The arts are being used as a tool to help New Jersey residents recover from Superstorm Sandy.

Facebook
Facebook
loading...

Atlantic City Ballet is one of five arts organizations in the state to receive grants from the New Jersey Recovery Fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey.

Ballet Spokesperson Alexandra Pieroni says free dance workshops will be held this month at the Artlantic Wonder-Pinnacle Park in Atlantic City as an outlet for anyone impacted by the storm.

"Months and years from now, there will be many people who will have maybe post-traumatic stress syndrome from this whole event and it's important to get your feelings out."

Pieroni adds that Ballet Master Kristaps Kikulis will also be drawing inspiration from workshop participants to choreograph a unique ballet called 'In the Eye of the Storm' (Healing and recovery through dance), that will debut at Dante Hall in November.

"This ballet is to show the resiliency of of all of the communities that were affected and how humans really just rise about all horrible things including natural disasters," says Pieroni.

"This is an exciting opportunity for the ballet," Phyllis Papa, AC Ballet's Founding Artistic Director says.

"To be able to help in the recovery and to use dance to create a community of survivors not victims."

"Atlantic City Alliance will provide space for the workshops and AtlantiCare Family Success Centers will work with the ballet to identify those individuals who were affected by the storm," Pieroni explained.

She says they're also hoping to partner with other grant recipients with their artistic recovery efforts.

The workshops will be held on Friday, August 16th and Friday, August 23rd from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. at the Artlantic Wonder-Pinnacle Park at MLK & Pacific Avenues by the pirate ship.

For more information, call: 609-804-1995 or visit the Atlantic City Ballet website.

More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM