SIUE East St. Louis Center Performing Arts Summer Program Concludes Another Successful Year
More than 80 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center for the Performing Arts students, ages 6-17, burst on stage Friday, July 29 with skill, confidence and excitement.
“In the tradition of the late, great Katherine Dunham, the SIUE East St. Louis Center presents its 31st Annual Performing Arts Summer Program,” said Jack Williams, program director, at the beginning of the show. “We had offered the program year-round for more than 40 years.”
The 2016 End-of-Summer Performance, Art of Dance and Music 2 drew more than 300 family and friends to the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus in East St. Louis. The concert was sponsored by Parents Movement for the Arts, PepsiCo, PNC Bank, 4Imprint, Sam’s Club O’Fallon, Walmart Cahokia and Walmart Supercenter in Belleville.
“We are thrilled that SIUE has been so supportive in revitalizing this extraordinary program,” said Jesse Dixon, executive director of the SIUE East St. Louis Center. “You see the rigor of the instruction, and the extraordinary dedication of the students involved. When you see the outpouring of support from family and community members, you are reminded that this is not just a camp. This is a cultural institution in East St. Louis.”
Teaching the five-week course and choreographing the concert were performing arts staff members Williams and Earl Wilkes, along with performing arts student alumni TaShayla Montgomery, Venezia Manuel, Arturo Miller and Gerald Babatudne Sylla Williams.
With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals - from pre-school through adult - in the Metro East. Head Start/Early Head Start and a charter high school are among the programs that offer the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. The Center also assigns first priority to encouraging, supporting and improving the educational success of the residents of East St. Louis and surrounding urban communities. The Center provides comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.
Photos: Students, ages 6-8, perform in the number, West African, choreographed by Gerald Babatudne Sylla Williams.
Drummers perform under the direction of Gerald Babatudne Sylla Williams and also display costumes made by the master tailor.
Performing a hip-hop dance number are students, ages 9-12.
