Ballet Arizona Receives $15K Grant to Expand Programs
Images courtesy of Ballet Arizona
Thunderbirds Charities has awarded a $15,000 grant to Ballet Arizona, supporting the organization’s community outreach programs designed to expand access to dance across the Valley.
The funding will strengthen three core initiatives offered through Ballet Arizona’s East Valley campus in Mesa, located within the Child Crisis Arizona Center for Child & Family Wellness. The programs – Native American Hoop Dance, Creative Aging Through Dance, and Dance for Parkinson’s Disease – aim to make movement and artistic expression accessible to youth and older adults.
“We are deeply grateful to Thunderbirds Charities for their generosity and steadfast support of Ballet Arizona’s community engagement programs,” Executive Director Jami Kozemczak said. “At Ballet Arizona, we believe dance is for everyone, and these programs make that belief a reality. Dance offers far more than joy; it nurtures emotional well-being, supports physical health, and enriches quality of life.”
The Hoop Dance program offers classes for Native American youth ages 6 to 12, taught by instructors Eva Bighorse and Sky Duncan as part of Ballet Arizona’s Tribal Nations Advisory Council in partnership with Native communities.
Creative Aging Through Dance brings movement-based classes to older adults focusing on strength, flexibility and resilience. Taught by Ballet Arizona teaching artists, the program blends movement exercises with choreography fundamentals. Dance for Parkinson’s Disease offers participants and caregivers a supportive environment to explore movement as a tool for physical and emotional wellness.
“Thunderbirds Charities is proud to support Ballet Arizona and its commitment to making the arts accessible to all. Programs like these not only inspire creativity but also promote health, connection, and well-being for individuals and families across our community,” President Matt Mooney said.
Through partnerships like this one, the organization is working to ensure the benefits of dance reach communities across Arizona. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit thunderbirdscharities.org or balletaz.org.
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