Request from Uma Shannon, the daughter of local community members Miranda and John Shannon, and the grand-daughter of Nancy Simmons and the late Barrie Simmons.
"On Tuesday, August 30th, at 7:00pm I will be hosting a fundraising event called: Uma's Final Year at LBTP Fundraiser, at East Street Studio Theater, 47 East Street, Hadley, MA.Please join me! I will be giving a short talk on the impact LBTP has had on me this past year, and my hopes for this next year. There will be a brief screening of my personal highlights from LBTP's 2016 Spring Showcase. Following the presentation, there will be a small diverse performance, including dance and poetry, as I perform alongside a few artists from different disciplines.
Thanks to LBTP awarding me close to 42% in merit scholarship, and having found affordable housing close to LBTP, I can now plan to return to LBTP to finish my dance education. However, LBTP is a professional training program and not a federally funded school. Therefore, I cannot take out educational loans to cover my tuition and associated costs.
This year will be my second and last year of training at Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program (LBTP) in San Francisco, CA. This small world class program accepts up to 36 students per year, and last year I was one of 22 who were accepted.
Last year was huge for me. Over the course of ten months, I was able to train up to ten hours a day, and was given the opportunity to work with different choreographers/artists like David Harvey, a former Alonzo King LINES company member, and after a difficult audition process, I was one of a few chosen to work with guest choreographers, New York city based Sidra Bell and Shannon Gillen. They came and created work on use over the academic year. I learned an enormous amount from these artists, and all the faculty at LBTP.
I was one of eight students to choreograph for the LBTP Fall 2015 Student Choreographic Showcase, and performed in pieces created by my peers. I was featured in four pieces for the LBTP Spring 2016 Showcase, one of two first year students to be given this opportunity and responsibility. This summer, I was picked to be one of ten chaperones for the Alonzo King LINES Summer Intensive - a challenging four week program - where I assisted choreographers, and guided ten charges aged 16 and 17. This rewarding experience, included room and board, dance classes and a stipend that I put aside to help meet my expenses for this coming academic year.
I am one of five children, and my parents continue to have serious financial difficulties since my father was laid off three years ago. I am very grateful for all the assistance they can give me, as well as from my older sisters who have supported me throughout. I continue to work and save as much as I can. I am asking for your continued support, to keep the love of dance and art alive in this generation, so I can continue training and sharing my art, dance, and soul with the world.
If you are unable to attend, but wish to support me, you can do so by donating to my online fundraiser at Generosity by Indiegogo, or offline with a check addressed toUma Shannon, 21 Taylor Street, Amherst, MA 01002.
Whether, you want to donate once, or make a pledge to be distributed throughout the year, any, and all amounts of support are greatly appreciated.
Follow my journey on Facebook Uma's Dance Project and on Instagram @thehumanuma.
I thank you for your support,
Uma"
Uma improv clip: https://vimeo.com/177004386
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