NORDC/NOBA Center For Dance Seniors Take Top Medals at Greater New Orleans Senior Olympics

 On March 12, 20 older adults from the Behrman and St. Bernard NORDC centers won top awards in the Team Dance segment of the New Orleans Senior Olympics, held at Clearview Mall.  The “Sassy Seniors” from the Behrman NORDC Center won silver, and the “Jazzy Seniors” from St. Bernard NORDC Center won gold.Each group performed two dances, with music ranging from Donna Summer’s Last Dance to songs from the movieGrease.  

In partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC), NOBA has initiated its fourth year of innovative programming that combines stretching, social dance and ballet skills in classes for more than 100 older adults in the local community. Aline De Souza, the teaching artist, engages her classes by integrating sequential skill-building and drawing on the participants’ memories, life experiences and music preferences.  

The goal is to improve their overall health and increase their knowledge of and skill in dance. Classes are taught at the NORDC Behrman and St. Bernard Centers and are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Behrman NORDC Center in Algiers and on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the St. Bernard NORDC Center in Gentilly.  Both centers offer classes in stretch and cardio, and are free and open to the public.

NORDC/NOBA Center For Dance

The NORDC/NOBA Center For Dance is a cultural community partnership between the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC) and the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA).  Founded in 1992, The Center was born out of a need to make dance accessible to all school-age children. A program that began with just 30 students now has an enrollment of more than 350 children per semester at 7 locations citywide. With a core curriculum of ballet, classes are open to any child in Orleans Parish with a demonstrated interest in dance. Through a professional faculty, master classes by NOBA Main Stage artists and other visiting artists, a mentor program and field trips, the Center works with each child to cultivate dreams and strengthen futures.  The Center is the recipient of many awards and honors for excellence, including the 2002 Coming Up Taller Award, nominated for the Big Easy Classical Arts Award for best dance performance, national grants through the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Guild of Community Schools for the Arts, among others.

Photo Credits: Senior Olympics 2011-St. Bernard Center & Senior Olympics 2011-Behrman Center

*press release