The Alison Cook Beatty Dance Company was forced to close its studio on the Upper East Side during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving dancers with nowhere to practice or rehearse.
[Ads /]
One day the owner, Allison Cook-Beaty, had an idea.
"I saw these empty baseball fields, and I used to play softball, so I think I was drawn to them," she said.
Not to play baseball, but to teach dance. So she choreographed a ballet on the diamond.
"These dancers are working hard out there on the field under the sun and dirt is flying in their face; they have a mask on, but these guys, they look gorgeous," Cook-Beaty said.
Visitors to the park often stop to watch the lovely ballet performance.
"I saw these ballet dancers leaping through the air, I couldn't believe my eyes," Lisa Fendell said.
[Ads /]
Now Fendell makes it a point to catch the dancers during their twice-weekly rehearsals in Central Park.
"People need art and culture, and if we can bring that to them on a baseball field in Central Park because the studios aren't open and the theaters can't open yet safely, why not," Cook-Beaty said.
Cook-Beaty ensures social distancing and insists that all dancers wear masks while at practice.
"I find myself saying instead of going stage right, go to first base," Cook-Beaty joked.
Cook-Beaty has never called her dancers a company or a troupe. Instead, she calls them a team, and she is very much their coach.
[Ads /]
Being able to teach her dancers at a place during the shutdown has given her team a chance to soar when life is otherwise on lockdown.
Fiona Oba, a dancer, says, "Allison is the type to find creative ways to keep going no matter what. Just the idea we could meet and continue creating work was amazing."
"It gives you a very good feeling inside your heart when you walk off that baseball field, and you think wow, not only did we do really good work today, but I feel better I feel happier," Cook-Beaty said.
Cook-Beaty thinks that's a grand slam.
----------
* More New York City news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube