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“A balm for the soul”
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the arts

Mariandrea Villegas has talent and showmanship beyond her years.

Dance is a unique art form in that the medium it utilizes is the human body itself. Simply through purposeful and graceful control of movement, dancers can express and evoke joy, sadness, fear, confusion—the whole range of human emotion. And when dancing is done well, it's utterly mesmerizing.

Such is the case with Mariandrea, a 14-year-old from Mexico who auditioned for America's Got Talent in July of 2023 and wowed both the judges and the audience with her dance performance. She has been dancing since she was 5, and as Simon Cowell pointed out, it's clear that she was born to do this.

After showing off her sparkling personality during the pre-performance interview, Mariandrea danced to a cover of Tears for Fears' "Mad World," personifying the song in her performance. But it wasn't just her intentional movement that reflected the emotional complexity of the ever-popular hit. Her facial expressions, ranging from subtle fear to a clown-like smile to genuine sorrow to angry defiance, change on a dime, adding an acting element to her routine that takes it to the next level.


Add in the incredible control she has of her body as it twists and turns and seems to defy gravity, both gracefully flowing and disturbingly contorting, and it's easy to see why she earned a standing ovation and enthusiastic praise from all four judges.

Watch:

For someone so young to have such a strong grasp of her craft is quite extraordinary, and people were wowed by her talent as well as her showmanship.

"I had to watch this more than once. Her smile, energy, and face reminds me of a young Natalie Portman. You can tell she is more than a dancer also, very intelligent, expressive, talented, yes acting too. Wow! Congratulations!" shared one commenter.

"This young lady has a very bright future ahead of her! The passion that she emanated while dancing was above and beyond what we have seen in half the dancers that are older than her... Can't wait to see what she does next!!!" wrote another.

"Stunned. I would have given her a golden buzzer. The sharpness, flexibility, timing, theatrics, and costume use. 10/10," shared another.

One commenter pointed out that her dance felt like a monologue, and another person called it "absolute art." Many people expressed disappointment that she didn't receive the Golden Buzzer, which would propel her immediately to the final round. But if her other performances are anything like this one, she's got a pretty decent chance of making it to the finals without it.


This article originally appeared on 9.18.23

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New Orleans Tourism

After spending 12 years pursuing acting in Los Angeles, Anthony Bean never thought he'd end up right back in his hometown of New Orleans.

However, after his teenage daughter suddenly passed away there, he felt like it was time for him to return.

Anthony Bean. Photo via Anthony Bean, used with permission.


They had maintained a close relationship by visiting each other regularly, but when she abruptly became ill and died, he realized that NOLA — his birthplace and hers — was meant to be his permanent home.

Even though his daughter was young, she had been eager to take over a small theater company Bean had started back in 1973 called the Ethiopian Theater. It was one of the few black-focused theaters in New Orleans.

So, in the wake of his devastating loss, Bean decided to turn his daughter's dream into a brighter reality.

"I wanted more of a commercial theater and an acting school," Bean says. "A church and school opened up on Carrollton Avenue. In 2000, it became Anthony Bean Community Theater and Acting School."

Bean with some of his students. Photo via Anthony Bean, used with permission.

The theater was designed to be a "quality, culturally diverse performing arts venue," and the acting school offers an eclectic group of classes to both children and adults seeking to learn more about performing, set design, and theater management.

The youth program, however, became ABCT's shining star.

"There’s such a vast need for this type of work, particularly when you’re catering to inner-city kids," Bean says.

While the craft of acting is obviously of importance, Bean says much of the work they do is based around social drama, with kids acting out what's going on in their own lives.

Students during a performance at ABCT. Photo via Anthony Bean, used with permission.

That's why the school focuses on teaching the Stanislavsky method of acting, which deals with character emotionality first and foremost. Bean says it seems to be the best way in for kids who have less of an academic background.

However, that way of working often delivers astounding results.

"I find when dealing with inner-city kids, emotion is who they are," Bean explains. "And when you incorporate that into the arts, you’ve got fireworks."

Since the beginning, the youth programs have been popular with kids and parents. That's why Bean maintains them, even while they don't have an official space.

Kids in the ABCT youth program. Photo via ABCT, used with permission.

Unfortunately their original space was turned into a charter school, so ABCT had to vacate, and is currently awaiting sufficient funds to get a new space. While fundraising in the community has been going well enough, it's been a struggle, especially since the government cut the Wisner Grant, which had supported the theater and school.

That said, he remains optimistic, especially considering the success of the most recent summer program.

ABCT Summer Program is more than a Camp...It's Culture!9 Week Summer Theater ProgramCulminates with the soulful, hit...

Posted by Anthony Bean Community Theater & Acting School on Friday, February 3, 2017

This past summer, they put on two musical productions: "Soulville" and "Old Skool." If you're in NOLA during the summer months, the ABCT kids' shows are more than worth the price of admission. You won't just be supporting good theater, you'll be helping sustain a life-changing school.

The kids are learning to channel their emotionality into something constructive, and the best part is, they get to be part of a beautiful, collaborative product that earns rousing applause at the end. What could be more validating?

Not only is the program giving inner-city kids a creative outlet, it's breeding real talent.

[rebelmouse-image 19532372 dam="1" original_size="700x633" caption="A student in an ABCT production of "The Color Purple." Photo via ABCT, used with permission." expand=1]A student in an ABCT production of "The Color Purple." Photo via ABCT, used with permission.

Many ABCT students matriculate into the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), one of the most prestigious art programs in the country. Some former students have even gone on to do rather well professionally in the entertainment business. Wendell Pierce — star of shows like "The Wire" and "Treme," for example — is a former ABCT student.

Bean is working tirelessly to keep ABCT afloat, and hopes the new administration will start lending a hand.

