Sisters of the Circle is an afterschool performing arts program for young women, ages 14-18. Produced by Jefferson Center in partnership with Roanoke City Schools and Roanoke Refugee and Immigration Services, the program provides underserved young women with a sustained experience of arts mentorship, developing creativity, community and performance skills. Although the program is offered free of charge to young women of any cultural or socioeconomic background, Jefferson Center works closely with partner organizations to recruit young women from Roanoke's refugee and immigrant populations.

Sisters of the Circle addresses the need for refugee and immigrant teen girls to build language skills in English and confidence to succeed within new cultural norms and educational expectations as Americans. Participants in the program meet weekly at Jefferson Center with a team of artist mentors led by Dr. Ann Kilkelly, Professor of Theatre Arts and Women's Studies at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kilkelly and her team use theatre exercises, story circles, song and dance to foster a sense of community and to generate material from which the final production will be developed. Guest artists spend one to two weeks in residence working with program participants to create original pieces to be included in the final performance. Guest artists in 2008 included spoken word poet and hip-hop ambassador Toni Blackman, the Kusun Ensemble (music and dance from Ghana, West Africa), and percussionist Nicole LeCorgne. The final performance was held May 18, 2008 at Jefferson Center.

Please check back here for updates on Sisters of the Circle for Spring 2009!

Sisters of the Circle is supported by the Verizon Foundation and the Bank of America Foundation.