Directed Change Through Dance

My name is Courtney Marshall and I have had the pleasure to teach the art of dance in an urban high school for over   two decades.  I believe I have not only taught young people how to dance, but encouraged them to believe in themselves, and most importantly, to stand up for others.  I have tried to instill the idea that we are not only responsible to ourselves, but that in order for us to live in a just society, it is incumbent upon us    to be responsible to each other.  

During these troubled times I have struggled with how best to continue to teach  dance while apart from my kids, when so much of the art form is about us being together. Therefore, with the support of my family (and all of you), we are  endeavoring to utilize a significant portion of our home's backyard to construct a          dance studio space.  Within this space I hope to continue to connect with current, former, and new students, through live Zoom classes and taped choreography.  In this space I hope to continue to teach what I believe to be most valuable,  that we are indeed our brother's keepers and therefore, it is our duty to tell all our stories in an effort to positively transform our society.   

We have a tight timeframe in which to build out the space and prepare for teaching, starting with the fall semester for my public school kids.  We are currently in the process of preparing the site for the new studio space, which includes planning, removal of an existing covered patio, new drainage and  grading.  We plan on using whatever proceeds we gain from this campaign to help cover the cost of building materials and skilled labor.  Although this will be quite a simple structure, we are committed to thoughtfully constructing it with care.  Our campaign will end on July 4th and we hope to complete construction by the end   of next month.  Without your support, our timeline to completion will be lengthened and the quality of the build-out will undoubtedly suffer.  

These times are an inflection point for our society and our lives.  This studio will    allow me the opportunity to persevere in using the art of dance to effect positive outcomes for our youth.  And for that I will be forever grateful...



This is a clip of a work in progress that was submitted to a dance festival in 
September of 2016.  Below is part of what I  wrote  with the submission at the time :


"The piece I will be submitting is titled "Stranger than Fiction."  It will be an
exploration of the life of a Black/Brown (color changes because we are the same)  boy growing into a man and the affect our society has on his life.  The piece begins with the joy of his birth, the pain of his life through societal inequities culminating  in his demise at the hands of the police.  The piece is narrated through
the socially relevant and poignant quotes of Donald Trump.  The man's death
does not end with his last breath, but he is instead reborn through the act of
revolution which is the impetus for social reform."