Kansas City graduates of summer school dance program show off skills Students can earn one fine arts credit for completing the five-week course Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Share Updated: 4:32 PM CDT Jul 22, 2021 Kansas City graduates of summer school dance program show off skills Students can earn one fine arts credit for completing the five-week course Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey Share Updated: 4:32 PM CDT Jul 22, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript IT’S DESIGNED TO BRING THE ARTS TO UNDERSERVED STUDENTS AND UNITE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH DANCE. IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE SOME OF THESE STUDENTS ARE BRAND NEW TO DANC BUT THEY GOT A CRASH COURSE ISTH SUMMER. THE PROGRAM IS A PARERIPTN BETWEEN THE KANSAS CITY FRIENDS OF ALVIN AILEY AND KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY OF THESE STUDENTS. TYRONE: IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THAT UNDERSERVED STUDENTS HAVTHE SAME ACCESS AS ALL STUDENTS, BECAUSE WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT LEVELS T PHELAYING FIELD. KELLY: 14-YE-OARLD SAMIYAH WILLINGHAM LOVES TO TAKE THE STAGE BUT SAYS THE CAMP HAS TAUGHT HER MORE THAN JUST DANCE STEPS. SAMIYAH: YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP EARLY, YOU HAVE TO BE COMMITTED, DANCE IS A COMMITMENT, AND IF YOU’RE NOT COMMITTED TO TO DANCE, THEN YOU’RE NOT GOOD RFO DANCE, BECAUSE IT IS HARD WORK KELLY: 16-TEAR-OLD MARK WELSH SAYS THIS WAS THE PERFECT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FORIM H MARK: THIS EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN VERY FREEING. IT’S ALLOWED ME TO BE MORE OF MYSELF IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. AND I REALLY LOVE ARTSND A DANCE, IT’S MORE OF A SE EXPRESSION THING. KELLY: WHILE NOT ALL THE STUDENTS WILL GO ON TO BE PROFESSIONAL DANCERS, EDUCATORS BELIEVE THEY LEARN