with young dancers for a new piece that will premiere at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

middle schooL Boys Staying On Target

January 17 Our Betty L. Hutton Education Center reopens after the winter break receiving students for the pilot year-round reading program, which helps ensure they are proficient in reading comprehension and performing at grade level.

January 6 The Class of 2013 begin their first sixweek KAPLAN SAT course, which they otherwise would not have the resources to participate in.

A new workshop, On Target, is making a positive impact on 23 seventh and eighth grade boys at The Wooden Floor as they steer the course toward a brighter future. It’s the newest addition to the family services component in our integrated approach to youth development.

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Established in response to the overwhelmingly popular girl’s workshop IMAGINE, On Target is designed to teach the boys about how today’s decisions and choices can impact a lifetime. Two licensed social workers, Gladys Gutierrez-Teske and Sharon St. Pierre, developed and lead the workshop to teach each boy about friendship, communication with parents, stress management, and the effects of bullying. The ultimate goal is for them to do well in school, think about their futures, and pursue higher education.

January 1 After assessing the needs and best interests of The Wooden Floor, Executive & Artistic Director Melanie Ríos Glaser advocated for the return to a dual leadership structure, consisting of separate Executive Director and Artistic Director roles.

The Board of Directors is happy to announce the promotion of the organization’s General Manager & Chief Financial Officer, Dawn S. Reese, to Executive Director effectively partnering with Melanie as Artistic Director. Both will report to the Board of Directors as Co-CEOs of the organization.

Pre- and post-workshop meetings allow parents to communicate positive changes they are seeing in their sons, and so far, it’s been met with rave reviews from parents and students alike.

Stay up to date and join The Wooden Floor online community on:

Paying it Forward In 2009, several parents of The Wooden Floor students wanted to form a group to do their part to help the organization stay strong during the economic downturn. The team, dubbed the Parent Leadership Group got to work by raising money through “Tienditas” – a small station selling snacks to The Wooden Floor community, thus far raising over $7,000 for the organization.

The group also serves in a communications capacity for the organization, creating a phonetree system to reach out to other parents about happenings at the organization. Samuel Ruiz, one of the founding parents of the group, states, “We thought it was a good way to get to know fellow parents. But more importantly, it is a way to be able to show the appreciation that we have for The Wooden Floor and everything they do for our kids. We just started helping, letting other parents know that we are a part of the same team, and if we work together, it is best for our kids. Once a parent knows other parents, we feel like stopping by more, and then we get to know the teachers and the staff.”

Ruiz says the Parent Leadership Group has become a source of pride for parents. “We feel good because everything we do comes from the bottom of our hearts.” Ruiz’s daughter graduated from The Wooden Floor in 2011 and she now attends UCLA, double majoring in math and biology with a minor in dance. “You have no idea how proud I feel about The Wooden Floor and its part in her success,” he said. “I’ll never be able to pay back everything The Wooden Floor has done for her. And, even though she left, I’ll never leave The Wooden Floor. There is always something I can do for the other kids in our neighborhoods. Helping our kids helps our own community. And when we help our community, our future is good.”

save the date for the 6th Annual

Thursday, September 27, 2012 Newport Beach, California Join us for what Orange Coast Magazine calls “one of the most anticipated events of the year.” It’s an evening full of hand-picked, awardwinning wines, artfully prepared hors d’oeuvres, and the celebration of the forward movement of our youth. www.TheWoodenFloor.org 3

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

SANTA ANA, CA PERMIT NO. 302

The Wooden Floor Board of Directors 2011-2012

the wooden floor legacy society

Ernesto Vasquez, Chair AIA, Founding Partner, McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners Jim Slaughter, Vice Chair Attorney at Law, Slaughter & Slaughter, LLP Damien Jordan, Immediate Past Chair General Manager, Retired American Funds/Capital Group Companies, Inc. Frank Foster, Secretary Principal, Residential Strategies, LLC

Neighbors: Inspired to be Involved

Richard C. Hunsaker, Treasurer President, Hunsaker Management Glennda Adair Community Leader Joan Beall Community Leader Catherine Chase Senior Vice President, Credit Suisse Private Bank Jim Driscoll Community Leader Frank Hall Vice President Resource Development, Retired, St. Joseph Health System Sharon Hartshorn Community Leader Virginia Hunsaker Community Leader

Leigh doubles the impact of her support with matching gifts from her employer, The Capital Group Companies.

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Yvonne M. Jordan Community Leader

“I was invited to attend The Wooden Floor’s Wine Tasting Benefit in 2010 and was so impressed with both the students and the organization that I felt inspired to become involved. The students are articulate, grateful, dedicated, and talented. Their lives have clearly been enriched by The Wooden Floor.”

-Leigh Morris, Neighbor since 2010

Juan Laguna, Parent Representative Attorney at Law Catherine MacIver Senior Vice President, Bank of America Insurance Services Group Donald McKayle Professor of Dance, Emeritus, University of California, Irvine Danny Melita Community Leader Yvonne R. O’Neill Certified Public Accountant, O’Neill Financial Management Luz Orozco, Parent Representative Community Leader Cyrus Parker–Jeannette Interim Associate Dean of the College of the Arts, California State University, Long Beach

By engaging in the Neighbors support group, you let our students know they are cared about by their community. Through year-round volunteer and financial support of our dance, academic, and family services, Neighbors serve as a foundation to inspire our young people to beat the odds and break the cycle of poverty.

Levels of Support:

Patron: Partner: Friend: Associate:

ANNUAL GIFT MONTHLY GIFT $1,000 $84 $500 $42 $250 $21 $125 $10.50

To become a Neighbor, please send your gift in the enclosed envelope, or contact Susie for more information, at 714.541.8314 ext. 115 or Susie@TheWoodenFloor.org.

DAWN S. REeSE Executive Director and Co-CEO, The Wooden Floor Melanie Ríos Glaser Artistic Director and Co-CEO, The Wooden Floor Kristy Santimyer-Melita Community Leader Larry Stofko Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, St. Joseph Health System Susan Whittaker Governance Counsel St. Joseph Health Ministry Barbara Yingling Community Leader William Yingling III Community Leader Beth Burns, Board Emerita Founder of The Wooden Floor and Artistic Director (’83-’05) Socorro Vasquez, Board Emerita Community Leader

Photography by: Kevin P. Casey

4 The Wooden Floor | spring 2012

The Wooden Floor Legacy Society Bequests and other planned gifts to The Wooden Floor are so important to the future of our mission that we have established a recognition program, The Wooden Floor Legacy Society.

The Wooden Floor Legacy Society is designed to recognize and continue to honor those who have made provisions for a future gift through a bequest, life insurance, annuity, trust agreement, or an outright gift to the organization or the Endowment Fund.

If you have already arranged for a future gift, we would like to know about it. If not, we invite you to consider a bequest or other provision. For more information about The Wooden Floor Legacy Society and how to make a long-term impact, please contact Keegan at 714.541.8314 ext. 140 or Keegan@TheWoodenFloor.org.

Thank you to the major supporters who have come forward this spring to support the students of The Wooden Floor.