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**Early Bird Pricing until January 16**

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All Black & Excellent: Soul In The City featuring Brinae Ali 

is an immersive live event and Fundriaser (with our Community Partner Village99) that is designed to draw you into a night of tap dance, black history, arts, and community. Our mission is to bring the community together (and even reach out to neighboring communities) to share space, time, education, love for music, tap dance, and to celebrate black excellence. We can’t move forward without recognizing where we came from and honor those that paved the way before us.

The event will be headlined by our tap master Brinae Ali and will also include a live band, a DJ, and hip hop performers. Our entertainment isn’t the only thing that will bring you in – we also have delicious catered food from local partners, a cash bar, and dancing. The dress code is “dress to impress” – this evening is an opportunity to bring some glamor and style to Grand Rapids.

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Alexandria “Brinae Ali” Bradley she started her artistic training in dance, theater, and music at home in Flint, MI with her father Bruce Bradley. She later studied theater at Marymount Manhattan College while training under Ted Levy, Savion Glover, and Dianne Walker. Bradley’s broadway and off-broadway credits include assistant dance captain for “Shuffle Along: the 1921 Sensation And All That Followed”, NY and Touring cast of STOMP, special feature in Cotton Club Parade with Wynton Marsalis, and was apart of New York City Center Off-Center Encores production of “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope”. She also served as artistic director of Tapology Youth Tap Festival in Flint, MI. Currently she is a lecturer at John Hopkins Peabody Institute for Music and Dance while developing a work in progress with trumpeter Sean Jones called “Dizzy Spellz” fusing tap, Bebop, Hip Hop, and Afro Cuban music to articulate the African American experience through the music of Dizzy Gillespie from a afrofuturistic lense.

Brinae Ali

(she/her)

Guest Tap Artist

WHAT ARE WE FUNDRAISING FOR?

Every summer, Over The Top Academy of Dance proudly hosts our Annual Summer Theater Camp, a unique and enriching opportunity for young artists in the Grand Rapids area. This “pay-to-play” camp spans five weeks, running four days a week for six hours each day. Participants immerse themselves in the magic of theater by learning and performing a one-hour musical. Over the past four years, our Summer Theater Camp has grown significantly in both enrollment and quality, showcasing productions such as The Lion King Kids, Disney’s Moana Jr., DreamWorks Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr., and Seussical Jr.

At Over The Top, we believe a quality performance fosters a quality education. Our program includes professional-grade costumes, props, sets, a theater venue, dedicated staff, and the invaluable support of parent volunteers. But what truly sets our camp apart is the "so much more" it offers: leadership skills, communication abilities, confidence, lasting friendships, a sense of community, and a safe space for self-expression. Many young artists return year after year, not just for the theatrical experience but for these transformative life skills.

This year, we are turning All Black & Excellent into a fundraising initiative to make this experience accessible to every aspiring performer. Our goal is to raise at least $35,000 to fund scholarships and provide essential amenities for our camp. With your support, we can ensure that financial barriers do not prevent any young artist from participating in this magical journey.

It truly takes a village to raise the curtain, and we invite you to join us in supporting these talented young individuals and their families. By contributing, you become part of a community dedicated to fostering creativity and growth in the arts.

Donor Recognition Levels:

  • Bronze Donors: $100 - $1,499

  • Silver Donors: $1,500 - $4,999

  • Gold Donors: $5,000 - $9,999

  • Platinum Donors: $10,000 - $49,999

  • Diamond Donors: $50,000+

Your generosity will directly impact the lives of young artists, helping them develop skills and create memories that last a lifetime. Together, we can ensure every child has the opportunity to shine on stage and beyond.

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

Disney's Moana Jr. 2022

Disney's Moana Jr. 2022

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

Disney's Moana Jr. 2022

Disney's Moana Jr. 2022

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

Disney's Moana Jr

Disney's Moana Jr

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

DreamWorks Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. 2023

Seussical Jr. 2024

Seussical Jr. 2024

Disney's Moana Jr. 2022

Disney's Moana Jr. 2022

Watch Last Year's
All Black & Excellent

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