Inside C'ville Ballet

CBA on the 5 o’clock news!

Charlottesville Ballet — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 03:17:36 +0000

Click the image to check out a video of Co-Director Emily Mott on the CBS 19 News promoting summer dance camps at Charlottesville Ballet Academy!

The interview helps promote the City of Charlottesville’s “Staycation” initiative, which encourages families to stay local, save gas, and discover the amazing possibilities for summer fun right here in the Charlottesville area. For more information about this initiative, visit www.MyBackyardVacation.org.

Link to Newsplex interview: http://www.newsplex.com/video?clipID=6029640&autoStart=true&contentID=125184429

Charlottesville Ballet launches Charlottesville Ballet Academy!

Charlottesville Ballet — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:05:50 +0000

Charlottesville Ballet is pleased to announce the opening of Charlottesville Ballet Academy, the official training school for the professional company! The Academy will provide world-class dance education for students ages 3 through adult beginning in July 2011.

The location of the new studio is in Greene County, VA off of Route 33 in Stanardsville in the former home of a beautiful dance school called The Dance Barn. Kelly Silliman, the owner of The Dance Barn, played an integral role in Charlottesville Ballet since the company’s inception by graciously donating The Dance Barn space to the professional company for the past three seasons. Now at Smith College pursuing her masters degree in Dance, Ms. Silliman is thrilled to see Charlottesville Ballet flourish and continue her vision of promoting dance education in the Greene County area. We are so thankful to her for making this transition possible and we look forward to working with her students at the new Charlottesville Ballet Academy.

We’ve been hard at work the past few weeks doing some light renovations at the studio– check out our photo gallery of before and after images as we create the new CBA!

Click to view slideshow.

Charlottesville Ballet Academy’s summer classes and summer dance camps begin July 5th, 2011. For more information about CBA and the Summer 2011 dance offerings, visit www.charlottesvilleballet.org/education or call us on the studio line: 434.985.3200.

We would like to sincerely thank all of our patrons and donors who have made this new venture possible. We look forward to dancing with you soon!

Our Monthly “Meet the Artist” Series- Guest Choreographer RAINEY LACEY

Charlottesville Ballet — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:15:55 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

THE BASICS

Name: Lorraine Lacey Jarrell a.k.a Rainey Lacey

Age: 29

Astrological Sign: Cancer

Hometown: Midlothian, VA

Role in C’ville Ballet: Guest Choreographer

FAVORITES…

Food: Panang Curry

Color: Green

Book: A Voice In The Wind by Francine Rivers

Movie: Amadeus

Musician/Band: Sarah Jarosz, The Mural and The Mint, Dean Martin, Radiohead, Akon

Quotation:
“But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.” -Vincent Van Gogh

Spot in C’ville: Walking the Downtown Mall

Business/Store in C’ville: South Street Brewery – best nachos ever!

NERDY BALLET QUESTIONS

Tell us about your dance background and training:

I grew up in my mother’s performing arts studio Swift Creek Academy of the Performing Arts learning music, dance, and theater. I studied a variety of dance forms because my teachers emphasized the necessity of being a well-rounded dancer. I became fascinated with the performer’s character in space and therefore studied theatre in college. Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in acting I pursued an acting career full of Shakespeare, original works, clowning, and puppetry. All the while, I knew that I was receiving these tools so that I could access dance and choreography in a different way.

What genres of dance do you enjoy?

I enjoy the challenge of Ballet, the strength of Modern, the excitement of Jazz, the expressiveness of Hip-Hop, and the pizazz of Musical Theatre styles.

What kind of pointe shoe do you wear?

I try to avoid wearing pointe shoes if I can!

Favorite Dancers or Role Models:

Choreographers who influence me find a way of crossing dance and theatre. Jerome Robbins, Bill T. Jones, Monica Bill Barnes all tie together a certain amount of theatricality in their work.

Do you have a favorite ballet:

Does West Side Story count as a ballet? Okay well then, Jerome Robbins’ “Fancy Free,” the ballet “On The Town” was based on. And pretty much anything by Jessica Lang.

What’s your favorite ballet/dance step:

It’s a three way tie: faille, ron de jambe, and chassé

Tell us, why do you dance?

