As the winter holidays drew near, the newly formed Viking Dance and Color Guard burst onto the scene of area communities with energetic performances in Christmas parades and other venues.
From the time of its formation in late October, the countdown to parade time was a mere four weeks for the children to learn routines, but they made huge strides, evidenced by the cheers, applause and compliments from attendees watching them perform.
There is no official sponsorship by Parsons USD 503 for the Viking Dance and Color Guard. Yet, the district swung open the doors to one of its buildings for Brianne Ford, Ph.D., R.N., who created the program, providing a space for practices. Ford commands the color guard and the dance team is under the direction of Alesia Darkis.
Ford, a seasoned nurse educator with an entrepreneurial spirt, and her family, moved to Parsons three years ago in pursuit of new real estate, business and entrepreneurial endeavors. When they got here, her children fell in love with Parsons.
“They said ‘Mom, we can’t ever move,’” Ford recalled. “They love the school, and the community is so receptive to them and they do acting and all that stuff.”
With a passion for empowering youth through performing arts, Ford was driven by a dual purpose to starting the Viking Dance and Color – providing scholarship opportunities to children while giving back to the community that embraced her family.
In Kansas City, Ford was a color guard coach for 5 years and knew she wanted her own children, and others, to have the scholarship opportunities color guard can provide. Knowing the cost of such extracurricular opportunities are unaffordable for many people, Ford also wanted it to be virtually free. Reflecting on her own childhood in Kansas City, where her single mother enrolled all six of her children in a virtually free all-city dance ensemble through the school district, Ford said she wanted to somewhat replicate the opportunities here. Her determination, coupled with community sponsors has allowed her dream to become reality. The cost of dance tights and jazz shoes are the only expense for families.
Besides being affordable, one other thing that Ford said is important to her is that the students have a quality experience, having proper costumes and equipment to represent themselves, their team, and their community well. They will provide the youths the training, experience, and the exposure to propel them into the spotlight, preparing them for scholarships and auditions for prestigious institutions, including historically Black colleges and universities.
Discipline is the heartbeat of the program, instilling responsibility, organization, punctuality, and hard work in all participants. Ford said Viking Dance and Color Guard helps mold the participants not just for performances, but for life, imparting foundational skills that transcend dance and color guard.
The next open intake for students is today, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Lincoln. That intake will include any boys interested participating in a new drumline that will be part of the program.
“The big, big, big vision is to get these kids to where we have a band, a color guard and a dance team, so we need more kids,” Ford said. “The boys are saying they don’t want to dance and don’t want to spin, so we hope to, over time, get instruments, and we’re starting with a drum corps.”
Ford said her own enthusiasm for the program is echoed through support from parents and from the community, and she is thrilled as they embark on this journey of artistic expression and performance.
“It’s really very exciting,” she said.