Like many little girls, Dianne Martinez dreamed of becoming a dancer. But in Brighton Park, the southwest-side neighborhood where she grew up, there wasn’t anywhere where she could take ballet lessons. The nearest Park District facility was in McKinley Park, and it didn’t offer dance. The local private studio was too expensive, and she couldn’t explore options in other neighborhoods because her mother didn’t drive. She finally got her dance lessons as a student at Curie High School, and she loved them. She found a few free dance programs on the north side, two train rides away. Finally, at the ripe old age of 19, she realized she wasn’t getting the training she needed. She decided to become a high school history teacher instead.
“We’re literally using a recycled ballet barre,” adds Martinez. “We used local contractors and got street artists to paint the studio.”
Benito Juarez Community Academy 1450-1510 W. Cermakrecycledbarre.org $5/class-$150/12-week session