I dance because God gave me the talent to do so.
I dance because it is a way to communicate without words.
I dance because it’s exercising without feeling like I’m exercising.
I dance because it crosses over all barriers and reaches out to people in a powerful way.
I dance because I like to get down with people.

OTHER

What other jobs/activities/academic pursuits are you involved in?
I’m currently returning for graduate school at Hollins University for my MFA in choreography. I teach exclusively at Swift Creek Academy of the Performing Arts located in Midlothian, Virginia. I’m also training for a triathlon sprint that will be dedicated to my husband while he’s overseas.

What other talents or passions do you have?
I love to play the fiddle and I’m trying to read the entire Bible this year.

Anything else you’d like to express:
Come see Charlottesville Ballet’s Mainstage Two Performance on April 16th! It will be the world premiere of my new work “A Letter To My Love” based on women during World War II.
Also, check out my website www.RaineyLacey.com for more choreography and information on upcoming projects.

Rainey’s full professional bio can be found on her website at www.RaineyLacey.com.

Thanks for enjoying our “Meet the Artist” segment–

and look for a new Charlottesville Ballet artist profile next month!

Our Monthly “Meet the Artist” Series- KIRSTEN GLASER

Charlottesville Ballet — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:10:08 +0000

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THE BASICS

Name: Kirsten Glaser

Age: 20

Astrological Sign: Scorpio

Hometown: Brewster, MA

Role in C’ville Ballet: Company dancer

FAVORITES…

Food: Chinese Food

Color: Purple

Book: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Movie: Thumbelina

Musician/Band: The Rascal Flatts

Quotation:
“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” -Aristotle

Business/Store in C’ville: Gotta say Java Express!

NERDY BALLET QUESTIONS

Tell us about your dance background and training:

I started dancing at Cape Cod School of Ballet when I was 3 years old. I then continued to pursue my dream of dancing at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts when I was 14. I stayed there in Connecticut until I graduated from high school. I then spent a year in Colorado dancing in Colorado Ballet’s studio company before joining Charlottesville Ballet.

What genres of dance do you enjoy?

I mainly enjoy ballet, but I think that every form of dance is interesting and beautiful in it’s own way.

What kind of pointe shoe do you wear?

Bloch Serenades or Russian Pointes

Favorite Dancers or Role Models:

I honestly don’t think I have a favorite dancer, but I do have plenty of role models. My mom, my sister and grandmother are huge role models for me– if it weren’t for the three of them I don’t think I would have made it this far. Another role model of mine is Eleanor D’Antuono, who was one of my teachers at the Nutmeg Conservatory. She took me under her wing and taught me everything I might need to know about the dance world. Check out footage of her dancing with Ivan Nagy in Les Sylphides (1973):

Do you have a favorite ballet:

I think I would have to say that Le Corsaire is one of my favorite ballets. I think that the choreography and music are beautiful and I really enjoy getting to dance pieces from that ballet.

What’s your favorite ballet/dance step:

Pirouettes. Every time you do one it will never be the same as the last. Sometimes you can do a perfect triple and land it, other days you can only do two. It’s enlightening to figure out what you changed to make your double piroutte a triple.

Tell us, why do you dance?

I dance because I love it, plain and simple. I enjoy that I can express myself in such an elegant way. Every ballet tells a different story and its always exciting to become a different character.

OTHER

What other jobs/activities/academic pursuits are you involved in?
I currently work at the McDonalds in Ruckersville as a crew trainer (the new store has bamboo flooring and recycled counter tops– come visit!) I hope to someday return to school to get my degree in Psychology.

What other talents or passions do you have?
Some of my other passions include writing and baking. When I have free time I like to create stories and poetry. Someday I hope I will be able to come up with a best selling novel, but for now I will continue to do it for fun. As far as baking goes, whether its brownies, cookies, or cakes, I like to invent my own flavors and make something delicious that I can share with my friends and family.

Anything else you’d like to express:
The company is now rehearsing works for the Mainstage Two Performance and I’m really excited to see how the new pieces unfold. Come see the company perform on April 16th at 7:30pm!

Kirsten’s full professional bio can be found online at www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org.

