THE
MICHELE AMIRA
PERFORMING ARTS
ACADEMY
The Michele Amira Performing Arts Academy (MAPAA) is spearheaded by Danny Soto, The Music in Me Foundation International's Artistic Director. He had a prominent role in the original cast of "FELA! on Broadway" as a performer and dance captain. Beyond his distinguished dancing career in various Broadway productions, he is dedicated to education and artistic integrity and producing work that enriches the culture and the community.
Danny Soto
Artistic Director
MAPAA is unique in that we offer world class artistic instruction, mixed with our research based and statistically proven brand of social emotional learning through our nationally acclaimed anti-bullying initiative, PeerPositivePOWER. PeerPositivePOWER is transforming the lives our students, inspiring a sense of community, leadership, team building and empowerment to become positive thinkers and doers – using music, visual mixed media and the performing arts as tools to discover inner strengths (or superpowers) to achieve immediate and long lasting brighter futures.
Who is Michele Amira?
CLASSES START IN OCTOBER 2023 ON SATURDAYS FROM 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM
Classes
Schedule:
10:00am-11:00am: Ballet (ages 3-6)
11:00am-12:00pm: Modern (ages 7-12)
12:00pm-1:00pm: Lunch Break
1:00pm-2:00pm: Jazz (ages 13-18)
2:00pm-3:00pm: Hip Hop (ages 19-30)
3:00pm-4:00pm: African Drum and Dance (all ages)
4:00pm-5:00pm: Adult Dance Fitness and Free Movement (all ages)
For multi-generational classes, MAPAA offers different times throughout the day, depending on the community demand. For example, a free movement class will be offered at 2:00pm-3:00pm and another one at 4:00pm-5:00pm.
Michele Amira is the inspiration of the Music in Me Foundation International and the Michele Amira Performing Arts Academy. She is the extraordinary daughter of the organization's Founder & CEO of the nonprofit organization. Although she struggled with being bullied and battled insurmountable pain and isolation due to a rare auto-immune disease and autism, as well as being illiterate at 11 years of age, she found refuge in music, dance and the performing arts. Through her artistry, perseverance and positive attitude, she found her unique voice and great success as the youngest journalist under contract with The New York Times, The Source Magazine and other prestigious publications, as well as a hip-hop radio DJ, published book author of Sparkle (foreword by chart topping rapper Big Sean) and award winning filmmaker of Freedom: What is Means to Teens. She was also the youngest filmmaker to have her mini-documentary screened at the prestigious international film festival, Festival de Cannes in France. Although she died at the young age of 27, her inspiration and contributions continue to impact the world.