Mayor Purzycki visited the Wilmington Ballet Academy studios last month to congratulate Lamar “LJ” Marshall (front row, 2nd from right) – the self-taught dancer whose online dance videos earned him a one-year scholarship, a role in last year’s production of “The Nutcracker,” and national media attention in addition to being named one Delaware’s Most Influentual People of 2022 by Delaware Online. The Mayor also praised WBA’s Dance Executive and Artistic Director Benjamin Sterling Cannon (back row, far right) who in 2020 became the first African American leader of the organization in its 64-year history, for his efforts to make the ballet company more inclusive.