Chico Community Ballet keeps dance alive
Chico Community Ballet is again marking the spring season with a new dance enhanced gala, “Keeping Dance Alive!”
When, where
This repertory dance concert takes place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 and Thursday, April 14. Following the performance will be a complementary occasion for the audience to celebrate Dessert with the Dancers.
This ballet will take place at Center for the Arts, on the Pleasant Valley High School campus, 1475 East Ave. in Chico.
After 40 years of teaching dance, Chico Community Ballet had to take performance time off due to the COVID pandemic. It is back now to fulfill its mission to celebrate local arts, artists and performers who bring enriching educational experiences to all ages.
The nonprofit, pre-professional ballet training company helps students learn to build personal discipline leading to a practiced professionalism in their ballet training, performance experience and life skills. Many dancers have gone on to professional careers in dance.
The people involved
Production direction for “Keeping Dance Alive!” is Sheree Henning who has been involved with the ballet for over 30 years, either as a dancer, choreographer, producer and/or director. CCB artistic director Deborah Jorritsma is also involved with the production of this gala. Guest choreographer Kenneth Walker and local dancer and director Jarrah Myles are involved with this remarkable team.
Henning said, “Chico Community Ballet’s mission in presenting ‘Keeping Dance Alive!’ is to give choreographers and dancers in the Chico area and beyond a professional venue and experience to express their artistic talents.”
Going on a journey
“Keeping Dance Alive!” will reach into the minds of audiences and take them on a journey we know as dance. They will see styles like ballet, tap, modern, contemporary and musical theater.
Dance titles for this CCB gala include: “Capriciously Chopin,” “Spirits of the Night,” “Bad Romance,” and “Anything Goes.”
“‘Spirits of the Night’ is a new work created on the entirety of the CCB company,” explained Henning. “from our youngest dancer at age 5 through our oldest dancer at age 18. The dance focuses on character development, expressing a story through movement, and dancing created at age-appropriate level for each company level. It introduced our company to an incredible piece of classical music, ‘Danse Macabre’ by Leopold Stokowski.”
Guest artists/directors include: Sarah Shoemaker, Chico Creek Dance; Ruby O’Neill, Inspire School of Arts & Sciences; Kira Montgomery, Durham High School; Erin Reynolds, guest artist; Gabriella Chaplin, North State Ballet; Bliss Kozielski, student; and Cole Landry, Inspire School.
Tickets for this magical ballet are $20 each for adult or child, and will be available to purchase at the event. Purchase tickets online at tututix https://bit. ly/3uApGrx.