Senior Amy Bramlett, a ballet and modern dance double major, decided to move the 10th annual AIDS Outreach Center of Tarrant County Benefit Concert, sponsored by Chi Tau Epsilon, off campus and to invite other local students to participate, she said.

Bramlett, the director of community outreach and public relations for Chi Tau Epsilon Dance Honor Society, said for the first time, the concert will be at the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts. She said the concert will include members of the academy and the Fort Worth Country Day School in one large event.

“It will be a nice collaboration where [high school dancers] get to hang out with TCU dancers, as well as produce this amazing show to raise money and awareness for AIDS,” she said.

Previous AOC benefit concerts were always held at Lowe Hall, formerly known as the Ballet and Modern Dance Building, she said. Since the building has closed for renovations and the Ed Landreth Auditorium was booked, Bramlett said she turned it into an opportunity to collaborate off-campus.

“I really wanted to involve the community rather than just TCU,” she said.

She said she has enjoyed raising money and community awareness for this year’s upcoming concert.

Bramlett said the idea for the AOC Benefit Concert started in the early 1990s. Andrew Parkhurst, a former student and member of Chi Tau Epsilon, came up with the idea for a benefit concert after a pianist in the dance department died from AIDS.

Ellen Shelton, director of the School for Classical and Contemporary Dance, said the benefits of the concert reach beyond the funds raised for the Outreach Center.

“It is a time for collaboration and awareness building in the community,” she said. “We are pleased to be of service in these ways.”

Shelton said Bramlett has worked hard to coordinate this year’s show.

“She has taken this project very seriously and has put in many hours of planning, brainstorming, footwork and coordination to make this a successful event,” she said.

Penny Rowell, special events coordinator for AOC, said she liked the way Bramlett coordinated this year’s concert, and hoped to see a good turnout.

“It’s not just TCU, but it also has kids coming from other schools and I think that’s a draw,” Rowell said. “[Bramlett] has done a wonderful job planning the whole performance.”

Junior Colleen Pagnotta, a ballet and modern dance double major, said, “[The concert] is a great thing to show our presence in the community and really help out an organization in the area.”

Bramlett said she loved being an advocate for the dance department.

“I like finding reasons to connect businesses and other organizations with dance,” she said. “I love creating those relationships and networks to get further dance exposure on the TCU campus and the Fort Worth community.”

Bramlett is also in charge of fundraising for the concert, she said.

The program began raising money by selling discount cards for the TCU Barnes & Noble Café, she said. Previously, participants could buy a discount card for $10 and receive 20 percent off all food and coffee items at the cafe. However, since the event is so close, the cards are now on sale for $5, she said.

The cards can be used an unlimited amount of times until May 27, and all proceeds go toward AOC of Tarrant County, she said. Bramlett said the advertising and fundraising, especially with the discount cards, is just another way to advocate for the dance department and dance in general.

So far, Bramlett said Chi Tau Epsilon has raised over $1,700 for AOC of Tarrant County.

“Usually we only donate like $1,400,” she said. “So we have already blown that out of the water, and we aren’t even halfway done.”

The performance will feature three pieces by TCU students as well as two pieces from FWAFA and FWCDS, she said. All of the proceeds go towards AOC of Tarrant County which benefits its clients through various programs such as HIV testing and counseling.

AIDS Outreach Center of Tarrant County Benefit Concert

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts

Attendees admitted with a minimum $5 donation.

Children under the age of 6 admitted free.