Thanks for enjoying our “Meet the Artist” segment–

and look for a new Charlottesville Ballet artist profile next month!

Our Monthly “Meet the Artist” Series- VERONICA HART

Charlottesville Ballet — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:00:27 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

THE BASICS

Name: Veronica Fay Hart

Age: 25

Astrological Sign: Pisces

Hometown: Originally Merrick, NY…but I’m a Charlottesville local

Role in C’ville Ballet: Company dancer

FAVORITES…

Food: Cheeseburgers. Honeycrisp apples. French and Indian cuisine. Pasta. All cheese. Sushi. Fish Tacos.

Color: Green

Book: Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. The Pilgrimage and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Everything by Shel Silverstein.

Movie: The Point and Baraka…it’s truly transcendent– check out the trailer below:

Quotation:
“If you’re on a path that’s beaten, it’s not your path.”

Spot in C’ville: As a local, I have a lot…the Rotunda, Locust Ave, the Downtown Mall (particularly Market St. and McGuffey Hill), and Sugar Hollow

Business/Store in C’ville: Bodo’s Bagels! Sidetracks…I love record stores. I also enjoy rummaging for hidden treasures at Circa.

Musician/Band: The Beatles, all reggae, Vivaldi, Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, The Grateful Dead, Phillip Glass.

NERDY BALLET QUESTIONS

Tell us about your dance background and training:

My parents put me in ballet classes when I was 6 because I was exceptionally clumsy, and I was very pigeon toed. My mother, who was a dancer for The Joffrey Ballet, decided to open a ballet school shortly after and began teaching my sister and I. I attended both the Joffrey Ballet New York and Midwest summer programs for 5 years. I attended Virginia School of the Arts my last two years of high school, and that really took my training to the next level and opened my eyes to the dance world. I began my professional career at 18 at Charleston Ballet Theatre as an apprentice, and also danced for San Diego Ballet and The Garage Contemporary Ballet.

What genres of dance do you enjoy?

I enjoy all genres of dance…but I really love contemporary ballet. There’s so much more freedom for interpretation and personal style in the movement. I love getting to be a part of the artistic experience of creating a new contemporary work. I also love Fosse jazz, hip hop, salsa, Afro-Caribbean…and Soul Train!

What kind of pointe shoe do you wear?

Usually Grishko 2007. I’m currently trying Freed Studio’s.

Do you have a favorite ballet:

I love Complexion’s “Rise”– Dwight Rhoden’s choreography to U2 is amazing. I also love Momix’s “Lunar Sea”…it’s so psychedelic:

Harald Lander’s “Etudes” is one of my all time favorites because it shows the progression of ballet class. I also love Balanchine’s repertoire, especially “Apollo” and “Stars and Stripes”…and ABT’s “Swan Lake”- it’s so mysterious and magical.

Favorite Dancers:

I LOVE Alessandra Ferri…she’s sublime. Darci Kistler was my childhood idol, and Vladimir Malakhov is my favorite male danseur.

What’s your favorite ballet/dance step:

Développés, balancés, and all allegro…I love to jump!

Tell us, why do you dance?

I’m going to be very cliche. To not dance would be like being denied air. I love to move, I love to express, and I love to push myself to my physical limits. I just want to fill open spaces with movement. Performing is such a gift– there’s nothing else like it. I have to admit, I love getting to be a ham! I also really enjoy daily ballet class, the repetition and progression are so familiar and comfortable.

OTHER

What other jobs/activities/academic pursuits are you involved in?
My family has a ballet school in Crozet, Albemarle Ballet Theatre, where I wear many hats. I teach ballet and jazz, I choreograph, run rehearsals, and do bookkeeping and scheduling. It’s the perfect job for me…I love to teach and choreograph, and I love multitasking. I would love to open a contemporary dance company with my sister one day. I love doing freelance work as a dancer…this summer I’ll be performing in Ashlawn Opera’s “The King & I” . I have been working as a chef for the past 6 years. I work for an amazing backstage catering company in the summer and get to cook for rock stars…it’s my “other” life! I also work as a captain for a really great local catering company, Harvest Moon, and I moonlight as a bartender at South St. Brewery.

