Charlottesville Ballet to return to Dickinson
On Saturday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m., PVCC will welcome the Charlottesville Ballet to the Main Stage of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. The performance will showcase both the emotional expression and technical prowess of talented dancers. The ballet will also be teaching a master class, hosted by the PVCC Dance Club, on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m.
Emily Mott, the co-director, dancer, and one of the founders of the Charlottesville Ballet described herself and, Sara Clayborne, the company’s other co-director, as “not your typical ballet company directors. We’re still very young and performing so it’s a very collaborative environment.”
The ballet company endeavors to promote both good health and professionalism. They strive to create a balance of wholeness, balance, and freedom for dancers, choreographers, musicians, and all who are a part of the organization. When asked to elaborate on this idea, Mott said, “Ballet is such a beautiful art form but there tends to be a lot of negativity towards it. The careers are super short, there are many injuries, and eating disorders are promoted at most of the ballet companies in America. We felt that we wanted to take away all of that negativity and bring ballet back to the purity of the art form. Really, when you have all those negative things, you can’t perform your best. We’re all about promoting the health and well-being of dancers, which is more of a modern dance approach, and I know PVCC has an awesome modern dance program.”
When asked why the Charlottesville Ballet chose PVCC as their venue, Emily answered, “We love PVCC. It is the best stage for dance in Charlottesville. I know there are many lovely venues in the area, but for dance especially; just the stage and the people are amazing. We feel like it’s been our home for the past three years.”
On Oct. 20, ballet will provide an evening that celebrates diversity through innovative dance. About the upcoming performance, Mott said, “The concert is going to be really diverse. There really is something for everyone! There’s the Pas de Trois from Swan Lake, then there’s the beat boxing, flute playing, poetry, visual art, and a hip-hop based piece. It really expands the board for genre, music, and style.”
The Charlottesville Ballet’s resident choreographer, Audrey Fenske, will teach the master class on Oct. 13. Mott said, “Audrey has a lot of modern dance background that has blended with her classical ballet training. She brings a lot of the mind-body connection into her class. It’s a really great class for lots of styles of movement. She’s all about innovative technique with a classical ballet twist in her class.” The ballet suggests that the participants of the class should have prior dance experience and should dress comfortably.
Tickets for the performance on Oct. 20 are $17 for adults and $12 for seniors and students. Student vouchers, however, are available with a valid PVCC Student ID at the receptionist desk in the main building by the South Entrance, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. A student voucher can be exchanged for tickets at the PVCC Box Office two hours before the start of each show.
For more information about the Charlottesville Ballet, one can visit charlottesvilleballet.org.
