Burlington youth help unite the world just by ‘stepping’
Burlington’s nonprofit organization Faith in Action works with local and international youth one step at a time by offering programs in dance.
Faith in Action, based in the city of Burlington, has been around since 1994 and is focused on being an educational and recreational resource to members of the local community.
The faith-based organization is not officially affiliated with any denomination of Christianity, and offers faith-based and non-faith based programs.
Executive director Amy Dean helped to organize this year’s annual summer International Step Fest that featured lessons in step-dancing moves by about 14 Faith in Action volunteers.
Throughout the approximately two-week program at Faith in Action, youth visiting from other countries learned and practiced the dance form, which was set to gospel-inspired music and performed a step routine at the end of the festival.
During the festival, held July 27 to Aug. 6, Faith in Action volunteers worked with about 35 youth from Iceland, Romania and Holland on step-dancing routines, while sharing the organization’s overall mission.
In previous years of the International Step Festival, youth from Faith in Action traveled to Africa, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Iceland and Romania to teach step dance to locals.
This year was the first time the festival was held in America.
“We use the arts at the festival to create positive relationships and close the gap between cultures. It’s really a community outreach effort to get young people off the street and doing something positive,” Dean said.
Upon the return to their countries, the youth are encouraged to form step groups of their own.
Faith in Action volunteer Rashida Robinson, 22, is a senior public health and Spanish student at Rutgers University. She worked with youth at the step festival.
According to Robinson, step dance is a form of dance that focuses mainly on foot movements and incorporates some motion of the upper body.
Robinson said that at the International Step Fest, youth step danced to Christian contemporary music and Christian hip-hop.
During the festival, Robinson helped with step classes, transportation and served as a resident assistant to the international travelers during their stay at the Burlington Meeting House Conference Center.
Robinson, of Lumberton, has been involved with Faith in Action for about five years and has a background in step and dance.
She joined the organization as a way to give back to the community.
“The people in it are friendly and welcoming,” Robinson said. “As a volunteer, I have learned so much about leadership, and I’ve grown in dance and the performing arts,” Robinson said.
In addition to the step-dancing program, each year the organization holds an annual international mission outreach trip.
This month, student and adult Faith in Action volunteers traveled to Ghana, West Africa, for about two weeks to distribute medical and educational supplies for clinics and villages in the area.
The organization also offers outreach to the community through a community arts program and gospel troop, mentoring services and Project YAAP (Youth AIDS Awareness and Prevention), which offers youth AIDS awareness and prevention services. All such Faith in Action endeavors take place at the John F. Kennedy Center in Willingboro.
Faith in Action also offers an adult-education program that provides English-as-a-Second-Language courses, basic education and reading classes, and GED preparation courses to residents of the county at the Burlington headquarters. The organization’s Supplemental Creative and Instructional services program offers vocational, computer and creative arts training in instruments such as piano, voice, drums and guitar in the Burlington headquarters office.
Faith in Action’s “Voices” program is a media component that featured a talk show for teens broadcast on Comcast every two weeks, and a newsletter detailing the organization’s activities produced by Faith in Action volunteers of all ages.
The cost of the all-volunteer run organization is about $265,000 per year. Funds are provided grants, donations and fundraisers.
According to Dean, Faith in Action is always in need of volunteers.
For more information, visit the Web site, www.faithinactioninc.com, or call 609-747-1008.
Faith in Action, based in the city of Burlington, has been around since 1994 and is focused on being an educational and recreational resource to members of the local community.
The faith-based organization is not officially affiliated with any denomination of Christianity, and offers faith-based and non-faith based programs.
Executive director Amy Dean helped to organize this year’s annual summer International Step Fest that featured lessons in step-dancing moves by about 14 Faith in Action volunteers.
Throughout the approximately two-week program at Faith in Action, youth visiting from other countries learned and practiced the dance form, which was set to gospel-inspired music and performed a step routine at the end of the festival.
During the festival, held July 27 to Aug. 6, Faith in Action volunteers worked with about 35 youth from Iceland, Romania and Holland on step-dancing routines, while sharing the organization’s overall mission.
In previous years of the International Step Festival, youth from Faith in Action traveled to Africa, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Iceland and Romania to teach step dance to locals.
This year was the first time the festival was held in America.
“We use the arts at the festival to create positive relationships and close the gap between cultures. It’s really a community outreach effort to get young people off the street and doing something positive,” Dean said.
Upon the return to their countries, the youth are encouraged to form step groups of their own.
Faith in Action volunteer Rashida Robinson, 22, is a senior public health and Spanish student at Rutgers University. She worked with youth at the step festival.
According to Robinson, step dance is a form of dance that focuses mainly on foot movements and incorporates some motion of the upper body.
Robinson said that at the International Step Fest, youth step danced to Christian contemporary music and Christian hip-hop.
During the festival, Robinson helped with step classes, transportation and served as a resident assistant to the international travelers during their stay at the Burlington Meeting House Conference Center.
Robinson, of Lumberton, has been involved with Faith in Action for about five years and has a background in step and dance.
She joined the organization as a way to give back to the community.
“The people in it are friendly and welcoming,” Robinson said. “As a volunteer, I have learned so much about leadership, and I’ve grown in dance and the performing arts,” Robinson said.
In addition to the step-dancing program, each year the organization holds an annual international mission outreach trip.
This month, student and adult Faith in Action volunteers traveled to Ghana, West Africa, for about two weeks to distribute medical and educational supplies for clinics and villages in the area.
The organization also offers outreach to the community through a community arts program and gospel troop, mentoring services and Project YAAP (Youth AIDS Awareness and Prevention), which offers youth AIDS awareness and prevention services. All such Faith in Action endeavors take place at the John F. Kennedy Center in Willingboro.
Faith in Action also offers an adult-education program that provides English-as-a-Second-Language courses, basic education and reading classes, and GED preparation courses to residents of the county at the Burlington headquarters. The organization’s Supplemental Creative and Instructional services program offers vocational, computer and creative arts training in instruments such as piano, voice, drums and guitar in the Burlington headquarters office.
Faith in Action’s “Voices” program is a media component that featured a talk show for teens broadcast on Comcast every two weeks, and a newsletter detailing the organization’s activities produced by Faith in Action volunteers of all ages.
The cost of the all-volunteer run organization is about $265,000 per year. Funds are provided grants, donations and fundraisers.
According to Dean, Faith in Action is always in need of volunteers.
For more information, visit the Web site, www.faithinactioninc.com, or call 609-747-1008.
