Project X: EXposure to the Arts
by Erica Hochstedler

"Project X opened up my mind to art and let me view different things in different ways," said Raeshal Crawford, a former student of Project X. 

One of the many programs in Kansas City Ballet’s Community Outreach is called Project X (EXposure to the Arts). While it’s Reach Out And Dance (ROAD) program takes an initiative with elementary school students, to teach them basic elements of dance, Project X focuses on upper level high school students, providing them with the opportunity to broaden their horizons through the arts. One such school currently reaping the benefits of Project X is Cristo Rey High School. Project X has been a proud part of this school since it's opening 4 years ago.

The director of community programs at KCB, Linda Martin, is quite proud of the students she works with at Cristo Rey, especially since several of them have been a part of the program since their freshman year, a first in the history of this program. At the very least, this shows that the students like what they are learning and want to learn even more about the arts. By giving students this learning opportunity now, while they are still young, Project X hopes to help these students forge a connection and appreciation with and for the arts that continues long after they have left the program.

Ms. Martin meets with the school staff at the participating school to discuss the goals and purpose of the program. Then, together, they identify the students best suited for this type of program.  By working together, the schools and KCB’s Project X will then be able to give students the best opportunities possible to increase their knowledge and understanding of the arts.

Every year the students get to see two different performances by the Kansas City Ballet and are also taken on a third field trip for a different type of art experience. Before each event Ms. Martin visits the students at their school to discuss with them what they will be seeing. Most recently, at Cristo Rey, she visited the students to share with them the shoes, costume sketches, music excerpts and background information about the pieces they would see. If the company has costumes to spare, she sometimes takes those with her to show the students. All of this history and background is meant to help the students better understand what they will be seeing, while also helping them to gain a better appreciation of the arts. After each event, students are given an opportunity to journal their thoughts about what they have seen and experienced. Ms. Martin explains, "the purpose is not to find dance talent, but to develop audiences and to cultivate arts going habits now."

Return to Feature Stories