However it has been running as an outreach programme for the last 6 yearsa as part of Karen Butler's TO the Pointe School of ballet. Whislt Karen was completing her Community Psychology course as part of her Psychology degree through UNISA, Karen volunteered her services at the Emmanuel Educare centre in the Westlake community, provided ballet classes to 120 3-5 year olds. During her time at Emman
uel Educare she produced two productions, "Seven days of Creation" and "Noah's Ark" as fundraising events for Emmanueal Educare. Reddam House, Constantia were kind enough to allow the use of their hall for both of these events. When these pre-schoolers were leaving for Primary school , Karen felt that she needed to hold onto some of the hiddem talent she had discovered, and so, when she decided to branch out on her own and open her own ballet studio, she offered 15 outreach children the opportunity of attending that ballet school free of charge. As these children went to different Primary schools, within the Southern suburbs, Karen and her mother, Di Butler, arranging a lifting schedule to collect these students and bring them through to the studio main base in Claremont. Karen's main idea behind the programme was to focus on a small group of students and help them achieve success all the way through. Word soon travelled through the Westlake community and parents would phone to ask if karen woudl consider including their child at the studio. Obvioulsy with trnasport and funding constraints (the programme being largely funded by Karen and a few friends), this was not always possible. If a student dropped out along the way, then a new student would be considered. Through the 6years, these students have performed in Eisteddfods, where they have excelled with flying colours, performed in many shows including the "Dancers for dancers" annual fundraiser for Cape Town City ballet, and partaken in the Internationally recognised Royal Academy of dance ballet examinations. Over the yearsa the studio has grown and now the students are also trained in Modern dance, Contemporary and Musical theatre. For many of the students, who are all now entering their teenage years, these classes have provided them with shining light of hope in their otherwise bleak lives. they have been exposed to many opportunities, taken on many fun and exciting outings and become part of a very special ballet family. The programme has reached the stage where in order for it continue to help these students grow and succeed, there needs to be more funding. now that we have officially registered the project, we are hoping to find corporate sponsorship.
