Our Story
The Adventures of a Rogue Swan (TARS) is an outreach project that introduces ballet to children by creating and engaging children in multimedia ballet performances and workshops, children's books and much more. TARS is produced by Silent Fire Productions, a commercial ballet company that focuses on creating new ways to bring ballet to audiences everywhere.
The project was started in 2016 by director, ballerina and media practitioner Matina Banks, a former arts and education teacher in New York City.
The project combines Ms. Banks’s passion for ballet and the arts, media, literacy and advocating for marginalized children from all different kinds of backgrounds.
The impact of the project covers many areas including socio-emotional, academic and career goals.
As this project introduces children not only to ballet but media, visual and the performing arts, they are able to explore different ways to express themselves, learn how to process and share emotions and what it means to be creative.
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Learning how to use the arts to process feelings is so important for our children.
Our project also allows children to strengthen their academic skills, most especially their experience with literacy, whether it be through reading one of our books or helping to write and illustrate one of them. And all of this aids children in being able to think about career options by exposing them to the arts and media.
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We often think of ballet only as a physical sport and art form but we often overlook it's incredibly history and the beautiful storytelling involved. These elements strongly lend themselves to children being able to build socio-emotional strength and a sense of belonging. We are able to help children not only engage in ballet in a healthy way, but also help the field of ballet grow and expand as we help children find their place within it.
We are incredibly grateful to all the teachers, educators, students and supporters who have worked with and supported us over the years on our projects. We have had the pleasure of working with people from all over the world, all walks of life and benefited from their experiences and inspired by their goals.
We would especially like to thank Reading Specialist and veteran educator Dr. Karen Banks and Ms. Patricia Sinclair, EL Department Chair for their support of our project.
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From classroom co-teaching to project planning to providing resources whether it's theatre and media or instruction and project planning or financial support, we are extremely grateful and have enjoyed working with and getting to know better each and every one of our supporters. We couldn't do it without them.
Who We Are
Matina Banks
Director & Performing Artist
Matina Banks is a ballerina and a director with a background in education. In addition to her experiences in the field of dance, she has a masters degree in media and has worked professionally in the various fields including photography, videography, graphic and motion design. Through the use of media, she passionate about helping the field of ballet gain commercial viability while maintaining it's artistic integrity.
Leah Court
Children's Book Illustrator & Graphic Designer
Leah Court is an illustrator and art teacher who lives in the UK. She graduated from university
in 2019 with a degree in Graphic Arts and earned her PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) as an Art Teacher in 2022. She currently teaches art, design technology, media
and photography for a secondary school in Greater London. From paper cut to digital
illustrations she enjoys experimenting with a variety of media within her work. She loves
working with colour and appreciates the effect it has on the message being communicated.
Her interest in and curiosity for exploring and learning more about the world around her led
her to join this project.
Zurisaday Cabellero Lopez
Graphic Designer, Photographer & Former Rogue Swan Student
Zurisaday Cabellero Lopez has had many roles working with our TARS project. First starting as one of our students, working on our multimedia performances and children's books with a very special talent in illustration. She then moved on to designing some of our marketing and even working as a photographer during our performances. She has now graduated with honors from high school and has moved onto university studies and continues developing her drawing skills.
Dulce Carrera Miranda
Former Rogue Swan Student
Dulce Carrera Miranda is a former Rogue Swan students who illustration and design skills significantly shaped our work on several of our projects. A trustworthy and hard working student, she also assisted with various elements of the project including helping with our marketing. Also having graduated from high school, she plans to study marketing at university and continue honing her illustration skills.
For more on our incredible Rogue Swan students check out our testimonials page.
