De鈥橞orah Rawlins will celebrate her 21st anniversary working for the city of Dallas in June. But for a few minutes on International Dance Day, her colleagues had the opportunity to see her in a new light.
The Dallas Water Utilities employee joined more than a dozen other civil servants who performed an original routine celebrating the art form.
Around 200 residents and employees flocked to the atrium of Dallas City Hall for the program that also featured Egyptian, Nigerian and Filipino dances.
Beaming after the performance, Rawlins said she was in her happy place.
鈥淭he experience was one of growth, one of engagement, one of friendship, getting to know other co-workers and other departments that I didn't know just fellowshipping and getting to know them and the laughter,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was a great experience.鈥�
The dance was choreographed by Martine Elyse Philippe, director of the city鈥檚 Office of Arts and Culture. Her office organizes an exhibition for visual artists on staff to showcase their work.
鈥淲e just thought we have to find a way to include former performing artists who are city staff members,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his international dance day celebration performance is one of the ways we can engage those staff members.鈥�
Now in its second year, the performance drew a crowd that filled the atrium and had onlookers peering down from the railings of the second floor.
Employees whooped as David Small, chair of the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission, named participating departments. The list included a wide cross-section of the city's footprint including code compliance, sanitation, aviation, government affairs and others.
Zeronda Smith, director of the Office of Risk Management, has never taken any formal dance lessons, but this year she decided to step out of her comfort zone and onto the stage.
鈥淚 love the diversity of this city. It's not only in our employee population, we reflect the city's population,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his dance is 鈥� a reflection of our city.鈥�
For Philippe, who trained in dance growing up and previously owned a studio in Atlanta, the rehearsals and performance were a good reminder of the physical and mental health benefits of dance.
鈥淲e have really been talking about how we walk away from practice feeling better or being able to let go of the stress of the work day,鈥� she said. 鈥淥r, you know how it feels if you haven't been in a studio in 10 or 15 years, how your body responds positively to being back.鈥�
The crowd in attendance responded positively, too.
鈥淚 want to encourage those in attendance today to be bold and try something new,鈥� District 9 Councilwoman Paula Blackmon said from the podium. 鈥淕et your groove on I guess, as they say.鈥�
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This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, The University of Texas at Dallas, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and 四虎影院 retain full editorial control of Arts Access鈥� journalism.