What other talents or passions do you have?
I love to cook…the kitchen is like my lab, it’s where I get to experiment. I love music…listening to, watching, and playing it. I am a concert addict…I can’t get enough live music. I played classical piano for 11 years, and though I’m terribly out of practice, I love getting to sit down with Beethoven or Mozart. I love to surf, I miss living on the coast! Travel…I have a huge thirst to see the world and experience everyday life as locals do in other cultures…particularly Southeast Asia and Italy and Greece. I also make jewelry, I’m really into feathers and primary colors right now. I enjoy everything about the English language…I love words and etymology. I love my job as a dance teacher. I feel like I get to make a difference in the future generation of dancers.

Anything else you’d like to express:
I’m so blessed to get to do what I love, and it has been such a pleasure dancing for Charlottesville Ballet this season. I love the repertoire. I’ve also grown so much technically and as an artist, and I’ve made some really great friends. It’s such a healthy, nurturing, and open environment to work in, and I feel equally challenged and completely at home here.

“Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”

Veronica’s full professional bio can be found online at www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org.

Thanks for enjoying our “Meet the Artist” segment–

and look for a new Charlottesville Ballet artist profile next month!

PCA Member Blog: Charlottesville Ballet

Charlottesville Ballet — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:33:49 +0000

C’ville Ballet was recently highlighted on the Piedmont Council for the Arts (PCA) blog. Check out our new member profile:
http://charlottesvillearts.org/blog/pca-member-profile-charlottesville-ballet/

For information about all the awesome things PCA is up to, visit their website at www.charlottesvillearts.org

Our Monthly “Meet the Artist” Series- CO-DIRECTOR EMILY MOTT

Charlottesville Ballet — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 02:13:31 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

THE BASICS

Name: Emily Elizabeth Mott

Age: 23

Astrological Sign: Pisces

Hometown: Roanoke, VA

Role in C’ville Ballet: Co-Director

FAVORITES…

Food: I love avocados, apples, all types of cheese, homemade ice cream, and sushi

Color: Green

Book: The Art of Possibility by Zander and Zander. The book is actually about leadership, but it’s a great read and has changed the way I look at life (http://www.benjaminzander.com/book/)

Movie: Hmm…if I have to pick just one, I’ll go with Big Fish by Tim Burton

Quotation:
“Life forms illogical patterns. It is haphazard and full of beauties which I try to catch as they fly by, for who knows whether any of them will ever return?”
-Margot Fonteyn

I also like: “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” -Nelson Henderson

Spot in C’ville: Gotta say the Downtown Mall

Business/Store in C’ville: It’s a close tie between Mudhouse and C’ville Coffee– Charlottesville Ballet is super productive at both of these locations!

NERDY BALLET QUESTIONS

Tell us about your dance background and training:

I fell in love with ballet at the age of four when I started taking a creative movement class in my hometown of Roanoke, VA. I enjoyed everything about it– especially performing and being on stage! I continued my training at my local dance school and was one of those kids that took every single class my studio offered– from tap to jazz to modern to swing dancing (my poor mother paid the “Unlimited” Dance Class rate at my studio). I attended summer intensives at Virginia School of the Arts, American Ballet Theater (both in Alabama and New York), and on scholarship at the Dance Theater of Harlem.

When I was growing up, I was always divided between academics and ballet (I was a “Governerd” and went to a Governor’s School for Math, Science, and Technology). As I approached high school, however, I knew that the window of opportunity for a dance career was extremely small. When I was in 11th grade, the ballet studio in my hometown shut down and I was left with nowhere to dance. At that moment it seemed like the most tragic misfortune, but it actually propelled me forward and I chose to move away from home to pursue ballet more seriously. I attended Virginia School of the Arts (VSA) my senior year of high school, which helped set me on a path to a professional ballet company.

After graduating, I danced as a trainee with the Richmond Ballet until 2006, but I got injured with a horrible stress fracture and could not walk (much less dance!) for five months. This sort of derailed my dancing (both emotionally and physically), but it was a great time for reflection and helped me rethink my ideals and what I wanted out of the dance world.

