When Tauna Hunter was working at the DISD’s Arts Magnet High School five years ago, the last thing she expected was that she would one day head one of the City’s largest dance organizations.
So how did the neighborhood resident get to be the chairman of the Dallas Dance Council board?
“I was interested in finding a niche where I could fit in and help the community,” says Hunter, a former dancer with the defunct Dallas Ballet who was an artist in residence at the magnet school in 1988.
“I wanted to try and make a difference in bringing the dance community together and creating more visibility for dance.”
So far, she has been successful.
Membership has tripled during the past three years. The 20-year-old, non-profit organization is active in a number of programs, including:
• Community outreach services, such as raising money for dance supplies for Dallas recreation centers.
• The annual Mary Award, given to people who have contributed to dance in the Dallas area. This year’s winner, who will be honored Oct. 10, is 93-year-old Gladys Kingsbury,w ho taught in the Dallas area for almost 60 years. Kingsbury’s students included Mary Martin and Dorothy Malone.
• Fostering dance education and helping to raise money for dance education and dance scholarships.
• The Mary Bywaters Archives, a collection of dance-related programs and materials at the Dallas Public Library.
“Our growth has been exciting,” Hunter says, “but it’s also been scary.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with the people in the community and watching them grow and blossom.”
News & Notes
PHOENIX PROJECT: East Dallas resident Jill Parr recently participated in “Art From the Phoenix Project,” held at the Bell Plaza Gallery Downtown. Parr teaches art.
Calendar
Oct. 3 – Second annual Accent on Youth Dance Festival, 4 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, 5100 Ross. Admission by donation. Information: 994-3422.
Oct. 1-8 – Hand-crafted Furniture at D-Art, 2917 Swiss, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Information: 821-2522.
Oct. 15-29 – “Artist Open”, a juried program open to all artists, at D-Art, 2917 Swiss, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Information: 821-2522.
Oct. 17 – Evensong and Concert, 4 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, 5100 Ross. Admission by donation. Information: 994-3422.
Oct. 29-Nov. 2 – “A Company of Wayward Saints”, performed by the 11th Street. Theater Project, at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, 5100 Ross. Admission: $5-$9. Information: 994-3422.
