Nonprofit Spotlight: Southern Arc Dance

Written by JENNIFER LONDON | Photographed by SARA MOORE

In 2013 Southern Arc Dance Center was founded in Newnan by Artistic Director Paulo Manso de Sousa and his spouse, Director of Operations Will Slay, Jr. They also operate the Southern Arc Dance Theater, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional dance company of which Slay is the chairman of the Board. Manso de Sousa says their partnership is a great balance. “I just want to choreograph, concentrate on the classes, because you can’t do both so I gave it to him and he’s been amazing. Will’s the one that really keeps the doors open.

Speaking with Paulo is like taking a leisurely walking tour through a historic estate. He allows it all to be taken in, suggesting first to take a class to experience his teaching, then hearing his stories, so beautifully unfolded, of the poetry of dance and the artistic journey that led him from ballet dancer in the Miami City Ballet and then performing throughout Europe, to freelance teaching and by some stroke of magic, softly landing in Newnan. 

After moving to Newnan, he began teaching at Atlanta Ballet and other local studios but felt something was missing and longed for something of his own. “After these fifty years of professional work, I wanted integrity, I wanted students to learn how to dance,” Manso de Sousa says. 

“Southern Arc has programs for every body, every dancer who has a desire but doesn’t have a space, because of their disability. Our Dance Without Limits program is designed for them,” says Manso de Sousa.

The partners started their 501(c)(3) company to sponsor the Dance Without Limits and Dance for Parkinson's programs. 

Dance Without Limits began with a conversation with parents and recognizing the need for a program to give kids with special needs who were not able to participate in regular programming. 

The Special Olympics now recognizes Dance Without Limits as a dance sport and Southern Arc is hosting the first-ever Coweta Special Olympics Dance Sport Invitational on April 26 at the Madras Community Center.

Manso de Sousa then went to New York and became certified to teach the Dance for Parkinson’s classes. They have ladies and men who attend the classes every week. 

“We’re here to actually meet the needs of the community, so those two programs in particular are dear to our hearts, and we’ve seen the growth – not just in the programs, but in the students in the programs,” Slay says. “We see that it’s not just dance, it’s actually life-changing. Dance changes lives.” 

Southern Arc also sponsors special events like monthly open mic night. People sing, tell jokes or read poetry. The $5 admission is donated to the non-profit, and the event empowers people looking for a creative outlet. Thursday night’s Latin social dance is perfect for date night or for groups of friends. 

One local show that has quickly become a holiday tradition is Southern Arc’s inclusive production of “The Nutcracker.”

Manso de Sousa says everyone loves how the kids are not segregated, but are all just part of the group of dancers participating in the performance. 

“We do use the kids because it’s part of their education and we use the Dance Without Limits, they’re in Nutcracker,” Manso de Sousa explains. He is also talking his Parkinson’s class into participating in the end-of-year performance so they get onstage. 

On May 10, the ninth annual Artz’N Park festival highlighting diversity in the arts will be sponsored by Southern Arc Dance, featuring dance, music, visual and literary artists, artisans and food trucks. The event is from 1-7 p.m., at Lake Marimac Park in Senoia.

Manso de Sousa’s goal for Artz’N Park is simply to educate the audience so they can understand what they are seeing and to appreciate the diversity in dance, from ballet and modern to jazz and hip hop. “We have different styles of dance, different styles of music. We have classical music, we have bands,” he says. “A lot of these students that are now our bands, they were students of CEC and Doug Kees. It gave them an opportunity to perform so that was the base of the original idea.” 

Manso de Sousa says, “Our festival is not only about showcasing artistic excellence but also fostering connections, understanding and appreciation among people of different backgrounds.”

“This is about community, it’s about the arts,” says Slay.

Southern Arc Dance Theater is always looking for energetic, innovative people to serve on the board and for volunteering and making donations, visit southernarcdance.org. NCM