She’s Planning to Get Venice Boys and Girls Club in Step With the Arts

Choreographer Heidi Duckler hopes she can help children discover and develop an appreciation for the arts.

As an “Artist in Residence,” Duckler will bring her knowledge and resources to the Boys and Girls Club of Venice.

Starting Monday, children 7 to 17 can participate in Duckler’s weekly program, which runs through July.

“I have concentrated my recent efforts on being an adult choreographer, so it will be interesting to go back to teaching children,” the 40-year-old mother of two said. “I’m going to teach the basics of dance by taking the kids to various locations throughout the community and exploring some of the dance elements we have studied in class.”

Program highlights will include workshops, field trips and site-specific performances created by the children.

“I want to take the children to see other artists and expose them to as much dance as possible,” Duckler said. “Kids will have an opportunity to work with professionals and explore their own experiences.”

Duckler operated a dance school in Portland, Ore., before becoming artistic director and choreographer of Collage Dance Theatre in Los Angeles seven years ago. The company is known for its inventive performances at unusual locations, such as a vacant gas station or on a building’s rooftop.

Her goal is to encourage children to share their experiences and form lasting bonds with the arts.

“I would like the children to feel confident and be able to express some of their feelings,” she said.

The free program is funded by a grant from the California Arts Council. Children must be a member of the club to participate.

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Step Up on 2nd received the “1992 Gold Award” from the American Psychiatric Assn. at the recent 44th annual Institute on Hospital and Community Psychiatry Achievement Awards in Toronto.

The nonprofit organization provides educational and vocational services for mentally ill adults in Santa Monica. It was recognized for its work in providing a comprehensive program of services including support groups, classes and instruction on independent living skills.

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Two Hamilton High School musicians have been selected to compete for slots on the national Grammy All American School Jazz Band.

Trumpet player Victor Ayala and pianist Marcus Coleman were chosen Dec. 12 at the Hamilton High School Academy of Music. Finalists for the band will be named Thursday.

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Two Westside residents have been appointed to the board of directors of St. John’s Hospital & Health Center in Santa Monica.

Waldo Burnside, a Brentwood resident, and John Michel, a longtime Pacific Palisades resident, have both served as trustees of St. John’s Foundation for several years.

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Terri de la Pena, a resident of Santa Monica, won first prize in the 1992 Chicano/Latino Literary Contest for her short-story collection, “Territories.”

The annual contest is sponsored by the department of Spanish and Portuguese at UC Irvine.

De la Pena, whose novel “Margins” was published last year, received $2,000.

Items can be mailed to People, Suite 200, 1717 4th St., Santa Monica 90401.