Dancers Marisol Betancourt and Roberto Whitaker
Thanks to the successful efforts and collaboration of ArtoberVA and the Better Housing Coalition, we were humbled and ecstatic by this particular response and we wanted to take a moment to share. It is moments like this that make Latin Ballet of Virginia very proud and we thank CultureWorks for their continued support and collaboration.
This is Tonya's story.
During ArtoberVA we partnered with the Better Housing Coalition and a handful of artists to bring performances and collaborative arts experiences into neighborhoods historically underserved by arts and culture.
While planning a performance at BHC's Winchester Greens community in North Chesterfield with the Latin Ballet of Virginia, we learned that the Latin Ballet had offered a free dance workshop for the children there six years ago.
Through that workshop one young lady, "Tonya", discovered a new world that changed her life forever.
Tonya did not know cultural Hispanic music or dance. The free workshop changed Tonya's life. She fell in love with dance. Latin Ballet offered her a scholarship, and motivated by her new passion, she continued to dance, and discovered something more of herself and the world around her.
Recently Tonya performed on stage with the Latin Ballet of Virginia. She continues to embrace new experiences and is open to new possibilities for her future all because her world was changed by one arts and culture experience six years ago.
Source: Richmond CultureWorks
