John Goring Memorial & Scholarship

Rest In Peace John Michael Goring

 Memorial Life Tribute - June 11th, 2017
John Dewey High School
50 Avenue X, Brooklyn NY11223

On March 12th, 2017, we lost our respected and beloved teacher, mentor, dancer, friend and father figure to many, John Michael Goring.  

John Michael Goring born July 21, 1952 in Bridgetown Barbados was a member of the Barbados National Dance Theatre. At 23, he moved to Washington DC to earn his BFA at Howard University where he was taken under the tutelage of Louis Johnson. While in DC, he also joined the prestigious Capital Ballet. His professional dancing career has taken him all over Europe dancing with multiple international artists, dance reviews, dance companies and theatrical shows. John M Goring danced with great companies in NYC like Al Peryman's Dance Theatre and the Eleo Pomare Dance Company.

In 1983, John M Goring retired from his professional dance career. He started a new career as a HS dance teacher at John Dewey HS. John Goring taught for the next 27 years and became known for his love of dance, discipline and his elaborate-multi faceted concerts.Throughout this teaching career he taught an estimated 400 students a year. He trained an elite company called John Dewy HS Dance Ensemble and established a dance program in a HS in Brooklyn NY that rivals any major performing arts program in the nation.

 As Director of the John Dewey Dance Ensemble, Mr. Goring helped to challenge stereotypes, discovery of potential as well as masculinity and femininity, and to find inner strength. He forever changed the life trajectory of so many because of his wisdom and ability to keep it so “real.”  One of his major accomplishments as a teacher and mentor is that many of his students went on to colleges and universities, performed with different dance companies all over the world, appeared on Broadway, became celebrity choreographers, opened their own dance companies, are mothers and fathers and became teachers and ambassadors of his teachings. 


 Memorial Tribute Event 

 On Sunday, June 11, at John Dewey High School, there will be a Memorial Tribute to Mr. Goring.  The Tribute will take a lot of planning and organizing to honor him in a way that shows our immense love for him.

We have 30 days to raise the funds to make this happend.  Please help us make the memorial a reality. Hard deadline is June 1st. 

 The evening will have three components:

1.  Gallery Walk and viewing of JMG’s memorabilia.
2.  Tribute Performances (Speeches, Dances, Spoken Word, Etc…)
3.  Reception 

 Here is why we need your help:

-Pay for the Transfer to digital USB of photographic images and VHS archival footage of past Ensemble performances.
-Pay for Lighting and Sound
-Pay for DJ and Music
-Pay for Food and Drinks for reception portion of evening
-Pay for Documentary Production
-John Michael Goring Dance Scholarship Awards & Foundation Charity Buildup

This is the Living Memorial.

In "G"s spirit, we want to see many others purse their dreams in dance and have similar accomplishments by establishing the John Michael Goring Dance Scholarship Fund. 

The John Michael Goring Dance Scholarship Fund will be awarded to students who are committed to the vision and ambassadorship of John Michael Goring’s dance philosophy to help them pursue dance at college/university or for professional development in the arts.

There will be criteria and an application process (TBD) that will be informed by the JMG scholarship board of directors.  We will be working hard to make sure that we can give yearly scholarships to future young dancers in Mr. Goring’s name.

Please help us pass on John Goring’s love and passion for dance and arts to future generations with your donation.

 John Michael Goring’s life cannot be encapsulated into one simple birth, life and death. He was not a finite act that existed and is now lost forever.  He is a movement that is written, spoken, is dancing and is entrenched in us.  Just as we are and continue to be, his themes of love, discipline, imagination, courage and excellence echo and continue to live on.  

We hope you can help support the vision and determination to create a living memorial to honor  John Michael Goring.  For all who had the privilege  of calling him teacher, mentor, friend, uncle and father, his spirit continues in us and awakens our soul as he soars amongst the heavens and above us.  He is our Bird of Paradise.

In great solidarity, light and love,


Sandy Alvarez, Eddie Morales, William Orellana, Larry Ramsey, Janelle Rollocks

(John Michael Goring Memorial Committee)




We love you G.