Aletheia. Dance, Inc.

Aletheia. Dance, Inc. is nonprofit dance organization that caters to the needs of families and students that are facing any sort of barrier that prevents them from experiencing the dance art form. The program gives every child the opportunity to learn high quality dance technique and performance.

We come to where you are! We contract schools, churches, and organizations for intensives, camps, workshops, and class sessions! All of our teachers are CPR & First Aid Certified!

Permalink Meet Summer :) This past weekend, Miss Ashley and Aletheia student, Summer McFadden brought the world of dance to the Ronald McDonald House. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, SC is an active, energetic organization with a volunteer board of directors and professional staff serving families and children through two cornerstone programs, the Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald Family Room. They are supported by a caring community of volunteers and generous contributors and sponsors and serve families of children receiving care at a local medical facility. Unfortunately several children were scheduled for surgeries and could not attend our workshop. However, the friends, family, and staff of the Ronald McDonald House HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST learning basic modern dance technique! The room was filled with inspiring, upbeat music, fun and laughter, and cheers of dance class viewers as they watched along the side. Summer did an amazing job assisting Miss Ashley, and was honored to be able to assist workshop attendees that were much older than herself. She felt special and proud :) For more information on the Ronald McDonald House Charities, and find out ways to support the organization, go to http://rmhcofcolumbia.org/. With Love, Aletheia :)
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Food for the Brain : How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement :)

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Permalink Not Forgotten… When I think of Aletheia. Dance, Inc. one scripture comes to mind: “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” -Psalm 34:18 He came for the humble, the weary, the broken hearted, the poor in spirit, the lost, and the afflicted. When you think about it, each one of us can identify with at least one of these, and as an aspiring dancer, growing up this scripture gave me a ray of hope. God grants us access to rights that the world has permanently banned us from due to false judgement and labels. In the dance world, you have various individuals from different walks of life. Let me name a few: the have and the have nots, the passionate and the obligated, the cocky and the humble, the team player and the competitive, the self aware and the abused, the dancers for themselves and the selfless, those that use dance as an artistic and emotional outlet and those who focus on physical fitness. Some go off to be teachers, instructors, professors, choreographers, dance therapists, and coaches. Others choose to dance professionally. Some desire to be arts administrators, artistic directors, and other administrative tasks such as marketing, business development, and more for dance organizations. Others pass it up for another field, but remain supporters of the dance world. And of course there are the few with the dramatic ending that led to the end of their career, choosing to vicariously live through others. Though each one has a starkly different path, each was given the opportunity to explore the world of dance. But then there’s the demographic of dancers that Aletheia yearns for, the have nots. The ones who do not have the opportunity; they have the passion and desire to dance but are not financially privileged, and teach themselves by way of  mere observation; or the ones that have the burning desire whose work and personal schedules do not create enough space to take dance classes; the ones who can’t take the pressure and abuse, and felt that their identity was being tested and decided to quit; and the ones that faced a terrible injury. For those who don’t know, dance can be an expensive investment and can either bring good or bad tension into your emotional life, dance apparel, classes, workshops, intensives, private lessons, and more. Not only does the money talk, but the pressure can talk as well. I always had a desire to dance, but I didn’t always have the resources. But He saw that desire, and always created a way to meet that need. With His grace and love He carried me, and still is carrying me to my destiny. Every dancer has internally struggled for the need of verbal validation, wanting to know from instructors, coaches, teachers, and choreographers, “am I good enough?” But God reminds me that He will build me up in my weakest hour, and His love will build into the very area where I lack confidence. Through Him I can accomplish all. I would ask Papa time and time again. God, why have you given me this passion, when I don’t have the greatest technique in comparison to every dancer across the nation? His consistent response, “I will give you the ability, and I will get the glory.” But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;-              I Corinthians 1:27 Each day it became more evident that I was born for someone else. I am called to be a living testimony to the ones that I was born to reach. Don’t get me wrong, some of us may not have the gift or talent and have to face the harsh reality of having to try something else. But for those who know their call is to dance, but have faced adversity leading them to not being able to fully invest in their gift, for you there is grace. For the one whose family could not afford financially invest in every class tuition, workshop, intensive, and camp; for the one who’s faced a devastating failure but burn with passion and stopped trying because they felt they weren’t good enough; for the one who has the schedule as a workaholic; and for the one who is not physically able…God has not forgotten you…His promise remains…and His love will carry you. Come, let us build into you with words of truth so that you may accomplish everything your heart is set on: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: -Philippians 1:6 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.- Jeremiah 29:11 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.- I John 4:18 In Him, Ashley Michele Card Founding Director/ Lead Teacher http://www.ashleighmichele.com/aletheia-dance-inc.html Ashley Card 2011 ©