TAMPA, Fla. — 10 Tampa Bay’s Cereal for Summer drive is in full swing and students at The Patel Conservatory in Tampa have been doing their part. The donation box in the school’s lobby is filling up with breakfast items.
But that’s not all. Middle schoolers in a Theater Arts class are giving Cereal for Summer a little Broadway pizazz. They’ve created a short dance routine where they use cereal boxes as props.
Their instructor Matthew Belopavlovich says dancing with cereal is great training for his aspiring actors. “Dancing with props is fun and it’s something we do onstage on Broadway and in shows that we do here. Props are a way to aid the storytelling,” Belopavlovich explained.
But along with the dance practice, the students also talked about how some children in the area are going hungry. According to Feeding Tampa Bay, one in four children aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from.
So, this dance routine is teaching more than just coordination.
“Yeah, I think theater teaches you empathy,” Belopavlovich said. “And that ties right in with giving back to the community.”
You can donate to Cereal for Summer by bringing breakfast items to any Sonny’s BBQ, most Goodwill stores, or to our 10 Tampa Bay Studios. You can donate online at CerealForSummer.org.