Blue Ridge Fairy Tales
Many of us have met the talented Anne Williams at her practice, Mountainside Physical Therapy, located on Route 211, sometime over the past ten years. But not all know that Anne is also a strong and passionate dancer and teacher who studied ballet at Radford University before becoming a physical therapist and opening what are now two busy practices — one here in Rappahannock and the other in Unionville.
On top of deep gratitude for her help with me and my own family, I’d like now to express my full admiration for her dedicated efforts to build a community dance center for all ages, Mountainside Dance
Center. This coming weekend, Anne and her two dance instructors — long time Rappahannock residents Kitty
Keyser and Phillip Rosemond — will unveil and dance with their students in the first Mountainside Dance Center production in Rappahannock, Blue Ridge Fairy Tales. The first part of the performance will be variations of Hope Garden Children’s Ballet Theatre from Poolesville, Maryland. Anne’s niece, Aubrey Anne Dorman, a dancer with that troupe, will be making a special appearance in Blue Ridge Fairy Tales.
Many young students are able to attend dance classes at Mountainside Dance Center thanks to the Claudia Mitchell Art Fund, as well as private scholarship donations.
The performance of Blue Ridge Fairy Tales will take place at the Rappahannock County High School Auditorium on Sunday, June 11 at 4 p.m. Tickets for adults are $10 and available through Mountainside Physical Therapy (mpt@ mountainsidept.com/540-987-9390) or at the door. Scholarship donations are always welcomed. Anne would like to encourage as many children as possible to be exposed to ballet and has made it free to all children 18 and under.
Thank you, Anne and staff, on behalf of all of us who have learned and been inspired by your passion and teaching. Warm wishes to all of those performing in the Blue Ridge Fairy Tales. Have fun and please, please, please don’t break a leg.
BRENDA VAN NESS Gid Brown Hollow