ABREPASO receives a seed grant from the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation

ABREPASO has been selected for a micro-grant from the Presidential Scholars Foundation for The Soleá Project, which offers multi-generational workshops at various community centers and studios. Through movement, poetry, and community, The Soleá Project reflects on loneliness and solitude. In each workshop, participants learn movement from flamenco’s soleá style. Then, using their own imagery, memories, free-writing, and personal experience, participants are led through a step-by-step framework to create their own movement that expresses and contemplates solitude/loneliness. No prior dance experience necessary. With participants’ permission, works created will be filmed and available on Abrepaso’s website, along with participant interviews.

We plan on developing the curriculum for these workshops in the early summer, with workshops beginning in late summer and running through the Fall. Stay tuned for more details!

Presidential Scholars Foundation created the Seed Grant Program in 2017 to support Presidential Scholars in giving back to their communities, the U.S. and its territories, and the world at large. In the past two grant cycles, Seed Grant recipients have successfully launched or accelerated initiatives in STEM, civic justice, music education, arts literacy, and data journalism.

2021’s Seed Grant Committee — chaired by Linda Yao (2006, WV) with committee members Namitha Alexander (2019, WI), Nina Srivastava (2014, SC), and Dr. Michael Weiss (1975, OH) — awarded $15,000 to a competitive pool of Scholar applicants. Seed Grant finalists were individually awarded up to $5,000 in grant funding and will receive access to professional outlets within Presidential Scholars Foundation to further their innovative projects and initiatives.

For more info & the PSF press release: https://mailchi.mp/presidentialscholars/march2021?e=31b12085be