THE EDWARD MORGAN BALLET BRONX OUTREACH PROGRAM – Directed By Joseph Alexander
THE PURPLE MOUNTAIN PRESS – October 16-31, 2001
BALLET BLOOMS IN BRONX GARDEN
By Chris Bryant “It’s the elegance,” said Kimberly Zehr, 9. That’s why she loves ballet. Kimberly moved to the Bronx, New York, from Hong Kong. She studied ballet with a group supported by the Hong Kong Ballet. But it’s not easy to find ballet lessons in her new neighbor- hood. Her street, Sherman Avenue, has a tough reputation. It turns out she didn’t need to find a ballet studio. One came to her. Her neighbor, Melanie Rodriguez, began a community garden 15 years ago. Sherman Gardens grew to include the arts. “It started as a dream, said Rodriguez. “I want to share everything, including love and dignity.” For her, the arts and nature inspire both. A company called MorganScott Ballet held a weeklong workshop for kids at Sherman Gardens. The com- pany even built a stage. By the end of the week, the whole neighborhood was watching. The week of classes ended with two performances. One was on the garden stage. The other was in the Bronx Museum of Art. One of the workshop dancers is a student with MorganScott. Krysthel Pena, 16, was Kimberly’s age when she began classes. Krysthel credits ballet with teaching her discipline. “We learn from our mistakes each day,” said Krysthel. Ballet dancers
aften repeat a move until it’s perfect. Kimberly’s brother Christian, 7, also took part in the workshop. “Ballet is hard,” said Christian. “But if you do the moves right, it feels like you can go forever.” The kids are now looking for a permanent place to practice. MorganScott agreed to teach weekly classes. The beauty of the garden inspired ballet to come to the tough New York street. The roots are taking hold.
