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What do you
think of a movie being made about you?
Pierre Dulaine: Sincerely. I
think the movie has changed slightly, of
course, from my actual program. My
programs called Dancing Classrooms and
my company is called American Board of
Theatre and we are a non-for-profit. And
Dancing Classrooms teach each other to
take a bow. And our work is with 10 year
olds; 5th graders. Next year it will be
high schooler's. My program is not an
after-school program or a detention
program. Sometimes the kids don’t like
it and don’t want to do it but a few
minutes later they love it once they
know how to shake what they’re momma
gave them. And relax and have the music.
Where is your program located?
Pierre Dulaine: This year we
have grown to over 125 schools all over
New York City.
We have 42 teaching artists. We teach
over 12,000 children. Our program is 10
weeks long, twice a week. And they learn
Meringue, Fox Trot, Tango, Swing and
Waltz.
Is it a privilege to get into your
program?
Pierre Dulaine: Well…are you
a principal.
No. I’m a
mother. LOL
Pierre Dulaine: LOL Well, the
school will telephone to us and then I
will go and meet with the principal and
see what they want to do with the
program. We have a contract with the
Department of Education. By the way it
took me three years to get a contract
with the Department of Education. I went
through a lot of challenges. Now we have
people on a waiting list. We are trying
to go nation wide. We are already
established in Chicago and Omaha. I just
came from Fort Worth last week and they
are going to be doing it there. But we
are looking to expand it nationwide and
for that of course we need funding. But
hopefully, with the strength of this
movie and the strength of the program
itself, money won’t be as difficult. We
hope.
What was your initial reaction to the
approach of them doing a film inspired
by you?
Pierre Dulaine: Well, thank
God I was sitting down. I mean truly
because on the program CBS Sunday
Morning they did a piece on us. Merely a
documentary; a 6 minute piece. This
happened in September 2000 so it was 5
years in the making. What’s my reaction?
I can’t believe it. I never dreamt of
being a world champion. You want to
excel, which I did but you don’t dream
of someone making a movie about you.
Maybe I didn’t. Do you? Another
wonderful surprise is when New Line said
yes. Then they bring in Antonio Banderas
and now I sit up. Now this is major. I
was a consultant on the movie as well as
with the cast. And Diane insisted with
New Line’ people that they cast
experience my tone and experience the
same journey in actual reality. I was up
there for 4 weeks. Working with them.
Teaching them. I went back for the last
10 days for my cameo role. I was one of
the judges.
How did you really come to teach in
public schools?
Pierre Dulaine: Actually, you
know, the thing is…everything except
it’s not an after-school program. It’s
an in school program. The very first
time I walked in the school, I knew the
principal and she allowed me. And I had
challenges with the children but where
the film picks up because you want to
have many different problems come up in
the 1 – 2 hour segment; is when I tried
to go to the second, third and fourth
school. This is when I had principals
tell me, this is too elitist. When will
these kids ever use ballroom dancing?
They didn’t see what I saw. The
beautiful thing around it was having
respect for each other, dignity…when you
put a boy and a girl in front of each
other to dance, you will find…nothing
but the best feelings. If one thing I
would love to see happen all over the
world; I wouldn’t say the world is
uncivil, but we don’t have civility in
life. Maybe that’s one way of putting
it. Whatever I say to you in life, I
should be able to say it with respect to
your feelings. Be tender to another
person. Be gentle. Be polite. Be
respectful. When you have these feelings
and be good in life. You have these
feelings in your body and if we can
nurture that it would be a better world.
What do you hope the world will get
from your film?
Pierre Dulaine: Just this. To
see that being good in life ain’t a bad
thing.
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