This season, BAND went on the look for exceptional young athletes who empower and inspire everyone around them. We asked coaches to tell us about an athlete that has inspired them and the rest of their teams to work harder and push forward in the face of challenges.
We were amazed by the incredible stories that coaches from all over the country sent in about their athletes. The amount of love and passion felt by the coaches who submitted was clear in every entry, and it has been very difficult to narrow down the list of deserving and qualified athletes.
BAND is very pleased to present our Recommended Athlete Scholarship to Yisrael Robinson.
Congratulations, Yisrael!
Based on his skill, sportsmanship, and perseverance, Yisrael Robinson has been awarded the ‘Recommended Athlete’ Scholarship by everyone here at BAND. We hope he continues to uplift his teammates and helps them band together!
Yisrael Robinson is a 14-year-old African American male dancer who studies ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip hop at Danswest Dance in Tucson, AZ. He took his first class when he was two years old, and came back a few years ago to dance with the youth company at the studio.
The company performs at events around their local community and trains 8–20 hours per week. The studio teaches them everything that goes into putting on a performance, including lighting, set design, and sound design, so they understand everything that goes into putting on a production and are well equipped to continue a career in theater.
At first, Yisrael wanted to focus on tap-dancing and didn’t want to do ballet, but his instructor pushed him to try new things and challenge himself. As time went on, Yisrael started to dive into everything the studio offers and often approaches his instructor with new music and fresh ideas, including classical jazz from the ‘40s.
At home, Yisrael is one of 10 kids in his family. Yisrael and his siblings ride around in a large van they affectionately call “Brutus.” His parents are always on the move taking care of all the kids and love to help out in their community.
The Robinsons have adopted eight children, and often have other families come to stay with them when they’re in need. Yisrael’s mother is an energetic and positive person always willing to lend a hand. She inspires her children to be polite, respectful, and positive as well, a trait she passed on to Yisrael.
Every Spring, Yisrael travels with his family to Connecticut to participate in “From the Boat to Obama and Beyond,” an engaging historical theater performance for K-12 that brings to life the struggles and successes of African Americans as they journey pre-slavery Africa to modern-day America.
Yisrael plays “Master Juba,” an African-American tap dancer from the 1850s and one of the first African Americans who performed on stage in front of white audiences.
He also performs in a youth community outreach theater with a group called “Breakdown,” tackling serious issues like domestic abuse, sex education, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse in dynamic and engaging performances.
He was recently invited to ABC to perform on “The Gong Show.” Yisrael has even started writing his own theater show, combining multimedia theater and spoken word with his love of dance. Yisrael has his own YouTube channel, where he documents his daily life as one of twelve children.
Yisrael has grown into a multitalented and well-rounded performance artist that inspires and uplifts everyone in his studio with his bright attitude and exceptional skill. When he graduates from school, he hopes to move to New York and become a full-time performer.
At BAND, we are inspired by Yisrael’s passion for performing and inspiring change through theater. We hope that this scholarship will inspire Yisrael and everyone at his studio to continue pursuing their dreams and band together!
A great coach inspires their athletes, but great athletes inspire their coaches.
Thank you to everyone who submitted their athletes for our competition. Our submissions may be closed, but we have plenty of winners still to be announced!
Stay tuned to our blog and social media for more contest updates.
