"Sandra and the Necklace" to be performed at La Cumbre Junior High

“Sandra and The Necklace,” a story told through narration and dance, and presented as a culmination of this season’s programs of the Santa Barbara Dance Institute (SBDI), will be performed at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 at La Cumbre Junior High School Theater. The performance is free and open to the public.

Santa Barbara Dance Institute, in its first year of operation, is a project of the Children’s Creative Project (CCP). SBDI has been working this year with third and fifth graders at Cesar Chavez Charter School, Adams, and Solvang elementary schools. 

SBDI was created to provide all children with the opportunity to experience quality dance education. Classes are offered to an entire grade level during the school day to underscore the belief that the arts should be a part of every child’s education.

The classes meet once a week for the school year ending in a performance involving all the schools that participated.

“Sandra and The Necklace” is the story of a Chumash girl who is given a sacred necklace from her mother. She is a shy girl but when she wears the necklace to school the next day suddenly everyone wants to be her friend. When she and her “friends” are playing with the necklace it breaks. Sandra feels horrible and hides the necklace under her pillow. That evening when she goes to sleep she has an adventurous dream during which she learns important Chumash values.

SBDI works in partnership with La Cumbre Jr. High and will use the La Cumbre theater’s new light and sound system.

“The arts have a unique ability to inspire and motivate children, and enable them to seek excellence, develop discipline, and find joy. The SBDI program has been very successful in transmitting these goals and fostering such high achievement,” said County Superintendent Bill Cirone, whose office coordinates the CCP. 

Further information is available by calling Rosalina Macisco at 245–0794.