I had met Sara Jansen (the other Co-Director) at Richmond Ballet and worked with Ariadne Conner (our co-founder and Choreographer in Residence). Our relationship continued through several summer dance projects and I was delighted when they discussed the idea of starting a ballet company. I knew that I would be attending the University of Virginia in 2007 (my grand return to the academic life!) and I kept reinforcing that Charlottesville was the PERFECT home for the new company. Charlottesville Ballet was created in 2007 and I was one of the founding members of the organization. Since then, I’ve taken on leadership roles as a Co-Director and have created ballets for the company, but I still perform and love being on stage!

What genres of dance do you enjoy?

I enjoy any genres of movement in general– from ballet to swing to Thai dance to Bhangra–but I definitely love contemporary ballet movement. I love a dance form that has codified technique and pleasing aesthetic lines, yet has free and abandoned movement.

What kind of pointe shoe do you wear?

After trying every pointe shoe in the world…I admit that I’m a Gaynor Minden girl. (For those of you non-dancers out there, Gaynor Minden is a relatively new patented brand of pointe shoe that’s made of synthetic material instead of the traditional cardboard and glue. Check out this video:

Do you have a favorite ballet:

From the classics, probably Don Quixote or Coppélia, but I also love the contemporary ballet genre. If I had to just pick a favorite, it would be one of Nacho Duato’s works. [His most famous ballet is called Jardi Tancat- on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQjoCNu9kv0&feature=related]
All of his pieces are so musical and I love his blend of ballet and modern styles.

Here’s a clip from Nacho Duato’s Remanso– so simple, yet so brilliant!

I also love Red Angels by the late Ulysses Dove. The ballet is set to the music of one electric violin, played by Mary Rowell of Ethel String Quartet (one of my favorite groups). Check this link to watch a segment from of New York City Ballet performing his piece: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7W8jwsYz6A

What’s your favorite ballet/dance step:

I really enjoy balancés and I love pirouettes of any kind

Tell us, why do you dance?

It always seems hard for dancers to respond to this question because we can’t imagine why anyone would ask “why.” (As an interesting note: we ask every dancer who auditions for Charlottesville Ballet this exact question to see what their response is!)

I fell in love with this art form at a young age and it has really shaped who I am as a person. I didn’t necessarily want to be a ballerina my whole life– at many points I was going to be a doctor or a teacher– but I’ve always come back to dance as my one true “passion”. I love the physicality of the movement and using every bone, muscle, tendon, ligament in my body. I feel like dancing is the most natural way for me to express what I’m feeling. I love hearing music and interpreting it, almost “becoming the music.” I also love the challenge and the discipline of ballet as an art form.

You know those stupid inspirational quotes that say “life is too short” or “live your passion”– every time I read one of those I feel like it’s a pat on the back for all of my work with Charlottesville Ballet. The famous Harvey Mackay quote also speaks to me: “Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

OTHER

What other jobs/activities/academic pursuits are you involved in?
Haha- too many to name! In addition to being the Co-Director of Charlottesville Ballet, I am also a full time student at the University of Virginia, where I am pursuing an interdisciplinary degree in Non-Profit Management and Arts Administration. I also teach ballet at The Dance Barn studio in Stanardsville, VA, where I get to share the joy of dance with young students every week!

Unlike most directors of ballet companies, both Sara Jansen and I are still dancing and actively performing in addition to running the business side of C-ville Ballet, so we’re always balancing the administrative tasks of running a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the tasks of being a “ballerina.” I also choreograph for the company and direct our Children’s Ballet Series productions. Last year I created a 45-minute, interactive ballet called A Fairy Tale Gathering, which premiered to sold-out houses in Charlottesville. We took the ballet on tour to Lynchburg, VA in October and the company will be performing it again this February in C-ville.

All of these various roles are sometimes a lot to handle (most people chose one or two at a time!)– being a full-time student, running a nonprofit organization, creating children’s ballets, teaching at a studio, and performing with the professional company– but I absolutely love what I do and cannot believe what progress Charlottesville Ballet has made over the past two seasons!

What other talents or passions do you have?
I play the violin (less than I’d like to these days) and I love cooking and entertaining. I also love sewing and making ballet costumes– my mother and I create many of the costumes for C-ville Ballet. I enjoy writing (both creative and administrative) and have sometimes been accused of being a “grammar Nazi.” I recently learned how to do HTML coding (I’m the Charlottesville Ballet webmaster), which totally appeals to my left-brain, engineering side.
[PS- if you ever see typos or errors on the website, please shoot me an e-mail: emott@charlottesvilleballet.org !]

