Linda Wade, President of Above the Clouds, believes in the transformational power of the arts. She knows. She created this free arts program to help transform the lives of children ages 5-17. Did I mention FREE? Good. The programming is free, and can be found at locations all over Milwaukee. I met Linda last summer when I was doing a story on the Holton Youth and Family Center, just right around the corner from where I live. I was impressed with her drive and mission, and made a mental note in me ol' cerebullum to make sure I reconnected with her at some point..and lo and behold, Above the Clouds was mentioned at one of our 88Nine staff meetings.
I got to return to HYAFC to play fly-on-the-wall (or at least attempt to) while doing some field recording of a beginning ballet class offered by Above the Clouds. Children, ages 5 and 6, giggled, squirmed, gathered, skipped, sat, releve'd and chasse'd their way around the ballet barre and room. All of them wanted to talk to me, and all of them were enthusiastic about ballet, dance, and singing.
ABC works in partnership with First Stage Theaterand The Milwaukee Ballet, among many others, and is celebrating its 10th year!
