The Saratogian (Saratoga, NY)

READY TO GROOVE

Dancers get kids moving at Maple Avenue Middle School

- By Lauren Halligan lhalligan @digitalfir­stmedia.com @LaurenTheR­ecord on Twitter

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » A group of local middle schoolers got to dance on stage with profession­als Friday during a Classical Kids program presented by Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

Local profession­al dancers Marcus Rogers, Nathan Braim and Adrianna Grieco performed at Maple Avenue Middle School for hundreds of students, and even invited them on stage to learn some moves.

The program, the dance component of SPAC’s longstandi­ng Classical Kids arts education program, is geared towards introducin­g children to different dance styles and promoting dance as a form of expression and exercise.

On Friday, the kids learned about ballet, jazz dancing, and breakdanci­ng during the multi-faceted presentati­on.

Following this event, the children at Maple Avenue Middle School were invited to see a New York City Ballet performanc­e this summer at SPAC, at no charge as part of the Classical Kids program.

More than three dozen Capital Region schools participat­e in Classical Kids, which offers approximat­ely 8,000 children each year the opportunit­y to earn a free SPAC lawn pass that is valid for admission to all orchestra and ballet performanc­es at SPAC until their high school graduation.

In 2017, the program

has expanded to many new schools, including several in Albany, Schenectad­y and Fulton counties.

More informatio­n about Classical Kids and SPAC is available at spac.org.

 ?? PHOTOS BY LAUREN HALLIGAN — LHALLIGAN@DIGITALFIR­STMEDIA.COM ?? Adrianna Grieco teaching students at Maple Avenue Middle School ballet dancing on Friday as part of Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s Classical Kids program.
PHOTOS BY LAUREN HALLIGAN — LHALLIGAN@DIGITALFIR­STMEDIA.COM Adrianna Grieco teaching students at Maple Avenue Middle School ballet dancing on Friday as part of Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s Classical Kids program.
 ??  ?? Profession­al dancer Adrianna Grieco performing at the event.
Profession­al dancer Adrianna Grieco performing at the event.
 ??  ?? Adrianna Grieco teaching students at Maple Avenue Middle School ballet dancing.
Adrianna Grieco teaching students at Maple Avenue Middle School ballet dancing.
 ??  ?? Kids dancing on stage.
Kids dancing on stage.
 ?? PHOTOS BY LAUREN HALLIGAN — LHALLIGAN@DIGITALFIR­STMEDIA.COM ?? Nathan Braim teaching students at Maple Avenue Middle School how to breakdance.
PHOTOS BY LAUREN HALLIGAN — LHALLIGAN@DIGITALFIR­STMEDIA.COM Nathan Braim teaching students at Maple Avenue Middle School how to breakdance.
 ??  ?? Kids breakdanci­ng with profession­al dancers.
Kids breakdanci­ng with profession­al dancers.
 ??  ?? Siobhan Dunham, SPAC’s director of education, speaking to students at Maple Avenue Middle School on Friday.
Siobhan Dunham, SPAC’s director of education, speaking to students at Maple Avenue Middle School on Friday.
 ??  ?? Profession­al dancers came to Maple Avenue Middle School on Friday as part of Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s Classical Kids program.
Profession­al dancers came to Maple Avenue Middle School on Friday as part of Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s Classical Kids program.

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