Philly’s Chocolate Ballerina Company Presents Live In-Person Show, THE BIGGER PICTURE

-Courtesy of Bryan Buttler Media Relations, LLC

Chocolate Ballerina Company, a contemporary community-based dance organization that supports the hidden talents in youth and adult artists of color in the Philadelphia region, is pleased to announce their upcoming student ballet demonstration, The Bigger Picture. This live performance, which features students from Chocolate Ballerina Company’s various programs, will take place on June 26 starting at 4PM at FringeArts (140 N. Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia).

“The Bigger Picture is a culmination of all of the hard work of our dedicated Chocolate Ballerinas,” says Artistic Director Chanel Holland.  “Our vision at Chocolate Ballerina Company is to provide urban areas stripped of the opportunity to receive professional training and exposure to cross-studied dance forms while celebrating Black culture.  This demonstration is a proud moment to show the public everything that our students and teaching artists have been busy preparing over the last several months.”

Founded in 2017 by Holland, Chocolate Ballerina Company engages underserved communities through dance to inspire and instill a sense of hope, discipline, and confidence through training and through professional development.  The company offers free dance classes, outreach programs, pop-up performances, masterclasses, and more, both digitally and in-person.

The program will highlight Chocolate Ballerina Company’s Tiny Ballerinas (ages 3-6), Pre-Prima Ballerinas (ages 8-12), and Premier Primas (ages 18+), plus students from Chocolate Ballerina’s IMPACT Program, which provides free dance classes and free dance leotards for performers 12-16 years in age.  Participants have spent their time with the company learning a mixture of all-level ballet, contemporary form, and technical training, while building confidence, skill, and friendships.

Limited in-person seating for this event is available for $30 per person; a virtual streaming option for $20 per household is available.  Seating at FringeArts is limited to 100 customers, and appropriate social distancing and health protocols will be implemented to keep both artists and audience members safe.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chocolate-ballerina-company-presents-the-bigger-picture-tickets-158608515339.

For more information on Chocolate Ballerina Company, visit chocolateballerinacompany.com.

MORE ABOUT CHANEL HOLLAND: Holland created Chocolate Ballerina Company due to the lack of ballet culture in urban communities and performance opportunities for black artists. At the age of 16, Chanel was accepted into The Alvin Ailey School, a world-class training program for aspiring dancers. She studied at Koresh, The University of the Arts, National Dance Institute NYC, and Wissahickon Dance Academy. Determined to put her knowledge to use, Chanel’s experience includes becoming a Complexions’ Apprentice, member of the Philadelphia Dance Company II, NAACP-ACT-So’s 2011 Gold Medalist, 2010 Choreographer of the Year, and a member of the Sixers Junior Dance Team. Through her time in the dance community, Chanel engaged in the opportunity to be an active background dancer for various local and international artists.  She is a graduate of Temple University and a lead teaching artist for BalletX’s in-school dance education program, Dance eXchange.