At 41, ‘City Step' still pairs Cambridge kids with Harvard dancers
The initiative has been a haven for household names like Casey Affleck and Natalie Portman.
On Friday evening, students from Graham and Parks School, Fletcher Maynard Academy, King Open School took part in a 90-minute production titled 'Out of the Box,' held in the Lowell Lecture Hall.
CityStep parent Peter Kirby's daughter, Miyuki, who has Down' syndrome, has danced in the program for three years.
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'Being able to move and express herself to music has been great for her development,' he said. 'The idea of giving kids that outlet for artistic and physical movement is important.'
'You're setting that long term goal and giving them something to think about and aim at,' he said. 'You really want to show them the direction 10 or five years earlier.'
Since its inception, the program has expanded to University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Columbia University and University of Chicago.
Founder Sabrina Peck has stayed involved with CityStep as its executive director and described this year's show as 'unconformity.'
'We want to encourage children to be thinking to understand they can be who they are, and be themselves,' she said. 'We want them to know they can take risks and be creative.'
This year's production was titled 'Out of the Box,'
to encourage young dancers to bring aspects of their personal lives and into their dancing.
They incorporated ballet influences, rock moves, abstract lighting and live music. A drumming performance used old paint buckets. Students used clown clothes, boxes and other props
in their displays.
The show's message was for students to their individual authenticity to combat social media consumption, anxiety and depression, Peck said in a news release.
CityStep leadership is looking to grow the program to newer cities and continue planning a retreat to bring together teachers from across the country to New York for a two day training.
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Producers announced the students will be taken to an Alvin Ailey performance in April to culminate this round of the CityStep cycle.
Auzzy Byrdsell can be reached at
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