This past Wednesday, I reported on a collaboration between Andrew Jackson Public School in South Philly and BalletX, a contemporary dance company from the Wilma Theater. A composer who works with BalletX recieved a grant to engage in the creative process a community considered underserved in the performing arts. Over a six-month period, the composer and a choreographer worked with students in the school's "rock band" to create a ballet.
I spent the morning at Jackson, interviewing student musicians and sitting in on a band practice. It was my second time at the school; I went there to cover Sandra Day O'Connor's tour of Philadelphia in Semptember. I then went to the Wilma, and talked the choreographer who was gearing up for that night's premiere.
Because I attended the evening performance, my shift was broken up, leaving me with the whole afternoon free. Rather than making an unnessary trip back to Delaware, I poked around South Philly and got some school work done at a cafe before the performance.
The ballet was great--it was my first time covering a performance, and I had a blast.
Friday's shift was dedicated to writing the piece, which went in Monday's installment of "In Education."
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