What do kids say about the programs you provide? What do parents say?

Following is a quote from a Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute student:

At the end of The Nutcracker performance, Gabby’s grandmother announced that she’d be back for the next five years, if we would have her. Gabby quickly in perfect ballet form turned around and corrected her grandmother saying, “No, Grammy I am going to do this for life!” - Gabriel, Student

Following are several quotes from Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute parents:

“I am a single parent raising four children on my own. Because of the Hoffman Institute tuition assistance program, one of my daughters was able to attend the summer camp program. It would have been impossible for me to afford to give her this type of opportunity. She loves the stage and truly lights up when she is on it. Thank you for allowing her to shine!” - S.A., Parent

“After exposing my oldest daughter to dance, baseball, Tae kwon do, soccer, etc., she has found her passion at the Hoffman Institute! She is planning on a career in Commercial Music because of her experiences. Given the economy and current financial circumstances, we have had to cut back as many families have, but we remain adamant that our daughters (yes, the oldest one advised her younger sister to take classes too) not cut back their participation because we believe their future depend on it. Their participation at the Institute has been life-changing!” - J. S., Parent

“Without the tuition assistance program at the Hoffman Institute I would not be able to give my child a summer he will always remember. Every day he comes home and tells me how much he has learned from the great teachers and instructors.” - R. C., Parent

“Thanks to the Hoffman Institute and all its contributors my daughter got to see first-hand how much work it is to put on the summer production “Off Broadway.” I really think it helped her to come out of her shell. You’ve helped me and my daughter make a memory of a lifetime.” - D.T., Parent

Can you tell us a little bit about a few of your successful graduates? Share a success story or two that The Legends Tour fans would enjoy reading about?

Calvin Royal, recipient of the 2006—2007 Ruth Eckerd Hall Dance Scholarship, began his association with the Hoffman Institute as a dancer in Ruth Eckerd Hall’s production of The Chocolate Nutcracker. He went on to become a member of the senior company and a soloist in the last three of his eight years with the production. As a junior in high school at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts, Calvin was awarded the Walker’s Shining Stars Scholarship. In that same year he was asked to attend the American Ballet Theater (ABT) in New York City. Since joining, Calvin has appeared in the ABT performances of Natalia Makarov’s La Bayadere and the world premiere of their production of The Sleeping Beauty. Though Calvin has been accepted at Juilliard, he has decided to stay with ABT and further his training and experiences with ABT for the time being. In July 2010, Calvin was promoted to the ABT’s first company.

Quentin Darrington, recipient of the 1994 – 1995 Ruth Eckerd Hall Youth Musical Theater Scholarship, has compiled a list of credits with regional theaters and national tours including roles in The Lion King, A Little Night Music, Dreamgirls, Ragtime and The Color Purple. In October 2009, Quentin starred in role of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the Broadway production of Ragtime. In July 2010, he starred in the role of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Atlanta production of I Dream.

Karen Olivo, recipient of the 1993 – 1994 Ruth Eckerd Hall Youth Musical Theater Scholarship, was recognized as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Anita in the revival of West Side Story at the 2009 Tony Awards®.

Jordan Wall, previous Hoffman Institute student and intern, attended summer classes when he was five to seven years old and later interned at the Institute in his teen years. According to Jordan, The Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute at Ruth Eckerd Hall was the first place to expose him to the performing arts. Since graduating from college in 2007, Jordan has pursued the craft of acting as a career and it recently paid off in a big way – he became a regular cast member on the A&E series The Glades, a police drama set in South Florida. Jordan portrays Daniel Green, a lab technician. “I may never have discovered my passion for the arts if not for the teachers at the Hoffman Institute. It’s a wonderful feeling to feed the soul with what you love to do,” commented Jordan.

You have a choir performing at the event during tournament week – tell us a little about them and what program they represent.

The Ruth Eckerd Hall/Clearwater Jazz Holiday Youth Combo
The Ruth Eckerd Hall/Clearwater Jazz Holiday Youth Combo has performed for many high profile functions and fundraisers including Ruth Eckerd Hall events and the Flavor of Jazz event held each year where they have been the opening act for the Richard Elliot. Under the direction of Frank Williams, Band Director at Boca Ciega High School and Robert Barfield, Band Director at Tarpon Springs High, the Jazz Combo is comprised of some of the Tampa Bay area’s top instrumental students representing many of the area’s best schools. With financial assistance from the Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation, these talented youth are able to study at The Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute at Ruth Eckerd Hall where they receive high caliber jazz instruction by an outstanding staff, learning the traditions of jazz from theory to performance, enhancing their ensemble skills as well as their improvisational abilities as solo instrumentalists.