Newsday from New York, New York • 61

61 ARTS I THE BOROUGHS DEVELOPING iTALENTilNiTHE 'MrVVUJj jlnt A'' a aife I Opening Doors Through The Discipline of Dance By Henry Tam Jr STAFF WHITER By Bill Kaufman STAFF WRITER multicultural arts programs which selected the dance school as one of 24 agencies to introduce the arts to schoolchildren in the boroughs BDT played host and visitor to 17 schools across the Bronx and one in Queens Their presentation included selected performances in the BDT auditorium and dance classes in the studio afterwards consider ballet an elitist form of art not exclusive very Goldstein said The school a nonprofit organization keeps its foes to $6 to $10 a class Mary Anne Doeroam of Bronxville has been taking her daughter Alana 10 there for four years searched all over Westchester for a school of this professional quality and absolutely nothing out Doeroam said YOUR head demanded one of the instructors whose young student unwittingly stared at her feet as she took small leaps in the Bronx Dance Theater studio yourself and it will stay Beginning its sixth season next month at the site of the once-abandoned Bainbridge Theater on 286 204th St in the northwest section of the Bronx the Bronx Dance Theater (BDT) for nearly 18 years has trained its young students to discipline themselves in dance Discipline has paid off for many alumni The school boasts former students in and Many students are accepted into the highly competitive Fiorella La-Guardia High School of the Performing Arts while others get spots on as dancers very proud of the success of many of our former said Neil Goldstein co-founder and executive director give professional Tike the students who attend Bronx Dance Theater the school has gone on to on new dimensions BDT which started as a three-studio school on the Grand Concourse opposite Loews Paradise Theater in 1975 now is a complete performing-arts complex with a 300-seat theater two folly equipped rehearsal studios dressing rooms and a 32-channel digital recording studio Specialising in classical and modem dance Broadway jazz and tap floor gymnastics high- and low-impact aerobics and creative movement (for 3- and 4-year-olds) Bronx Dance also presents four shows each year including Nutcracker each Christmas season a professional tap and jazz show in the spring and in June a fuU-lengthballet this year an original production of and the Bronx Dance Theater has five foil-time dance instructors and 16 part-time teachers Eleven are former Bronx Dance students and 18 are from the Bronx Employing Bronx residents and former students is very important to Goldstein and his wife Barbara Klein co-founder and artistic director Bronx residents bom and raised We know the people in the said Klein who is also a dance instructor want to improve our community and give the tradition of dance to the Although about 500 students ranging from age 8 to 60 take rliw at BDT another 1500 are part of the outreach to the public schools of Community School Districts 8 9 10 said 11 in the Bronx This June BDT participated in the Board of Bronx Danes Tleater Lawyers for the Arts A wide range of free legal services for individual artists and nonprofit arts groups is offered by Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) The city-based organization is staffed by attorneys who can give quick answers to arts-related queries about such things as copyrights contracts and applying for tax-exempt status Dan Mayer executive director of the group explained that in addition to providing legal counseling the organization offers two publications: Guide to Copyright for Visual and Guide to Copyright for the Performing ($595 each) Mayer who describes his group as Legal AM Society for the said that all services are free except for range legal counseling for anyone eligible for which a nominal The group is funded by the state city and other endowment sources For information call (212) 319-2787 Brooklyn Treasure Long considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing and tranquil retreats the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden will receive a substantial boost when the viewing pavilion known as the Tea House undergoes restoration work made possible by a $75000 donation from the Independence Savings Bank Designed by artist Takeo Shiota in 1914-15 the Garden contains the artistic elements of a Japanese country setting including bridges waterfalls and shrines Hie pavilion has been closed because of its poor condition In accepting the money Judith Zuk president of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden said many people the Japanese Garden is the very symbol of our The pavilion is scheduled to re-open next year part of a five-year $15 million restoration prqject The Brooklyn Botanic Garden kicks off a special Traditions on Aug 22 which includes a 1 pm tour of its rare canna plant collection followed by a 2:30 pm jazz concert starring drummer Art trio Admission is free co-founder Baiba ra Klein center Instructs students in a baUet doss Klein said she sees all things as an extension of dance and ballet Even the sacrifices And constructing their dreams means paying off $400000 borrowed to reconstruct the old theater where they now pay more than $6000 in rent each month Ventilation and heating cost $100000 alone Renovation included building walls installing sprinkler systems rood recementing the floor of the auditorium Bainbridge Theater originally opened in 1926 as a silent-movie theater with about 800 seats in the auditorium Because of extensive renovation the auditorium is now about half that size and holds a large stage with a crossover wall at the back behind which students can cross the stage unseen dining performances The current 300 seats in the theater were donated by the Brooklyn Museum a donation arranged by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs BDT studios are used for karate lessons when dance lessons are not being given always trying to keep our head above Klein said fortunate that so for it BDT has allowed us to earn money to support the However developing talent in the Bronx is very satisfying for Goldstein One of their successes is Zelma Davis singer of the Music Factory and a former BDT student A native of West Liberia Davis lived in the Bronx as a youngster made me who I am Barbara really takes the fan to care for each said the 23-year-old star can open doors to opportunity and the only school in the Bronx with its kind of Davis who continues to take cl gases there has supported BDT with a scholarship named after her It is awarded anmialfy to two students who have demonstrated a strong desire and commitment to the study dance The scholarhip pays for a wrath of lessons people make you Goldstein said you watch young people develop into greatness you can see the whole future of life right before your Bronx Dance Theater holds registration 10 am to 7pm Aug 13-16 call (718) 652-7655 Calling All Artists Borough artists and designers are being sought by the Alliance of Queens Artists to exhibit their hand-painted garments jewelery and other wearable art forms in a show set to run Sept 11-Oct 9 at the center 99-10 Metropolitan Ave Forest Hills a $20 entry foe Queens artists are also invited to participate in the annual fence show which is set for Sept 18-19 at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church on Aacan Avenue in Forest Hills The entry foe is $45 For details call (718) 520-9842 there's also dssicsl modem fas sad i Boys tv out i show.