07 Mar For The Love Of Community
“If you have the opportunity to reach a child in any way, be it dance or mathematics, teach them also to be responsible, help them to develop integrity and good character. Dance and the Arts is a mere platform to teach and encourage. I don’t take for granted the three days a week that I am privileged to spend with them. I see it as part of my mission to help them to be the best version of themselves.” – Paris Miles
FTLOD’s youngest students, the Starlites.
There’s a movement growing within every generation, to be a better person and to help those around you to be better. What are the skills necessary to be a leader? According to The Balance, communication, motivation, delegation, positivity, trustworthiness, creativity, feedback, responsibility, commitment and flexibility are the top ten leadership skills people look for.
These are all things that the For The Love Of Dance School stands for and strives to instill into their students. FTLOD has been serving its community since its inception. From Darlene Hart’s tragic death a dance school was born and set on a mission to improve the lives of everyone around it. One way FTLOD does this is by not only teaching its students technical dance skills but growing their leadership strengths as well. Hart’s death sparked a fire to be more mission-driven with a focus on domestic violence awareness and prevention in underserved communities. Did you know that black women only account for about 13 percent of the U.S. population but make up half the female victims of homicide, usually by their significant other? Black women are victimized by domestic violence 35 percent higher than white women. Black women are often silenced, ignored or disbelieved when they come forth with their truth.
FTLOD made domestic violence awareness one of its main causes, along with tuition assistance for underserved youth, community engagement and youth empowerment. In the past, FTLOD has donated its time and talent to local non-profit groups, bringing hip-hop dance and fitness to the youth. The school has made several appearances at community-related events like the grand re-opening of the Columbus Area Integrated Health Services, Inc for Youth Mental Health. Paris Miles, the founder and owner of FTLOD, encourages all local charities and community programs to reach out to the school for potential partnerships and events. Getting involved with the local community gives dancers a chance to grow, gain confidence and get more exposure, while broadening their horizons and rounding out their skills.
Left to right: Instructors Miss Mikayla, Miss Cassandra, Miss Paris and Miss DeVon
A solid network of community sponsors, parents and local supporters helps the FTLOD team achieve their goals. Give them your ideas, your comments, your concerns; no piece of advice is unwanted or unwarranted. This support network drives the FTLOD team to think bigger, better and brighter to get closer to their goals. “It’s not always what you know, it’s who you know.” A bit of wisdom to remember. Being involved in a community means not only helping others but learning to accept help from others.
The future for FTLOD is bright. The school has experienced massive growth in season six. But the owner and instructors have no plans to get complacent. Their work ethic is as rock solid as the company they work for, embracing developmental improvement, change and higher education. Never stop learning is FTLOD’s unofficial motto. “We can only take them where we’ve been. However, that does not mean we can’t push the students beyond their self-limiting thoughts. Hence the need for team collaboration and additional training,” Miles said. She plans to add in-house teacher training and continuing education efforts, while also offering classes centered around physical and mental balance, wellness and preventative care for dance-athletes.
At the end of the day, you don’t get to be a successful, thriving, mission-driven company without momentum and community support. Many of the issues and causes FTLOD supports, the team is personally and purposefully passionate about shedding a light on. Merging the arts with education and leadership can provide hope and determination in communities that are often overlooked. Miles wants to make sure that her and her team never forget that.
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