The Benefits of the Ball

The CityStep Ball and all its promotion has come again this fall. "Oh-Aahs" ring through the dining halls and some friend, no matter how distant, has already made you promise to come. CityStep is one of the first excuses to rent a tux or slap on a dress for an evening away from Cambridge, but for most Harvard students, when the music stops and the pictures are back from CVS, CityStep becomes just a faded memory.

For us, the work has just begun. The hours of organization and promotion for the Benefit Ball raise the money to run one of Harvard's unique student-created and totally student-run community service groups, but somehow the "benefit" part of the ball is often quickly forgotten. CityStep is a program that does more than just throw a big party.

For those who commit their time to it--teachers, producers and CityStep students alike--CityStep is able to give back a great experience and serve a great cause. This is all because of the support and money raised from the Benefit Ball. We want to take this occasion to explain where the proceeds go and who they help.

CityStep offers Cambridge elementary school students the opportunity to learn team cooperation and build self-confidence as well as to see the benefits of an arts education and gain performance skills in a non-competitive environment. The curriculum begins by building trust and cooperation between students and teachers, moves on to develop dance skills and finally aims to create an original student-choreographed dance which is performed at the annual CityStep show.

Most people are not fortunate enough to explore performance arts until high school. With CityStep, students are exposed to performance at an earlier age as a part of their school curriculum. In the second year, CityStep students are asked to commit their free time to develop more skills after school. With this greater commitment, CityStep is able to teach a higher level of dance and performance. CityStep seeks to open the minds of its students to physical expression and teamwork without pressuring them for a perfect performance.

For Harvard students, CityStep is a program that mixes two of their passions: dance and children. Whether as an in-school teacher who wakes up early twice a week to work with a class of fifth-grade Cambridge public school students, or as an after-school teacher who meets twice a week in the Quad, each Harvard volunteer makes a huge commitment to the program, the other teachers and most importantly their students.

As a completely student-run program, CityStep is able to grant its teachers creative and developmental freedom. Whether it is leading class activities or working out specific problems, each teacher actively supports and develops every aspect of the curriculum. By pushing through the many obstacles and troubles of working with children, teachers develop many personal skills, but they also get to see the product of their labor in the final performance.

The culminating moment of the program--the CityStep show--is most dependent on the Benefit Ball. The funds that we raise from the Ball each year allow us to place these children on a star-studded stage, giving them the chance to shine in front of hundreds of onlookers. A core of talented Harvard students create every aspect of the show, including the theme, choreography and music composition. By setting the standard of the show at such a high level, each CityStep student learns about the rigors and benefits of an entire year of hard work driven toward a final goal.

The show has a lot to teach the teachers as well. After a year of successes and difficulties, the show allows teachers to see the real impact of their work. Although last-minute cold feet always spread through the students, once the lights are on and the crowd is cheering, every student performs and revels in the distinction of their efforts. The impact of this show for all those involved is profound. It stands as the ultimate product of their deep commitment to CityStep. The show gives everyone something concrete to focus on and to be proud of.

With all the hype and promotion Harvard doesn't always realize that the CityStep Ball is more than just an excuse to get dressed up. Its true purpose is to provide one of Harvard's unique organizations with the financing it needs to work effectively for the Cambridge community. This Friday, grab a date or go with a group of friends and enjoy an evening out of the Square, but keep in mind that the money you give supports an organization determined to improve the lives of our community's children.

Alex J. Leary '01 and Valerie E. Charat '01 are, respectively, an executive producer and an executive director for CityStep.