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Expressing Their Gifts of GraceBY JOAN THARP April 2004 - From its quiet exterior, you might never guess that on most weekday afternoons St. Paul 's United Methodist Church in downtown San Jose rocks with music, dance, drama, and laughter. The source of this joyful noise is the church's Creative Arts Program, which provides a kind of refuge where young people can discover their talents, form bonds with adults, and have lots of fun in the process. Through the program, kids also get to try on new roles -- a ballet dancer, or the lead in a play -- and build self-esteem in the process. "Research shows that kids need lots of ways to express themselves, and these kids often find it hard to do it verbally," says Doris O'Neal, co-chair of the church's creative arts committee, which oversees the program. "Theater, dance, and music give you other ways to express yourself, and when you do it in a role, you don't have to worry about being accepted."
Creative Arts started with just a drama class, but added music and dance in 2003, thanks to a three-year $90,000 grant. The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health chose to make the investment because of the strength of the program's offerings, the commitment of the church members, and the opportunity to use a pure arts approach to build resilience in young people and help them avoid harmful choices. Now in its third year, the program, www.stpaulsumcsj.com, serves roughly 50 young people, ages 8 to 14, from the surrounding low-income neighborhood. A Safe Place to Express YourselfSt. Paul's, which has about 50 active church members, is deeply committed to its arts program, says O'Neal. "It's our church's priority," she says. More than a third of the church's operating budget goes to the program, and church members assist at classes, rehearsals, and performances. St. Paul 's staff knows its program fills in when busy parents, focused on getting by from day to day, run out of steam and can't praise and reinforce their kids as much as they would like to, O'Neal says.
Connie Hunter, the church's lay leader, uses a biblical reference in describing how the arts program enables young people to explore and express their talents and abilities. "There's such a need among the kids in this community for something to express their gifts of grace," she says. St. Paul 's nearly breaks a leg ensuring that families in the loosely knit communities around the church know about the program. Program Director Michelle Starr, a senior at Santa Clara University, is relentless and inventive in getting the word out. Twice a year, she hits the elementary schools within a 5-mile radius of the church, dropping off bilingual (Spanish and English) fliers for each classroom, and chatting up teachers and principals. She walks around local parks and in the neighborhoods, handing fliers to parents and kids. She posts notices in laundromats, libraries, and youth centers. The outreach pays off. Nearly 30 students attend one of two weekly after-school dance classes. Rachel Silveria, a senior at Lincoln High School and captain of the school's dance team, teaches the program's dance classes. About 15 regular students attend the after-school music class, which is taught by Scot Gorman, a music major at San Jose State University and a tuba player in its marching band. The drama class, with about a dozen regular students, takes center stage on Saturday mornings. Its instructor, Amy Conners, owns and performs at Big Lil's Cabaret in San Jose. All three classes perform several times a year. In addition, St. Paul 's offers a five-week summer camp of classes, performances, and cultural field trips. Building Confidence Through PerformanceFor Michelle Alvarez, St. Paul 's is an answer to her prayers. She wanted an after-school program for her two girls, but until St. Paul 's launched its program, all she could find were classes in distant neighborhoods, and she doesn't own a car. St. Paul 's is only three blocks away. Her 10-year-old daughter, Lindsey, is in all three arts classes, and her 13-year-old daughter, Selenna, is in drama and dance. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Michelle walks one or both girls to and from class. Like many of the students' parents, Michelle volunteers her time and talents to help the program run smoothly. She and her oldest daughter, Genevieve, bring dinner and dessert for the dancers during dress rehearsal, and for every performance, Michelle does the dancers' hair and makeup.
Michelle says her daughters are blooming in the arts program, especially Lindsey. "Lindsey's changed big-time. She used to be so shy. Now she gets along better with others, and she's not clingy when we get together with family," she says. Daughter Selenna says she wants to take advantage of every opportunity the dance class offers "to show what I can do." Rachel, the dance instructor, knows the transformational power of dance. It's hard to believe that this self-assured young woman ever suffered from shyness, but she did. "When I was a kid and dancing, it was my time not to be shy, my time to say, 'Yeah, this is who I am, too, besides being quiet,'" she says. Feet, Don't Fail Me NowWith the December showcase only weeks away, Rachel brings all of the dancers in for rehearsal. For the showcase, some of the girls will perform solo, while others will dance in groups, all to a variety of pop songs. Lindsey, Selenna, and 14 other dancers first warm up to "Jump 'N' Jive" and other swing music playing on a boom box. The girls then sit in a circle with Rachel, and volunteer to read descriptions of dance techniques and demonstrate them. One student attempts a plié . Rachel praises her and gently corrects her stance, explaining that she can strain herself if her feet are too sharply angled.
Now it's time for rehearsal. The music starts, and the girls sway and slide and shoulder-shimmy across the gym's lacquered floor. Rachel patiently guides and encourages. You can hear in her tone of voice that she expects the girls to remember what to do and to do it well. Some girls move like silk, others spin left when they should turn right, but everyone tries hard and is blissfully unselfconscious. As the beginners' class practices a dance, little Nohely Izquierdo, 9, moves and tosses her head with a dramatic flair that shouts "let me entertain you, let me make you smile." She does, and you do. To Be Seen, To Be HeardIt's close to 6 p.m. when Rachel asks Selenna to practice her solo in front of the class. Selena's confidence trips. She ducks her head, and her long brown hair swings forward to become a curtain through which she peers. She grabs an inch of hair, pulls it across her mouth and chews on it. Then the music starts and she begins to dance. Rachel dances in sync in front of her, reminding her of the routine. The other students gaze quietly from the side of the gym, and parents arriving to collect their kids watch from a corner. Rachel and Selena slide and twirl in tandem, and every now and then they lock eyes and grin at each other -- conspirators and compatriots who know the joy of saying what you have to say without uttering a word.
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