Judine Somerville To Be First Dancer Ever Awarded The F. Lammot Belin Arts Scholarship

Acclaimed Broadway dancer extraordinaire, Judine Somerville, has become the first dancer to receive the prestigious F. LAMMOT BELIN ARTS SCHOLARSHIP in that award's 45-year history.

Previously bestowed on musicians, vocalists, sculptors, artists, composers, photographers, lithographers, graphic artists and filmmakers, the F. LAMMOT BELIN ARTS SCHOLARSHIP was established in 1964 to provide financial assistance to artists of outstanding aptitude and promise
in the fine arts and to further their development into professional artists.

The F. LAMMOT BELIN ARTS SCHOLARSHIP understands "Fine Arts" to mean creative, performing or composing activities in such fields as painting, sculpture, photography, music, drama, dance, literature and architecture.

The qualification of any field of activity as a fine art lies within the determination of the Selection Committee as governed by the Board of Trustees of The Waverly Community House, Inc.

It was MS. SOMERVILLE'S life's journey, artistic integrity, dance acumen and entrepreneurial vision that prompted the Selection Committee's decision.

The $15,000.00 Scholarship will be the financial cornerstone of an ingenious concept and Motivational Movement entitled JustJudine.

The scholarship will be presented to Ms. Somerville at a black-tie dinner on Friday evening, October 16th at the historic Waverly Community House, which is located at 1115 North Abington Road in Waverly, Pennsylvania.Envisioned, designed, developed and run by MS. Sommerville, JustJudine is a Broadway Master Class dedicated to working with students of all ages, levels and goals.

In other words, anyone on earth who wants to dance on stage and/or through life.

Through jazz, theatre dance, lyrical modern, African and urbanvibe. This inspirational phenomenon introduces the gifts of courage, self-love, respect, self-esteem, discipline, confidence, joy and hope, that when unwrapped, reveal opportunities previously thought unattainable.

There is a 3-hour JustJudine workshop as well as a 90-minute workshop. Both include up to 65 students.

The first Scholarship-funded workshops will take place at seven (7) as yet to be determined inner-city High Schools. Ms. Somerville believes that within the flight of dance exists the altitude of achievement. Her Motivational Movement is designed to foster the attitude that ignites such determined success.

Judine Somerville was most recently featured as part of the singing trio sensation, The Dynamites, in the smash-hit, Tony Award-winning Best Musical, HAIRSPRAY for which she received the historic Gypsy Robe which is awarded to the original cast member who has performed in the most Broadway musicals. Other Broadway credits include ON THE TOWN, THE LIFE, CRAZY FOR YOU and LATE NITE COMIC.

Ms. Somerville also received critical acclaim for her performances as Rita White in the world premiere of the musical ME & Mrs. Jones starring Lou Rawls and as Helen in SWEET CHARITY starring Donna McKechnie. Her National Tours include Barry Manilow's COPACABANA with Gavin McLeod and JEKYLL & HYDE starring Chick Wagner. Her many television appearances include "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "The Early Show CBS," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Show with David Letterman," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," "The Caroline Rhea Show," "The VH-1 Vogue Awards," "The Ricki Lake Show" and PBS-TV's "Spirit." Ms. Somerville has also performed on The Tony Awards, The Jerry Lewis Telethon, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Grammy Awards and at The New York Stock Exchange.
Ms. Somerville has sung the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden and is a former member of The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. She is currently a resident Dance teaching artist at Lincoln Center's Meet The Artist School Series.

For over eighty years, the Waverly Community House, affectionately known as The Comm, has been the social and cultural center of the local community residing in the Abingtons or Pocono Northeastern Region of Pennsylvania. Throughout the decades it has changed and developed, yet one thing remains the same, that this unique and beautiful place continues to serve the community, connect neighbors, and provide a haven for families and individuals.
The mission of the Waverly Community House is to enhance the lives of individuals and families
in the region by fostering educational, recreational and cultural opportunities. Margaretta E. Belin,
as a memorial to her husband, Henry Belin, Jr., created The Waverly Community House after his death in 1917. The cornerstone was laid on July 26, 1919 and on June 4, 1920, the building
and a portion of the land were deeded to Abington Township for the benefit of "any and all residents of the Township." Governor Sproul of Pennsylvania dedicated the central portion of the present building on June 25, 1920. In 1926, Margaretta E. Belin began a Trust Fund, which benefits the Community House today. When Margaretta E. Belin died in 1927, her children enlarged the Community House in her memory by adding two wings and increasing the auditorium space.
The remainder of the square was acquired and conveyed to the Township in 1927 and 1930.
In 1935, her children created the Nileb Trust, the income from which is paid to the Community House at the present time. In 1955, the stage was enlarged and four bowling alleys were added with funds provided by F. Lammot Belin as a memorial to his wife, Frances Jermyn Belin.
The funds left over from this project were set aside in 1960 by the Board of Trustees as an endowment for the benefit of the Community House and is supplemented since by memorial bequests. In 1964, Captain Peter Belin established an art scholarship, the F. Lammot Belin Arts Scholarship, in memory of his father, and provided the funds necessary to endow this scholarship. The Board of Trustees administers the F. Lammot Belin Arts Scholarship and selects the recipient of this prestigious annual award.

Photo by Josiah Lewis / Courtesy of the Waverly Community House, Inc

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