From the Canyon Concert Ballet Board of Directors and Executive Director:
Canyon Concert Ballet firmly believes that Black Lives Matter and is in full support of the anti-racism movement sparked by the multiple horrific events these past few months.
Historically, Canyon Concert Ballet has tried to be as inclusive as possible, including actively seeking out and hiring diverse guest dancers, instructors, and choreographers, allowing and encouraging tights and shoe colors that are appropriate and welcoming for the dancer, providing dance class tuition scholarships and free tickets to performances to K-12 students on free and reduced lunch, and celebrating diverse dancers and dance groups through our social media channels. However, we can do more, and we can do better.
We believe the process to improve our efforts begins with increased education and awareness, which is why Canyon Concert Ballet has encouraged its faculty and staff to watch the three-part documentary “Race – the Power of an Illusion”. It is absolutely eye-opening, and we invite you to watch it as well. It is available through Kanopy for free (linked) with your Poudre Library card (or very likely your local library if you are not in the Fort Collins area). Executive director, Jenna Riedi, is also taking an online course this summer through the University of Illinois titled, “Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History”.
Canyon Concert Ballet will also dedicate a portion of our monthly board of director meetings to exploring ways we can be more inclusive, and more empowering for those who are BIPOC in our community. We welcome your participation in this continuing conversation and your partnership in support of the larger fight against racial injustice and inequality worldwide.
Letter From Our School Director
Dear CCB Community,
One of the many reasons why I wanted to be a part of CCB was because of their commitment to nourish, expand and enrich artistic opportunities to the NoCo community and their mission to make dance accessible to all who wish to learn. As a brown, Latina woman living thousands of miles away from my history and culture I am grateful to have found a second home in CCB, in Colorado. As we are seeing and witnessing, this sense of love and welcoming is not what many others experience.
I want to let you know that I know I can do more and will do more to have a more diverse and inclusive culture at CCB. I am committed to reach more communities that do not get to experience the performing arts as often as they wish and bring BIPOC teachers to share their history and dance with the CCB students. As I continue with CCB, I will find more ways to make dance and the CCB culture a rich one that encourages equity, inclusivity and diversity in a fun and celebratory atmosphere. Please reach out to me if you have other ideas or would like to help CCB do better.
With my open heart and arms,
Analia Alegre- Femenias Weber
School Director
Ways You Can Help
We felt this CNET article covers in-depth ways we can all help and we wanted to share them with you. Thank you.
- Make an ongoing, monthly donation to an organization
- Consciously buy from black-owned businesses and restaurants
- Wear Black Lives Matter gear and other apparel
- Sign petitions online, send texts, make phone calls, attend local events
- Link up with local community groups and religious organizations
- Help register and educate voters during the corona virus pandemic
- Continue your self-education: Book groups, TV shows, more
- Join the movement
