A variety of character dances are taught at the Virginia Ballet Company and school. Learning to dance in the character shoes takes practice. Photo by Alexandra Tecco/The Connection
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Wednesday, Aug. 10 dancers from the non-profit Virginia Ballet Company and School were practicing in preparation for the Family Fun Series premiere on Aug. 28. The program, subsided by a grant from the Fairfax County Arts Council, provides an opportunity for the public to watch a variety of dances as well as learn about the different styles. A dozen of the dance company’s students, aged 9-17, will perform classical ballet pieces, contemporary, modern, tap, flamenco and other styles of dance.
The interactive show features an introduction prior to each piece to “talk about the rhythm, gestures and facial expressions incorporated into the dance they are about to see,” explains Ann McGuiness, the Virginia Ballet Company’s Lead of the Series. To enhance the audience’s connection with the dances there will be segments of simple participation. The manner of participation prior to each piece is structured to demonstrate and enhance understanding of the dances the students will perform afterward, McGuiness said.
The family friendly entertainment will also serve as a chance to experience the broad range of dance styles, how they relate to each other and the range of emotions dancing can evoke, said Tish Cordova, Artistic Director at the VBC. “Our goal is to touch and inspire other individuals in the community, not only children. Hopefully parents will walk away having learned something about dance too,” said Cordova.
The Virginia Ballet Company has participated in numerous free community events throughout its 66 years. The assistance from the grant has allowed the Family Fun Series’ premiere; however, they have many hopes in expanding the program. Cordova said they would like to present the Family Fun Series on a quarterly basis allowing the Virginia Ballet Company to “ultimately become an outreach program for children and adults to get into dance.” Currently the largest hurdles are the cost of renting theatre space to perform in as well as acquiring the funding for the continuation of the free series.
For the dancers at Wednesday’s rehearsal, ages 11-17, it’s simply a performance they are looking forward to and working hard to make sure it meets their high standards. “Targeting an audience of children is fun,” says Kira Brombacher, 13, as the other dancers nod in agreement. It’s free, it’s family friendly and it is meant to be fun, even if “it’s a different type of entertainment than TV or Pokémon Go,” as Audrey Bridges, 11, put it.
Virginia Ballet Company’s Family Fun series is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 28 from 2-3pm at Annandale’s Northern Virginia Community College’s Ernst Community Cultural Center. Although the event is free, advanced registration through the Virginia Ballet Company website is recommended as a limited number of tickets will be available at the door.