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I hope you will consider attending Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory's benefit on the evening of November, 20, 2010. Or, if you can't attend, to become a patron. We are trying to raise funds to award scholarships to deserving young people who want to attend FPAC's Summer Training, but need financial assistance.</div>
<div><br>There are several options for ticket prices for adults, some for as low as $25!</div><div><br></div><div>Complete details are at this link: <a href="http://www.fairmountcenter.org/dancingman.html" target="_blank">http://www.fairmountcenter.org/dancingman.html</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>Below is a letter from Bebe Weinberg Katz that will appear in the playbill for the event...<br><br>Regards,</div><div>Fred Sternfeld</div><div>Artistic Director, Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory</div>
<div><br></div><div>--------------------------------------------------------------</div><div style="font-size: small; "><br></div></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Twenty five years ago, in 1985, a performer in my dance company gave my 5 year old daughter Adrienne the book<font class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12.7315px;"> </span></font></span></b></span><i style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12.7315px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Dancing Man</span></b></i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12.7315px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> as a birthday gift. She said it's message made her think of us and she thought we would like it. The first time I read this book aloud to my daughter I found I choked up as I spoke the title character's iconic words "I am the dancing man and I have a gift for you." In 1992 I was searching for just the right story to use as a dance/drama for my younger daughter Ellen's 2nd grade class and I turned to </span></b></span><i style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12.7315px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Dancing Man</span></b></i><span style="font-size: 12.7315px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. The story is so universal in its message. Jump ahead to 2009 and my first summer as supervisor for FPAC's production workshop. Once more this magical book surfaced as the perfect vehicle to use with the youngest of FPAC's actors. The author's words are so descriptive, her story so simple and clear that Natalie Green and I found that it translated to the stage with great ease. When that performance ended Natalie and I decided that someday we would do the play again with older actors and dancers. </span></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">
</span></b><div class="im" style="color: rgb(80, 0, 80); font-size: 12.7315px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Some time this past summer, when we were exhausted and exhilarated from FPAC days and Children of Eden nights, Natalie and I were daydreaming about our "project" and just how we might find a way to produce </span><i style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">The Dancing Man</i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> with our dream cast. I don't know exactly how it happened but somehow we segued from producing our show to creating a benefit for raising FPAC scholarship money. I think the benefit idea happened when we realized the message of this unique book is actually the message of Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory. To love your art, to share your gift and to leave a legacy for the next generation. That is the powerful message of this book and nothing could be more fitting as a way to express what we do at Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory. FPAC's entire mission is to train young actors by exposing them to working professionals be it in acting, music or dance. Using this story for a benefit performance just made sense.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">
<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span></b></div><span style="font-size: 12.7315px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The last piece was to get permission from the author. To my amazement Ruth Bornstein, author and illustrator, was delighted to give us permission to adapt her work. She has also been so gracious as to give us one of her preliminary drawings from the book to sell to raise additional funds. She wants to share her gift and her love with us at FPAC and with her help and the funds raised here tonight we will be able to share that gift with many more young people. <br>
<br>Love,<br></span></b></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br>Bebe Weinberg Katz</span></b><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br>
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