By Andrew W. Griffin

Red Dirt Report, editor

Posted: November 16, 2012

reddirtreporter@gmail.com

NORMAN, Okla. – Back in early August, nine dancers with Norman’s Classical Ballet Academy went to London, England as part of the Performing Arts Educators’ 2012 London Invitational and were led by CBA’s owner Julie Blacksten.

Oh, and this took place in the midst of the 2012 London Summer Olympics, which, for the girls, made the trip all the more exciting and memorable.

And now, three months later, the newly-formed Do it For Dance Foundation held a fundraiser at Sooner Legends here in Norman to raise money for their non-profit organization that has the mission of spreading the art of dance through educational opportunities, performances and community involvement.

Blacksten, who is also the Do it For Dance Foundation’s president and creative director emceed Thursday night’s event which drew close to 50 people for a barbecue dinner and dance performances by seven of the same girls who visited London this summer, as well as dance performances by others.

“I think these girls represented Oklahoma in London really well,” Blacksten said, beaming at the girls who accompanied her to the British event.

During the dinner and the dances, attendees could take part in a silent auction for items that included items from the 2012 London Summer Olympics, University of Oklahoma athletic gear and souvenirs and a stack of CDs by country star Johnny Lee (“Lookin’ for Love” from Urban Cowboy).

The dances during the evening included “Fortunate Son,” a dance to an Adele song and a dance performed by the group “Dance Chance” at Madison Elementary. Dance Chance is an after-school educational dance program that helps students in grades 3 through 5. And then there is the Norman Dance Theatre which is also part of the Do it For Dance Foundation. Their community involvement includes performing locally at schools, nursing homes and churches. They also put on a Nutcracker and Tea Party performance in December and a Spring Performance as well.

 Dance instructors who helped with the dancers performances included Monica Smith Griffin, Shoshanna Kilian and Summer McGowan.

For more information on the Do it For Dance Foundation go to www.doitfordance.com or call 405-321-6913.

Copyright 2012 Red Dirt Report