PACC Raises Funds for Young Juilliard Dancer

Some people are born to dance. Ever since he enrolled for two summers in the AileyCamp, which is sponsored for preteens by Bridgeport’s Music and Arts Center for Humanity (now called the Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County), Raymond Pinto knew that he wanted to pursue a career in dance.

Pinto, 19, has been accepted to the first Nederlands Dans Theatre summer dance workshop in Denmark. To help pay for transportation, the workshop and living expenses, the (PACC) is sponsoring a Dance Benefit Concert on Sunday, May 22 at 7 p.m. The show is in PACC’s Black Box Theater, located at 18 Lindeman Drive.

“We want to make this young dancer’s dream a reality,” said Catherine E. LaChioma, executive director of PACC. “The Nederlands Dans Theatre is one of the world's most famous and sought after dance companies and the envy of the dance world for its good fortune of being able to work with and perform Jiri Kylian's many ballets.  Raymond has been a long time fan of both Jiri Kylian and NDT - so this was a dream come true.”

Pinto, a native of Bridgeport, said that participating in the company is “an opportunity to be seen and get your foot in the door. It could lead to a contract at some point, too.”

Pinto was one of the first students to join PACC when the studio first opened in 2004. LaChioma said that he auditioned and was awarded a full scholarship for the next five years. Pinto also was asked to join The Parker Project, a dance troupe founded by PACC’s Artistic Director, Nikole LaChioma.

 “He has always been passionate about dance and appreciative of it as an art form,” Nikole said.

As a colleague and a friend, Nikole is proud that Pinto has been asked to be part of the NDT’s summer intensive. “It’s one of the most desirable and amazing companies in the world,” she added.

From the age of 13, Pinto spent six days out of the week dancing. During the week, he toiled at the barre and on the floor fine tuning his technique. On Saturdays, he rehearsed with the members of PACC’s dance company, In Motion.

“There were only eight or nine of us back then,” Pinto recalled. “Now there are about fifty dancers. The group progressively got bigger and bigger.”

Pinto credits Cathi with encouraging him to study all different types of dance. “She threw me into modern, jazz, ballet, hip hop, tap and partnering classes,” Pinto said. “Cathi would always include an eclectic mix of master class teachers at the school. She really understood that to be an artist, you have to understand all of the corners of the art form.”

This knowledge has served him well. In fact, Pinto says that he doesn’t have a favorite form of dance but rather enjoys immersing himself equally in all of its diverse facets. “Every form of dance has its own characteristics and they all contribute to the art form known as dance,” he said. 

Pinto has choreographed a couple of pieces that he and the other dancers will perform at the benefit concert. Pinto admitted that he hopes to spend more time as a choreographer in the future.  

Currently studying dance at Juilliard School on a full scholarship, Pinto has also worked with Bill T. Jones on an HBO series called “Young Arts Master Class.”

Pinto said, “It was quite an experience. Filming for television is a very intense schedule. You have to shoot things more than once. You have to be ready to wait for the proper lighting and then be ready to perform.”

Last summer Pinto found a job dancing in a company called Abraham.In.Motion. The dancers performed at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and around the metropolitan area.

During the summers, while he was attending Central Magnet High School, Pinto participated in summer intensives at American Ballet Theater and with Denise Vale of the Martha Graham Dance Company and Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden of Complexions.

Cathi said that no matter where Raymond goes, he always comes back to visit the Trumbull dance school. He frequently performs in PACC’s benefit concerts that annually support diverse charitable organizations.

Through all of his recent successes, Cathi said, “Raymond remained humble, grounded and committed to dance.”

Admission to this weekend’s benefit concert is $10 at the door, seating is limited. There will be dances and choreography by The Parker Project, In Motion and, of course, the guest of honor, Mr. Raymond Pinto.

 For more information, call 203-372-2787.