The Stars of New York Dance: Q & A with Founder Cheryl Todmann
The Stars of New York Dance Founder and Executive Producer Cheryl Todmann answers questions regarding the impact, vision, and manifestation of her annual dance competition fundraiser that provides dance scholarships for children from low-income communities. Community leaders are partnered with professional dance artists from community-based dance organizations to compete for a $5000 scholarship. The other participating dance organizations each receive a smaller award toward educational dance scholarships as well.
The Stars of New York Dance has provided 26 children with free and subsidized dance education and training to date, with more to come from the 2013 scholarship fund distributions.
Q & A with Cheryl Todmann
Q: Since its inception in 2010, how has The Stars of New York Dance impacted the community overall and those involved?
A: It brought the business community and the artist community together, creating relationships that may not have ever developed. It rallied celebrities, elected officials and community leaders around the advancement of young people through dance and the arts. It helped children see a vision for whom they can become and all the leaders who support them. It helped the Church community see that dance, even in a secular way is soooo sacred. It helped people who are not your traditional dancers (in size, age, ability) know that they can do it. It helped me to become what God wants me to be.
Q: What do you envision for The Stars of New York Dance over the next four years?
A: In the next four years, I envision every leader in Brooklyn dancing and every child, who wants to, dancing.
Q: How does it feel being the vessel from which this divine-idea manifested through?
A: It feels incredible to be a vessel for God. You will go through God-induced “hell” at times but that’s just to bring you to another level of faith and understanding. Minister John Linder at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church helped me understand that that’s what I’ve been growing and growing through. I have a lot of improvements I need to make when it comes to planning events; I am still learning. And a lot of improving on things that I do innately that are slowing me down, but God is working on me, humbling me and helping me to get better, not just for events or even for The Stars of New York Dance, but so I can live, truly live and be a great person for Him and myself and my family (blood and extended)!
The Stars of New York is truly a worthy cause that has gained growing community-wide support. For more information, contact Cheryl Todmann at 917-623-7299 or cheryltod@verizon.net.
Be Blessed,
