Dancing with Our Community: Brightview, Fello, NSA Annapolis, and More!
- Cindy Case
- Aug 11
- 5 min read
We've talked before about how busy Ballet Theatre of Maryland is in the community, and this summer has been no exception! While the professional company has been on summer break, our outreach programs have continued to bring accessible and joyful movement to community members throughout Anne Arundel County.
Last week, I caught up with Community Engagement Coordinator Brenna Mazzara about why she loves outreach and what she's been working on. Read on to learn more about Brenna's early opportunities bringing dance to the community and how she's carried those experiences with her at Brightview Senior Living, Fello, NSA Annapolis, and beyond.
Entering the world of community outreach
Brenna was a student at the University of Cincinnati when she first discovered the joy of introducing ballet to folks who might not otherwise experience it. While she was excited to double major in International Relations and Ballet Performance, she wasn't initially sure how those two degrees would go together.
Brenna says, "International Relations and Ballet seemingly did not connect at all. But then the group Movement Exchange visited our campus. They are a dance outreach organization that does domestic outreach in the United States as well as international programs to orphanages in Panama. I was like, 'This is cool, this actually ties my two degrees together in a way I never would have expected."
Brenna ended up starting a chapter of Movement Exchange at her university, which gave her experience working in a non-profit setting. "I opened a non-profit bank account for our university chapter, met with local community partners, and wrote multiple grants that funded our international travel and programs. During my four years as president of this chapter, we received funding from our university for two trips to work in orphanages in Panama, where Movement Exchange operates yearlong dance education programs."
Brenna found that these experiences sparked a passion for dance outreach that she was excited to bring with her when she joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland. Since becoming our Community Engagement Coordinator, Brenna has fostered partnerships with many local organizations.
Bringing the joy of accessible dance to Brightview Senior Living
One of BTM's many partnerships is with Brightview Senior Living in Severna Park. A recent success for their community program was BTM's first ever chair dance class.
Brenna says, "Chair dance makes it more accessible for people to move in their seats and find fun ways to respond to music. I"ve realized that even for people who are able to take class standing, they may enjoy the seated format because it allows them to find their movement in the music without having to worry about their balance."
Developing this class for Brightview has made Brenna more conscious of other programs that might benefit. She later adapted the class for community members at Fello (previously The Arc Central Chesapeake Region). Several of her students there are wheelchair users, and the chair dance format became an accessible way to make sure everyone could take part.
Coming together for self-expression at Fello
Although dance is something that folks of all ages naturally do, it can be intimidating to take dance in a formal setting for the first time. Having a supportive environment can make a huge difference for anyone feeling self-conscious.
Brenna says, "What I've seen from working with all these different groups is that there's something about dance that draws out a sense of community."
Recently, Brenna had an experience at Fello that emphasized this point: "At a lot of our programs, we start by sharing our name and favorite dance move. Yesterday, I had a student who didn't want to share. The coordinator explained that he was usually very shy and may not want to participate."
Brenna assured her student that it was okay if he didn't want to, and that he was always welcome to share if he changed his mind.
By the end of their session, he was participating in the full dance along with his classmates and was excited to move independently across the floor.
Brenna reflects, "It's really fun to watch how even if people aren't super comfortable speaking, they come out of their shell through movement if the people around them are supportive. A lot of these groups, I'm not super familiar with all of the participants, but they are together a lot of the day and are super encouraging to each other."
Carrying our programs forward with NSA Annapolis
When I asked what the highlights were for this summer, Brenna said she was excited about "seeing how far-reaching dance education can go."
Many of our summer programs will continue into the fall as other classes are starting back up again. Brenna is looking forward to expanding BTM's program with Naval Support Activities (NSA) Annapolis. NSA Annapolis serves active-duty service members and their families reporting to the United States Naval Academy, NSA Annapolis, Naval Band, and Naval Health Clinic.
BTM's program is tailored to NSA Annapolis's goal of helping families who are adjusting to a new place and may not be stationed long enough for a semester-length or yearlong activity. Brenna says, "We're excited to offer something that is bite-sized and flexible to fit their schedule."
NSA Annapolis's upcoming summer camp with BTM will run from August 18-22. In the fall, you can catch Brenna with them on Tuesdays beginning on September 9.
Brenna says, "We had a great program with them last fall, and we're looking forward to expanding our introductory dance course to grow with them again this year."
Remembering why we dance
BTM's many programs keep Brenna and other company members busy, but it's a process that's ultimately very rewarding.
For Brenna, "working in dance outreach has carried me through my dance career in terms of balancing the perfectionism of dance and what we strive to do as professionals--and even as educators in stricter classroom environments. Community outreach always brings me back to the roots of why I love to dance, why dance is so important, and what it can offer people besides its beauty and perfectionism."
As much as we try to give back to our community as an organization, seeing the community's experiences gives us so much back in return. It's something that we're always excited to be a part of.
If you're part of an organization that would be interested in partnering with BTM, visit our Community Engagement page for more information.
Great news! Single tickets are on sale TODAY, Monday, August 11. If you haven't already purchased your subscription, visit our 2025/2026 season page to capture the magic of live professional dance with us.
