DALA advanced ballet dancers in Ballet Vignettes: to Bach. Photo by Paulo T Photography
DALA News:
Dance Arts Los Alamos, now in its 21st year of bringing professional dance training and high quality performances to the community, will present three distinct programs this weekend.
The performances will highlight the accomplishments of dancers ages 3 through adult as well as the talent and diversity of the DALA faculty. All performances will take place at the Duane Smith Auditorium. Admission is free.
Intermediate and advanced level ballet students will present the original choreography of Christin Severini and Valerie Silks in “Ballet Vignettes: to Bach” at 7 p.m. May 17 and 18.
Inspired by the music of Bach, “Ballet Vignettes” is technically demanding with an emphasis on corps work and musicality. DALA School Director Christin Severini noted that the students have been sharpening their ability to execute challenging steps while dancing in unison to the music. The repetition of steps in this piece requires a huge amount of stamina and endurance and the dancers have done an admirable job meeting this challenge.
The mixed repertory portion of the evening performances will feature works by DALA faculty members Anita Gandy, Erica Gionfriddo, Mariel Lowe, Patrick MacDonald, and Melissa Briggs. From Aliens to Clowns, a broad range of styles will showcase the versatility of the dancers as they perform jazz, modern dance, tap, musical theater and contemporary ballet.
Graduating seniors Holly Erickson and Emily Silks will each perform a solo as a farewell to their DALA family. Erickson’s solo, choreographed by Shannon Elliott, focuses on her love of dance as well as the anticipation of her journey to achieve her goals. The creation of Silks’ solo, A Whispering, was a collaborative effort with DALA instructor Erica Gionfriddo. With a chair as the focal point, the dance embodies themes of defeat, standing up, and moving forward.
DALA’s youngest dancers will have their own opportunity to shine at 2 p.m. Saturday May 18. The theme of the matinee performance is “In the Garden” with choreography by Melissa Briggs, Kim Hoch and Valerie Silks.
A Classical Variations Workshop performance will take place at 12:30 p.m. Saturday May 18. This performance will feature advanced students performing 17 different variations from a variety of classical ballets. The Variations Workshop was created by School Director Christin Severini to give DALA’s advanced students an opportunity to work on a single variation (solo, duet, or trio) and through this process strengthen areas of technical weakness while also developing stylistic and artistic sensibility and individual expression.
Dance Arts Los Alamos is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization whose mission is to promote dance in Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico by providing safe professional training and quality performances. www.danceartslosalamos.org.
