RELIGION, B8 THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1991
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Community News
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NCSA senior is high achiever
Ballerina wants to see more blacks involved
By PATRICIA SMITH-DEERING
Community News Editor
When Monica Johnson chose ballet as her
profession, she knew she had entered an area
not overly populated with African-Americans.
But, since she was three years old and started
training, she has not regretted her choice.
Monica enrolled in the Pre-Professional
Program at the North Carolina School of the
Arts to continue her study of ballet when she
started fourth grade. She had previously stud
ied at Moore Studio for a year. After four years
in the program, she advanced to the school's
professional program where for the last six
years she has had a mixture of academic and
dance classes. The days can be long, she said.
"Sometimes I'm in school until six, and with
rehearsals, it's nine," she added with only a
slight trace of fatigue.
_ While her chosen career is a grueling one,
it's one that the NCSA senior would like to see
mmmamrnaa more African- Americans
Photo by LB. Speas Jr.
Monica Johnson listens attentively to pointers from
world-renowned choreographer, Pearl Primus.
involved in. She is one of a
few African-American stu
dents at NCSA studying ballet.
She is working hard to exc^l
and set an example. "I want to
be one who achieves and let
other blacks know it's there,"
-she explained. She expressed a
desire for African-American
teachers of ballet at the school.
"There is only one black
teacher here," she said, noting
Mabel Robinson, a renowned
choreographer and member of
the faculty at NCSA.
Monica feels that the lack
of more African- Americans at
the school may have contribut
ed to the reasons some have
not remained there. "I've seen
a lot of my friends leave the
school," she said, "That con
cern^me." She questioned
some of the school's require
ments noting, "Debbie Allen
(well-known African-Ameri
can actress and dancer) audi
tioned and didn't make it
because they said she was too
short."
As for herself, Monica
feels that NCSA has provided
her with a solid educational background and
has allowed her "to grow, learn, and participate
in many activities." She has danced in several
plays, most notably in the school's annual per
formance of "The Nutcracker."
, Last year, Monica won first place in the
dance competition (ballet category) at the
NAACP Talent Show. Her prize was a trip to
California to participate in the 1990 National
ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Techno
logicaTand Scientific Olympics) Competition,
also sponsored by the NAACP. She said her
experience last year inspired her to practice
harder to sharpen her ballet skills even more in
preparation for the 1991 competition.
Monica's hard work paid off. She has
repeated her winning ways this year in the
local competition and hopes to obtain sponsors
to assist her in her trip to the 1991 National
-ACT-SO competition to be held in Houston,
Tex., July 5-8. In describing the competition
she said, "Students from all over the country
participate in this event, and awards are given
in several different categories including
singing, dancing, speechmaking, and photogra
phy."
Daughter of Evelyn Johnson, Monica has
two brothers: Gilbert Jr. and Jerome. While the
love of her life is ballet dancing, she does take
time for hobbies including swimming and
bicycling. She managed time to work part time
to earn money for the Nissan Sentra^he
bought herself. Always goal-oriented, she
wants a career as a lawyer, as well as a balleri
na. At some point in her life, she would like to
have a business of her own.
Monica looks forward to college once she
has completed her studies at NCSA. In her
growing resume she describes her main goal:
"I hope to accomplish the positive endeavors
in life ? to become someone special in my
eyes, as well as others', and for people to look
at me as someone who has accomplished a lot
in life."
I've seen a lot of my
friends leave the school:1.
That concerns me. "
?
* t
- Monica Johnson
Photo by L.B. Speas Jr..
NCSA ballerina, Monica Johnson, Is working hard to prepare for
July ACT-SO Competition. . ,
By PATRICIA SMITH-PEERING
Community New:; f ditot ^ , , ?
?
The weekend was a time of celebration fc%mm
return of two more of Our Folks. ForNavy Fireman
Fredricko Delano Fair and Army First Lieutenant
Bryan Hampton Blue, it was a homecoming that gave
each man a hero's welcome for a job exceeding^Wetf^^
done. - / V - |fp| ft M
*
Fair Fare* Weil At Post Party ? Rw%!% jf|
, love being back home except they won't let me
sleep!" said an exhausted Fireman Fredricko jjplllf
after a weekend of festivities that began with bis "Wel
come Home" party at the American Legion Post #453 :
"Saturday night Right up to the last minute, friends and
relatives who had gathered there were not certain that
the guest of honor would arrive in time. It was a tensel
few hours with one of his sisters, Telissa Fair, franti
cally checking die airport in Greensboro for the arrival 1
of bis flight ^ - j
| Meanwhile, the brief ceremony proceeded with j
Fair's father standing in lor hint. Alderman Larry
Wombie presented a plaque to Mr. and Mrs. Fair to
recognition of their son's valor and service. The PostS
Commander, James Wilson, also made brief remarks.?!
