I'm working as a volunteer ballet teacher and an International Coordinator at the Ballet of Santa Teresa of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Below you will find a press release that explains about the ballet, and a link to the BST donation page!
Your contribution will help:
- renovate the existing facilities of the school, including expanding the studio, making repairs, expanding recreation area, and eventually adding a new studio
- help buy snacks, dance supplies, costumes, and fund excursions
- expand the program to other parts of the city
- expand the number of students participating at BST's current studio
www.bst.org.br
The Santa Teresa Ballet develops projects for socially at-risk children, adolescents, and families. Its mission is the complementation, foundation, and integration of this target population through cultural expression and education.
The STB began its activities in 1999, when girls from the socially at-risk areas of the neighborhood of Santa Teresa asked for ballet classes taught by Vania Farias, a professional classical ballet teacher. Ms. Farias observed through statistics and public opinion surveys the division between the target population and the leisure and cultural activities in the neighborhood, due to lack of specific offers, and mostly due to existing prejudice between social classes.
In 2001, realizing the prospect of daily classes, the Project was created to offer classical ballet education, Spanish dance classes, music lessons, choral classes, art and dance history, motor skills, educational recreation, homework help, preventative health education, arts and crafts classes for mothers, group excursions, and performances. All of the activities are accompanied by orientation and social assistance. Starting in 2004, other disciplines were added, including English classes, theater classes, art classes, and after-school help with schoolwork.
The first STB classes for 12 beginning students took place six years ago, in the basement of the Neighborhood Organization for the Coroa Community, right in the middle of the favela. Today, the STB Project operates in the Christian Workers Federation of Rio de Janeiro, in Largo dos Guimaraes, in the heart of Santa Teresa.
There are 150 students divided into six sessions, from three to eighteen years old. Approximately 94% of the students come from the favelas Morro dos Prazers, Coroa, Fogueteiro, Fallet, Escondidinho, Mineira, and Sao Carlos, while about 6% of the students come from the traditional parts of Santa Teresa (children of intellectuals, artists, foreigners, and people involved in social development). This method aims to promote the integration of the favela and non-favela communities of the neighborhood, and the past few years have shown excellent results.
The results of the students’ accomplishments are clear:
· Social Integration: Decrease in socio-cultural differences between social classes
· Academic Education: Decrease in number of students held back and number of illiterate students, with an increase in level of education, giving the students a higher level of professional competitiveness in the future job market; decrease in levels of child labor and violence
· Preventative Health: Zero incidence of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease amongst STB students; decrease in domestic accidents, increase in healthier eating and better hygiene
· Cultural Education: Intellectual instruction through continued access to cultural activities
Today, the Santa Teresa Ballet has partnerships with: the Desiderata Institute, the Marques de Salamanca Institute, the French Charity Society, Rio Voluntario, AFS Brazil, Iko Poran, CMS Ernani Agricola (local health clinic), the Christian Workers Federation of Rio de Janeiro, the Stage Edcuation Project of the Municipal Theater of Rio, CMDCA, a-tribo2p, Antares, Santa Teresa Movie Theater, public schools of Santa Teresa, Agenda 21 Coordination of the Santa Teresa neighborhood, and the Neighborhood Associations of Santa Teresa and surrounding areas.
From Volunteer Abroad: LINK Click here if you're interested in signing up to be a volunteer!
"Description: The Santa Teresa Ballet is a program directed at children and youth who live in areas of social risk and has as its mission to promote academically complimentary and grounding socio-cultural integration through artistic expression. Directed by Vânia Farias, professionally trained classical ballerina, the BST also aims to create a center for entertainment and culture in an area lacking such enrichment. Factors such as the existing predjudice between social classes of the neighborhood have previously prevented the creation of a cultural center. Onehunded and fifty youth ranging in age from 3 ½ to 18 years old attend the ballet school, which is divided into six classes. Ninety four percent of the students are youth from neighborhoods of social risk in the community, while 6% of the students come from traditional neighborhoods of Santa Teresa (children of intellectuals, artists, foreigners and residents interested in promoting social responsibility). This breakdown of class composition is intended to promote the integration of favela communities with communities bordering favelas and has produced excellent results in recent years.
The Santa Teresa Ballet is completely free of cost, including class uniforms, performance constumes and transportation to and from activities and events away from the studio. The BST does not require entrance tests and the only requirement for matriculation is pre-confirmation of class attendance and an official medical exam from the Santa Teresa Health Office. With regular class attendance, the BST is able to provide a uniform cultural education and solid mechanisms with which each can improve his/her lives, opportunities and citizenship.
Volunteers can teach or assist in teaching any of the following skill sets at beginner and/or advanced levels:
- Classical Ballet
- Spanish Dance
- International Dance (jazz, hip-hop), Choreography
- Music
- Intellectual and creative recreation
- Art and Dance History
- Preventative health education
- English and/or foreign language classes
- English and/or foreign language classes
In addition, the Santa Teresa Ballet is open to suggestions from potential volunteers that are interested in formatting a unique project that caters to the volunteer's unique skills and fulfills the organization objectives. Such projects will need to demonstrate formative progression for the students or to the infrastructure of the organization, like a mural, or a costume wardrobe, or other.
Highlights: The programs are formatted according to our volunteers' abilities and interests and the partner organization necessities, in a way it is very rewarding and productive to both parts
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Cost in US$: 780
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Cost Include Description:
What is included in the program fee:
- Development of the volunteer placement together with the partner organization;
- Initial support to locate public transportation means to and from the project;
- Program management and administrative fee;
- Donation to the partner organization (50% of the NET placement fee);
- Orientation and information about the city, guides, listings, tips, maps, health issues and safety;
- Airport pickup by an Iko Poran representative;
- Lodging in one of our comfortable volunteer houses (first 4 weeks);
- Assistance in the case of emergencies.
Experience Required: no
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Typical Volunteer: - Volunteers must come in a spirit of generosity and sincerity; - Volunteers must themselves up to the experience; - They must be keen to adjust to a new culture and open minded; - And last but not least, they should be independent, adaptable and motivated.
Age Range: Must be over 18 years old
This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals
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Participants Travel to Brazil Independently
Typically Participants Work Independently
Application Process Involves:
- Letters of Reference
- Written Application
Post Services Include:
- Alumni Network
Iko Poran Association's Mission Statement: To implement volunteer programs and projects that make a positive impact on the projects in which they take place, promoting a wide experience exchange between cultures and strengthening a constant and growing number of NGOs in Brazil.
Year Founded: 2002"
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