Art of Ballet School of Dance & Company

reds of children in classical ballet, tap, jazz and ethnic dance techniques. Art of Ballet has given hundreds of children an opportunity to perform throughout California. Included among these are Disneyland in Anaheim, Great America in Santa Clara, KSTS Channel 26 and TV-20 Cartoon Classics in San Francisco, Malonga Casquelourd Center in Oakland, Festival By The Bay in Richmond, Richmond Auditorium, UC Berkeley, Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley and Children’s Services Day at Hilltop Mall in Richmond. Townsend’s son, Chantler Townsend, formerly of the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York. Four of her students were accepted to train with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Additionally, Art of Ballet’s students have placed first and competed statewide and nationally in the NAACP ACT-SO Competitions and California’s Junior Miss pageants. Some of the organizations and agencies that have recognized Sylvia Townsend for her work include: Richmond Arts & Culture Commission, Congressman George Miller for Outstanding Community Service, and the Nat’l Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts. Sylvia is well respected amongst her colleagues. She was described as one of the up and coming choreographers in the publication, Black Choreographers Moving Towards the 21st Century.