Team: Bedford Stuyvesant's Scholars 
Coach: Ms. Patrick
Location: Brooklyn, NY 

A Huge Surprise for Bedford Stuyvesant's Dance Team

Early this year, a producer from the panel talk show The Real contacted The Line Up and asked us if we would like to get involved with a special surprise project they were working on. Of course, we said yes! 

The students of the Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School's  (BSNBCS) dance team in Brooklyn, NY were performing and practicing their dance routines in their school uniforms - that is, until The Real heard about this deserving team!

The Real presented the school with $3,000 from The Line Up towards the purchase of new dance uniforms they deserved, and did it in such a surprising and fun way!

As part of a game show segment on the show called "Catch Your Coin,"  The Real set up Ms. Patrick, the Performing Arts teacher against Ms. Julian, the Social Studies teacher at BSNBCS. The two were asked to answer trivia questions in order to win a prize, but the real surprise was that everyone conspired to let Ms. Patrick to win!  

"Ms. Patrick was so shocked and surprised that her program was receiving this special recognition," says Ms. Vicky D'Anjou-Pomerleau, Chief Development Officer . "It also meant a lot to her students who have been learning so much and have been working so hard to develop their skills and talents this year."

You can check out the clip of the "Catch Your Coin" game and the tearful, happy moment that Ms.Patrick finds out about the surprise  below!   Check out the full episode on CW tomorrow! (Check your local listings for exact time)

A Wardrobe of Classic, Versitle Pieces

Earlier this spring we worked with BSNBCS to design quality uniforms that the team could use again and again.  And because we don't discontinue our styles, they'll be able to reorder for years to come.

Versatility in their costumes was important because of the versatility in their curriculum. "Ms.Patrick brings elements of Ballet, African Dance, Zumba, and modern dance to our coursework. Our students also bring their heritage and traditions to the table, movements of bachata, salsa, merengue and more!"  

With such a great mix of styles, a variety of simple and classic uniforms were chosen for the most flexibility.  The team mixed and matched a couple of versatile all-black pieces along with two jersey styles tops with the schools' logo and team colors.  

Congrats,  BSNBCS on your surprise feature on national television, and thank you to The Real for asking us to participate!!

Check out a video of the team and The Real host Jeannie Mai performing a quick routine,  and more Q & A with Ms. Patrick below!  

 Styles shown: Long Sleeve Leotard, Rotation Jersey, Jersey Top, Warm Up Pants,  Long Sleeve Unitard 

TLU Spotlight Q&A: 

How did this whole surprise come about?

We were very excited to have been identified as a candidate school by The Real's producing team. We'd love to know how they chose us, but we just assume that it's because we do amazing work in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Central Brooklyn!

How was the team nominated for this gift?

When we found out The Real was coming, they were interested in our Performing Arts program: this is how they identified the Dance program as a worthy recipient of this generous donation. The Real's team recognized that students need this creative outlet to develop their own identity and stay healthy.

What did it feel like to find out your team was getting brand new uniforms?

Ms. Patrick was so shocked and surprised that her program was receiving this special recognition. It also meant a lot to her students who have been learning so much and have been working so hard to develop their skills and talents this year. The uniforms are of such beautiful quality that everyone would just love to be able to wear them all the time. We can only wish every child in the school had their own unique uniform to feel confident and special when performing. 

How did the team react when they got their uniforms?

Our scholars were so excited and LIT!!!

Has it made a difference in how they perform?

They feel more professional and focused now that they have professional-grade garments.

What makes your team unique?

What makes our team unique is the versatile forms of movement that their coach brings to the curriculum. Ms. Patrick brings elements of ballet, african dance, Zumba and modern dance to our coursework. Our students also bring their heritage and traditions to the table, movements of bachata, salsa, merengue and more!

What is your favorite memory, or what are you most excited for this upcoming school year?

We are most excited to extend the dance program into the after school and increasing focus on the fitness element. We want our kids to grow up to be healthy adults and for dance fitness to be one of the ways that they keep their bodies, their minds, their hearts and their community healthy.

What was your team’s biggest challenge/ opportunity this past year?

Our biggest challenge is that we do not have an auditorium to perform in. This means that performance arts does not have accommodations such as a stage and backstage, curtains, a tuned sound system and room for an audience to comfortably enjoy performance. We are happy to have a gym, but a multi-purpose space can not perfectly meet all needs!

Our biggest opportunity was to be featured on The Real and to receive this generous donation from The LineUp!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to The LineUp, Jeannie Mai, and The Real’s team for choosing us and making us feel the love!!