Anything else you’d like to express:
I hope that our “Meet the Artist” blogs are enjoyable and help you get to know the beautiful dancers of Charlottesville Ballet! The company’s next performances are Saturday 2/12 and Sunday 2/13– come see A Fairy Tale Gathering and the Mainstage One Performance!!

Emily’s full professional bio can be found online at www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org.

Thanks for enjoying our “Meet the Artist” segment–

and look for a new Charlottesville Ballet artist profile next month!

Our Monthly “Meet the Artist” Series- SARAH OBUZOR

Charlottesville Ballet — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 03:33:52 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

THE BASICS

Name: Sarah Obuzor

Age: 23

Astrological Sign: Aquarius

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Role in C’ville Ballet: Company Member

FAVORITES…

Food: Oh…I have to pick one!? I love sweets, Mexican is always yummy, and sushi is delicious!

Color: Green, but blue is close behind.

Book: There are far too many to name but Memoirs of a Geisha and She’s Come Undone are two that stick out.

Movie: Seven Pounds- I saw it recently and enjoyed it very much.

Quotation: “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” – Buddha

Spot in C’ville: River View Park- I love taking my dog (Gus) for walks there!

Business/Store in C’ville:C’ville Coffee (www.cvillecoffee.com)

NERDY BALLET QUESTIONS

Tell us about your dance background and training:

I was about four when my mama took me, my brother, and two sisters to our first dance classes at a small studio in Pittsburgh. After a few years, someone recommended we go to Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) to further our ballet training. We took their advice. I was also taking gymnastics at the time, so there came a point when I had to choose between the two. I’m glad I stuck with ballet! I took classes at a musical theater school (mostly dance and acting…you don’t want to hear me sing!). However, PBT is where I continued the majority of my dance training. After high school I was accepted into their graduate/pre-professional program for two years. I also had the opportunity to attend summer programs at Ballet Met, Alvin Ailey, and Ballet Theatre of Maryland. I began my professional career at Ballet Theatre of Maryland. I spent three years there and am overjoyed to be joining Charlottesville Ballet this year.

What genres of dance do you enjoy?

CONTEMPORARY!!! I love the form and structure of ballet and the freedom of movement when it’s applied in a different way.

What kind of pointe shoe do you wear?

Bloch serenade

Do you have a favorite ballet:

Swan Lake is beautiful…Tchaikovsky’s music is utterly stunning! Also, I’d love to play Kitri from Don Quixote. I remember seeing it when I was young and loving it!

What’s your favorite ballet/dance step:

I have a love/ hate relationship with pirouettes. But my all time favorite is grand allegro. It’s like flying!

Tell us, why do you dance?

When I was about 10 or 11 my mother was driving through downtown and everyone was leaving work. They all looked like they’d had THE WORST day of their lives. It was then and there that I promised myself I’d never have a job that made me look or feel like that. Dancing doesn’t– it makes me happy every day. I love knowing that no matter how tired I am leaving the studio, I’m happy.

OTHER

What other jobs/activities/academic pursuits are you involved in?
I work at Red Robin (YUMM) in Fashion Square Mall. I also teach ballet classes at Albemarle Ballet Theatre. Other than that, I like to try and stay active– especially over summers when I am home with my family… I love white water rafting and biking. In the winter I bake, mostly cookies.

What other talents or passions do you have?
Baking. It started with Christmas cookies, but this past summer I got the chance to make two wedding cakes and I enjoyed it so much!

Anything else you’d like to express:
“Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!” -Christian D. Larson

Come see The Nutcracker Suiteon Saturday, December 18th at 3:30pm– I’ll be performing as a Russian Ribbon Dancer!!! (More info at www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org)

Sarah’s full professional bio can be found online at www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org.

Thanks for enjoying our “Meet the Artist” segment–

and look for a new Charlottesville Ballet artist profile next month!

