Musical strains from the Paul Errico Orchestra will fill the air of the Pierre Grand Ballroom and guests will fill the dance floor at “Dancing for Their Future,” Dancing Classrooms’ benefit dinner dance, on Wednesday, February 15.  The black-tie gala is Dancing Classrooms’ major fundraising event of the year. Proceeds will play an important role in helping the organization carry out its mission: To build social awareness, confidence and self-esteem in children through the practice of social dance.

The event will honor Patrice Tanaka, co-chair, chief creative officer and whatcanbe ambassador for CRT/tanaka, an agency she helped co-found in 2005.  Since its founding CRT/tanaka has received numerous accolades and more than 300 public relations and marketing awards for client campaigns.  A widow since 2003 Ms. Tanaka devotes much of her free time to serving on the board of non-profit organizations dedicated to helping women and girls.  In addition, she is a competitive ballroom dancer and the author of “Becoming Ginger Rogers…How Ballroom Dancing Made Me a Happier Woman, Better Partner and Smarter CEO.”

“Dancing for Their Future” will begin with a cocktail reception at 7:00, followed by dinner, a live auction, performances by Dancing Classrooms students and members of the Dancing Classrooms Academy, and ballroom dancing throughout the evening.  A limited number of tickets are still available at various prices.  Reservations may be made by contacting Yvonne Marceau at 212-244-9442.

Since 1994, Dancing Classrooms has been dedicated to the transformation of hundreds of thousands of children’s social consciousness, character, confidence, and self-esteem through their understanding of social dance as an agent of change.  Each year, Dancing Classrooms Teaching Artists touch the lives of thousands of fifth and eighth graders in New York City’s public schools and an additional 500 children at the weekend Dancing Classrooms Academy.