Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at the Launch of The Washington Ballet’s Scholarship Initiative
Washington, D.C.
Thank you, Rafael. You, and incredible dancers just like you, are why we’re all here today. And I’m excited to watch them perform, aren’t you?
So, let’s have a round of applause for Rafael, all the students who are here, and their teachers!
I’m so honored to be with all of you today for the launch of this new scholarship initiative. Thank you to Artistic Director Julie Kent, the Washington Ballet Board, and everyone who has worked so hard to make this a reality.
Ballet is an art form unlike any other. It’s where disciplines meet—music, design, drama, and dance. As we marvel at superhuman feats of strength, beauty, and grace, we find the delicate human stories that connect us all—that transcend time and language and background.
That’s why, when I decided to host Congressional spouses at the White House, I knew that there was one piece of our nation’s capital I wanted to share with them: The Washington Ballet.
When we watch a chorus seem to float across a stage, our hearts beat in time as one. When the strings swell and the drums move through our bones, we share the same joy, the same awe. When Giselle takes her last breath, when Odette makes her final fall, we all feel the lump in our throats.
And that’s what happened in the East Room when you danced for our Congressional spouses. We shared something meaningful. And we remembered just how much we have in common. I want to thank you for giving us that gift.
Yes, dance is a universal language—one that teaches and transforms. And not just the audience.
Students of dance learn discipline, perseverance, and confidence. They strengthen their bodies and minds. They find community and a sense of belonging.
And yet, from training to live performances, the ability to be a part of this incredible community has often been out of reach for too many.
That’s why I’m so grateful that the Washington School of Ballet is committed to providing support for students from all backgrounds. With this scholarship, you are opening the studio doors wider—allowing more people to train, find a voice, and be a part of this unique community.
The poet Mary Oliver wrote, “Maybe the desire to make something beautiful is the piece of God that is inside each of us.”
With world-class performances, education, and mentorship, the Washington Ballet brings beauty to our nation’s capital every day. Thank you for your persistence and commitment. Thank you for supporting the next generation of dancers. And thank you for connecting us to each other.
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