Our Monthly “Meet the Artist” Series- HEATHER LIVELY

Charlottesville Ballet — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:18:48 +0000

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THE BASICS

Name: Heather Lively

Age: 19

Astrological Sign: Capricorn

Hometown: Louisa, VA

Role in C’ville Ballet: Company Member

FAVORITES…

Food: Hmm… I LOVE Funyun Rings. I also like tacos, dark chocolate, chocolate ice cream, white cheddar popcorn, cheese, and lots of junk food =)

Color: Pink

Book: Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk

Movie: Titanic…yes, it makes me want to cry everytime. =)

Quotation: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Whatever life throws at you…make the best of it!

Spot in C’ville: Sugar Hollow. I went hiking out there once and it’s absolutely beautiful.

Business/Store in C’ville: The Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar on the Downtown Mall.

NERDY BALLET QUESTIONS

Tell us about your dance background and training:

I started dancing in a very small studio in Ridge Manor, Florida with Debbie Harris. I danced there until I was 9, and was very passionate about jazz. After that, my family moved to Thomasville, Georgia, and I began studying ballet more seriously at South Georgia Performing Arts. I still really loved jazz, but the school was very strong in ballet. I joined their pre-professional ballet company, South Georgia Ballet, and also had the opportunity to learn dances from the Rockettes. I danced there until 2005, when my family moved again to Ruckersville, VA (shortly after we moved to Louisa, VA) and I took classes at Wilson School of Dance. My love of ballet really developed when I started studying with Ariadne Conner (the co-founder of Charlottesville Ballet). Her choreography was very flowing and it was actually fun to dance! In the summer of 2008, I was one of 25 dancers in Virginia chosen to attend the Residential Summer Governor’s School for dance for a month. In 2009, I was invited to join Charlottesville Ballet as the first apprentice, and I am now a full-time company member this year.

What genres of dance do you enjoy?

Of course ballet, but I also jazz and occasionally tap.

What kind of pointe shoe do you wear?

Capezio Glisse’s.

Do you have a favorite ballet:

It’s going to sound very cliche, but I’m going to have to say The Nutcracker. It reminds me of Christmas and all-day Saturday rehearsals =)

What’s your favorite ballet/dance step:

Pirouettes– gotta love those turns!

Tell us, why do you dance?

Well, I started because my parents put me in dance classes when I was about 4 years old. But I think I stuck with it because it was fun, especially in the early days where I took a lot of jazz (I couldn’t stay interested in ballet when I was younger). It really just became a part of me. I’m always dancing around everywhere, and without it I’m just lost. I also feel as though I’m not very good at expressing my emotions, so I can really show them through dance.

OTHER

What other jobs/activities/academic pursuits are you involved in?
I am a full-time student at Piedmont Virginia Community College and plan to transfer later to pursue my teaching degree (I’d like to become an elementary school teacher). I’m a bit of a work-a-holic and hold a couple of different jobs outside of dancing. I am a jazz and creative dance teacher at The Dance Barn in Stanardsville, VA. I also teach jazz classes at the Boars Head Inn in the fitness center, where I also work a floor position (I fold towels and clean some of the machines). As if that weren’t enough, I’m a waitress at an Italian restaurant called Ragazzi’s….I also sleep occasionally =)

What other talents or passions do you have?
I really enjoy choreographing. I’m working on some choreography for the dance program at PVCC, and hopefully will get to show my work on Charlottesville Ballet one day. Through out high school, I really enjoyed acting and if I had anymore time I would like to get into it again. I also enjoy singing at the top of my lungs in the privacy of my car!

Anything else you’d like to express:
I can’t wait to see what Charlottesville Ballet has in store for us this year!

Heather’s full professional bio can be found online at www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org.

Thanks for enjoying our “Meet the Artist” segment–

and look for a new Charlottesville Ballet artist profile next month!

Lynchburg News & Advance article about “A Fairy Tale Gathering”

Charlottesville Ballet — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 04:28:07 +0000

Check out the newspaper article about our Children’s Ballet Series ON TOUR! in Lynchburg, VA.

The article was published on October 12, 2010 and written by the lovely Casey Gillis. Enjoy!

http://www2.newsadvance.com/lifestyles/2010/oct/12/tea-party-tutus-ar-559036/