Quests availed themselves oflhe splendid buffet t^ble '
goodies, and the deejay added spirit to the already- ?
charged atmosphere. .
Finally* the wait was worth it when the airport taxi
drove up, and Fair was virtually,. mobbed by his family
and friends. Fair, who had returned from the Rersian s
Gulf with the crew of die U.S.S. Wisconsin to Norfolk, ?;
Va? a week or so earlier, received the hugs and kiises
he had been waiting for from his parents, his sisters
Ill pilll . ?: PhotetjyUB.$0ea$Jf*
Navy Fireman F redricko 0; Fair admires
pttqua his parents, William and Shhley Fair;
received wtiffa waiting for his arrival at Satur
day celebration*
Telfssa and Treba, and his brothers William and
Romero, as well as others in the family. He has a sis
ter,Lene6r who is in the Navy also.
Later, describing his experience overseas, Fair
' i " ' t '? Photo by i%. Speas Jr.
?lotninq Fireman Fradrleko 0. Fair and his parents are (l-r): William McDonald, Poat Service
OHicor. TeMssa Fair, sister; and lJ^WUson,Commander o! American Laglon Poat #453.
said, "Being over there, it was a hurry^Mp-and-wait sit
uation" until the war started. Even though everyone
knew it was coming, he said it was hard to believe.
"But, everybody Was happy that it did" he added; He
was in the cngi nccring department working beneath
the ship's water line in the "shaft alleys11 which was not
the best location on the ship, given the constant threat
of mines in the water. "If we were struck, we would
have been in more trouble because we were so low
? already below the water," he recalled. He was not con- .
cemed, however, because "the ship was welMwiilt" ?,
Fair, who joined the Navy a year after his gradua
tion from jRJ, Reynolds High School in 1989, said that
the war gave him "a real good sense of how the mili
tary works.* He explained, "Regardless of differences,,
you tt^huiave with aiotfier&ew <nem5er, everybody7
works together as a team*" As a result, he did he came
away from the experience with some real close Mends.
^ Right now* B&ir said, Tm gdng WenjOy betftgon
the land, being with my family as much as 1 can/ He
returns to Norfolk April 29 .
"And They Lived Happily Ever After*
First Lieutenant Bryan H. Blue's story with the
Chronicle began last year in September a few days
before he was to wed Virginia "Sissy* Hash. The elab
orate plans for the wedding had been placed on hold
because he arid others at HHC 1st Battalion, 327
Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne were among the
first to be deployed to the Persian Gulf. The couple
served as the inspiration for the first of the series of
artictes that have appeared in this column.
Well, Bryan is back, arid the couple wasted no
time. He arrived m the Smte^ Monday, April B, Sissy
met him in Ft Campbell, Ky, and they returned to the
city Thursday. The beautiful cercmony took place as
planned Sunday, April 14, at St Peter's World Out
reach Center where Sissy's fairer, the Reverend James
C. Hash, is pasto^Was k worth the wait? "Definitely I "
beamed the new Mrs. Bryan Blue.
in an interview a few days following the wedding,
Bryan recalled his war experience from the perspective
of an executive officer, senior fust lieutenant, privy to
much of the military strategy involved. "The war OfVGr
?? all-~thi air phase, ground phase.. ~-was an unquali
fied success," he said with the pride of an officer. He
said that a person would havehad to be there to watch
as the action went from the first phase of Desert Shield
to the first phase of Desert Storm through to the end.
"Everything along that en tire frontline went exactly on
time, exactly as we were briefed," he said, summing
up the "agility, ...decisiveness, and speed" of the mili
tary action.
Bryan said that U.S. casualties were kept to a
| handful in an operation that was more massive than in
any since World War II, and that they inflicted mote
casualties to Hussein's forces than had been thought
possible. His unit capturcd 307 POWs, he said. Yet, he
added, "War and desiructiveness at that t?i$l f
nothing to clap about " * *
agafttt '
Bryan recalled
to0f^ar?;<jfihft;waJp|
lot of you will rise to the occasto||av
expected.* which proved SO he
He said, bad a lot c* people who
ly, hence t^ffe?ionally?> But. heha
those*
111
'Everyon*
oni
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ssented the few bec__?
? prepared to ^wfa^jn
posed to do.* ; < | "s l * J - pL
Noting bis pleasure in being/home *
I said, "too cbys ag<* 1 was jMcJ*
Idays later. I'm standing in die green gras
couple wilt leave sometime tMswee* i
moon destination and depatturtdrtiftthat
making public at this tifne, Spfpi H
combat leave until May 6, a^'wfii^tll
; Infantry
Ga., for five months.When
:y Will
career
| "Wherever i go, she's going"And Mrs
^i!l HP
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