Kids in the ABCT program. Photos via ABCT, used with permission.

Programs that specifically cater to marginalized and inner-city kids are few and far between. Considering schools nationwide are cutting arts programs right and left, theaters like ABCT are becoming rare gems that need to be saved.

Not only are these programs fun for kids, having a place in which they feel they belong instills confidence in them they might not have found anywhere else.

"There are many kids out there who can’t play football, who don’t like sports," Bean says. "I'm providing an outlet for these kids."

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How one woman is helping to unify Detroit through dance.

The creative arts in this town just got a major upgrade.

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XQ

Detroit is known for its cars, Motown music, and 8 Mile (the district and the movie). But now, it wants to be known for its dance.

And Joori Jung is the woman for the job. When she moved to New York from South Korea to dance, she realized the city wasn’t for her. In a city so large, it felt to her like there was little community. So instead, she followed her now-husband to Detroit, where she settled down and founded ArtLab J.

All photos by ArtLab J, used with permission.


The lab is a dance company, but it's also more than that.

According to the ArtLab J mission statement, the organization strives to "create unity between the city's dance companies, educational institutions, individual artists, and beyond." It's long been said that dance brings more than just performance to a community, but now, ArtLab J is out to prove it.

Watch below:

XQ Rethink High School: Detroit

These girls are learning to trust others through dance.

Posted by Upworthy on Monday, November 13, 2017

When we talk about supporting the arts, there's no denying the positive ripple effect that activities like dance can have.

On an individual level, dance provides people with an outlet to express themselves, which promotes spiritual and emotional health. That can translate to less violence, stronger community ties, and better interpersonal relationships.

For kids, that can also mean a better school experience, higher academic performance, and a better shot at finding success as adults.

But reading about performance arts and seeing them in action are two different things. ArtLab J is hard evidence of the real benefits of dance in Detroit.

By setting up a dance company within the city, ArtLab J has provided not just a hub for entertainment, but also a lab for others to dabble in the arts in a welcoming space.

Jung's company of six primary dancers performs her original choreography throughout the regular season, but the lab also runs workshops, classes, and other programs to help foster a connection between the organization and the community that surrounds it.

Perhaps most impressive is what the lab has done to expand Detroit's reach by bringing its global neighbors into the city.

While ArtLab J's presence in Detroit builds strong bonds and helps foster community within the city, there's also much that can be learned by going beyond city limits and collaborating with artists outside Detroit.

The Detroit Dance City Festival is a showcase that brings choreographers from all over the world to Detroit, putting their work in front of new and diverse audiences. And in doing so, it brings the world to the people of Detroit, building connections and building a global network for its residents.

ArtLab J is just one example of how dance has a positive effect far beyond the performances themselves.

Though Jung's initiative is one of the more visible dance community programs we have, cities and towns across the country and around the world fight every day for the budget and support they need to maintain an artistic presence in their communities.

And as Detroit's dancers have shown, those efforts can only lead to good things.

Learn more at XQSuperSchool.org.

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Taco Bell Live Más

"While I’m dancing it’s just different. I feel like I want to use a word that I don’t know yet. It’s the most myself I ever feel."

A new scholarship program gives young people the chance to follow their passions.

Posted by Upworthy on Thursday, October 6, 2016

For Khorii Tinson, an opportunity to go to university for what she loves is the natural extension of her lifelong passion for dance.

Her dad, Karl, said Khorii knew she wanted to be a dancer before anyone else did. Even when she was very young, she was finding ways to make dance a part of everything they did.


Despite an early dance teacher kicking her out of class for doing cartwheels — and then warning her parents that dance probably wasn’t Khorii’s thing — her love of movement never faded.

Khorii performing as a kid. Image via Live Mas Scholarship/YouTube.

Dance was a constant in Khorii's life when her father had to leave the family for Army deployments overseas. Three times he left for Iraq, with one final tour in Afghanistan. When everything else was uncertain or changing, dance was always a part of Khorii's life. Through the years, she continued to pour her heart into dancing and performing.

For some dancers, the dream of going further in their studies ends after high school — and not for lack of passion. Of the more than 7,000 universities and colleges across America, only about 80 offer accredited dance programs​. Private unaccredited programs exist, but they’re often even more expensive and students who attend them might not be eligible for financial aid.

This is the reality for so many creative youth looking to follow their dreams. There aren’t enough schools with programs for what they want to do. Even if they do find a school they love and get accepted to it, there often aren’t enough scholarships to help them afford to go.

It's a big problem, and one this new scholarship program is trying to fix.

The Live Mas Scholarship is offered exclusively to talented, creative students who want to pursue higher education, but don’t fit the criteria for standard "academic" or "athletic" scholarships.

These students are artists, writers, musicians. They're filmmakers, designers, and activists. They’re powerfully talented dancers like Khorii.

GIF via Live Mas Scholarship/YouTube.

In 2016, the Live Mas scholarship fund awarded 220 scholarships to deserving recipients, ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 each. They promise a one-of-a-kind opportunity for the next generation: one that’s not based on grades or sports. There are no essays, no test scores, no right or wrong answers. There's just talent and a desire to do more with it.

Khorii received a scholarship to attend the prestigious dance program at the University of Texas in Austin.

Image via Live Mas Scholarship/YouTube.

For her, it’s the culmination of a dream and a reminder of who she is.

"When I’m dancing, I know that’s where I want to be and that’s who I am. Whole. I know that things will work out in the end, and I think being optimistic has always helped me. I will find the positive in any situation."

Khorii’s mom, Mina, agrees. "I’ve always had two words for Khorii, whenever she goes to school or she’s on stage: Be brave," she said. "Fight for your dreams fight through your failures, and you’ll survive, and through that, you’ll find your happiness. You’ll find your joy."