SAN ANTONIO — Serious Dance. Serious Fun.
- Emphasizing community outreach
- Making dance accessible
- Scholarships offered
This is the motto at Danielle Campbell Steans’s San Antonio Ballet School, where dancers perfect their skills and work to spread their love of dance.
“You can like be yourself in dance because no one’s going to judge you for it," said Gigi, a dancer. "And even if you make mistakes, it’s okay because everyone makes mistakes in dance.”
“I love dancing and I think that everyone should experience it," said Emily, a dancer.
But dance classes are a luxury that not all families can afford, so Campbell Stean puts a large emphasis on community outreach.
“There was a need here in San Antonio to have arts in the schools," said Danielle Campbell Steans, San Antonio Ballet School director. "I believe that if we make dance accessible, we may find our next principle dancer here in San Antonio.”
The students in the youth ballet company get to help the studio’s efforts to offer scholarships to other dancers and get more kids involved.
“When you go out and help, it’s really nice because I always feel so happy when I get to dance because I feel so privileged because some kids can’t do that," Gigi said.
"It’s a great feeling because they’re also experiencing the joy that you get to experience almost every day," said Isabella, a dancer.
“And I just think that they have the opportunity of their lives," Emily said.
The school is the first dance studio in the area owned and directed by a black woman, and Campbell Steans works to encourage diversity in dance.
“I am very proud that we have such a diverse group of students, especially in our youth ballet performing dance company," Campbell Steans said. "And I definitely would hope to encourage children of all ethnicities and backgrounds to give ballet a try and hope that I could inspire them in some kind of way to go after something that’s different.”