Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center in Norwood is running two free ballet programs this fall in partnership with the Misty Copeland Foundation, one for children and one for adults 50 and older, and both are taught with live music. Around them, the center's week is filled with free dance fitness classes and a drop-in community service day on Veterans Day.

BE BOLD, for ages 6 to 14

BE BOLD is an introductory afterschool ballet class for children ages 6 to 14. NYC Parks and the Misty Copeland Foundation describe it as a new approach to afterschool dance that makes ballet accessible, affordable and fun, and it costs nothing. Classes meet in the center's Multi-Use Room on weekday afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m., with sessions on the calendar for Wednesday, November 4, and Monday, November 9, among others.

The class is taught by Sarah Bishow-Semevolos. A recreation center membership is required, and families enroll by emailing the instructor at the address listed on the NYC Parks event page.

BE BOLDER, for ages 50 and up

The adult version is called BE BOLDER, short for Ballet Explorations (BE) Ballet Offers Life-long Discovery, Expression, and Reconnection. It is open to anyone 50 or older and is also free, with live music. The next class is Friday, November 6, from 11 a.m. to noon, in the same Multi-Use Room with the same instructor.

The program is built on Misty Copeland's position that dance belongs to every body and every stage of life. Copeland was the first Black woman promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, in 2015, and her foundation runs ballet programs with community partners across the city.

The rest of the week at the Oval

The center's free fitness schedule over the next several days includes:

  • Low Impact Dance Fitness, Friday, November 6, 10 to 10:45 a.m., a cardio and full-body class with instructor April Diffut. Registration is open on the NYC Parks site.
  • Zumba, Sunday, November 8, 11 a.m. to noon, with instructor Ashley Thompson.
  • Zumba Gold, Tuesday, November 10, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., a lower-impact version of the class led by Melissa Perez.

For the Zumba classes, participants sign in at the front desk and bring a lock for their bags. Only a towel, water and a phone are allowed in the dance room.

A Veterans Day service project

On Wednesday, November 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the center hosts the Boogie Down Service Project, a drop-in community service day open to all ages. Activities include writing letters to members of the armed forces, making blankets for animals and working on a community art project. No registration is needed. Pamela Coleman is the instructor.

How to go

Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center is at 3225 Reservoir Oval East in Norwood, the Bronx. The 4 train to Mosholu Parkway and the D train to Norwood-205 St both stop within a short walk of the Oval. The center's phone number is 718-543-8672.

All classes listed here are free. BE BOLD and BE BOLDER enrollment is by email to the instructor; the fitness classes take registration on the NYC Parks event pages.

Sources