5 Reasons You Should Become a Brown Ballerina Ambassador
The idea for our Brown Ballerina Ambassador program stemmed from the belief that every ballerina should have the opportunity to learn from, be inspired by, and be befriended by older, more experienced Brown Ballerinas.
Since its birth, our ambassador program has blossomed into a network of support for ballerinas with branches that reach not just nationwide, but internationally too! Our Brown Ballerina Jr. Ambassadors are ages 10-12, and our Brown Ballerina Youth Ambassadors are ages 13-17.
Our Brown Ballerina Ambassadors connect with each other in their local communities, during summer intensives, and via social media. Some ambassadors even have the opportunity to take over our Instagram page for a day, which gives them a platform to share their stories with others. Our ambassadors are also encouraged to ignite change within the dance community by getting involved in our many initiatives or informing us of new areas to promote diversity.
With only a few days left to apply for the 2021 Brown Ballerina Ambassador program, we thought we’d share a list of reasons why you should consider joining!
1. Spread Positivity
Brown Ballerina Ambassadors carry the responsibility to spread positivity throughout the dance community by emphasizing the role that diversity plays in classical ballet. The representation of Black and Brown ballerinas in mainstream media is scarce. This leads many dancers of color to feel pressured to accept mistreatment or conform to unnatural standards in order to succeed in the ballet industry.
Our ambassador program provides a strong tribe of supportive ballerinas of color who remind each other that they do not have to face these adversities alone. Recently, a few of our Brown Ballerina Ambassadors took over our Instagram page to share how they are using dance to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is one of the many ways our ambassadors uplift one another in order to make every ballerina feel empowered, no matter what the circumstance may be.
2. Become a Mentor
Speaking of spreading positivity to others, by becoming a Brown Ballerina Ambassador, you will have the opportunity to connect with mentors in the dance community who can guide you through your growth and challenges as a Brown Ballerina. Having someone in your corner who can truly relate to your experience and offer meaningful advice can make a huge difference in your confidence and success.
Every dancer, no matter their age, has gained wisdom through their own experiences. With that being said, Brown Ballerina Ambassadors also have the opportunity to serve as role models to younger dancers by sharing their wisdom and building an unbreakable bond between generations of dancers.
3. Learn New Skills
As a Brown Ballerina Ambassador, you will learn new skills while investing in your passion for ballet. We want our ambassadors to exercise their leadership skills by setting a good example for other ballerinas and encouraging them to carry themselves with grace and dignity through any obstacle they may face. As an ambassador, you’ll also learn to collaborate with other youth ambassadors, affiliates, representatives, and dancers to help make an impact in the dance community.
The possibilities are limitless! You may help with coordinating events or fundraisers, or you could become a useful resource in your local dance community by keeping nearby studios informed of supply drops and other helpful opportunities. Many of our initiatives, such as our It Takes a Village initiative with Transfromación Ballet, were introduced to us through one of our Brown Ballerina Ambassadors. As a Brown Ballerina Ambassador, you will have many opportunities to use your skills to make a difference!
4. Break Negative Stereotypes
Brown Girls Do Ballet was inspired by the need for promoting diversity in the dance community. Fighting against prejudice and racism is an uphill battle that people of color must face in many aspects of our lives - including ballet. Classical ballet is an industry where race and financial class is often prioritized over skill, and having access to resources is necessary to succeed. Many ballerinas of color suffer from the lack of diversity in classes, opportunities, dancewear, and finances.
As a Brown Ballerina Ambassador, we encourage you to speak up and speak out about the changes you hope to make, and we will do our best to support or amplify your efforts. During this summer’s protests against police brutality and racism, two of our Brown Ballerina Ambassadors used the platform they built from sharing a powerful message online to create a scholarship that will cover the costs of various dance expenses such as shoes, leotards, and travel for female ballerinas of color. Ideas like these are a great way to blend activism with dance.
5. Help Drive our Mission
As a Brown Ballerina Ambassador, you are an important thread that holds our organization together. Our mission is to help increase the participation of underrepresented populations in ballet programs through organizing and arranging ballet performances, photo exhibitions, and providing resources and scholarships to assist young girls in their ballet development and training. Your voice, opinion, and participation is necessary for us to keep this mission alive!
As you can see, becoming a Brown Ballerina Ambassador is a great opportunity for you to create the change you want to see in the dance community!
To learn more about becoming an ambassador and how to apply, click here. The deadline to apply for the 2021 Ambassador Program is October 31st.