City Dance Theatre to Perform

The City Dance Theatre Company, the award-winning youth dance company sponsored by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, will present its annual concert at the Grace Street Theater on Saturday, May 25 at 7 p.m.

     The program, “Lest We Forget,” will include a variety of pieces ranging from modern dance to lively jazz. The production will feature the choreography of Rodney Williams, who along with Annette Holt is co-director of the company, and Talita Jackson, who teaches dance for the department.

      “These young dancers are top-notch,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “I was amazed the first time I saw them perform. I doubt there are many municipally-sponsored groups as good as these young dancers anywhere in the country,” he said.

      Currently, the company consists of 21 young dancers ranging in age from nine to 16. Through the years, the company has consistently won numerous awards in the regional and national DanceAmerica competitions, and it is typically the only municipal-sponsored company to compete. This year in the regional competition, City Dance Theatre Company won 10 first place awards and two second place awards.

      Tickets to the annual concert are $20 and can be purchased at the door. All proceeds from the event will be used to help pay for the company to travel to compete in the national DanceAmerica competition this year in Chicago.

     The company is also available to perform at community events. For more information on this, call (804) 646-3673.

      Grace Street Theater is located at 934 W. Grace St.

Department's City Dance Theatre Wins Regional Awards

City Dance Theatre, the department's youth dance troupe, won an award for every piece they performed in Portsmouth at the DanceAmerica Regional Competition, that was held the weekend of March 1.

     The troupe performed 12 pieces, and of these, ten received first place trophies and two received second place trophies. This more than qualifies the company of young dancers, who range in age from 9 to 16, to compete in the national DanceAmerica competition to be held in Chicago this summer.

      In addition, Keola Jones received the award for the highest scoring junior female soloist, and Monay Boisseau received the award for the highest scoring senior female soloist. These awards qualify both youth to compete for the title of Dancer of the Year in Chicago.

     The company received six additional special recognition awards:

·         Judges Overall High Score Award for “Lest We Forget”

·         Best Emotional Execution for “Lest We Forget”

·         Best Costume for “Metemorphose”

·         High Score, Intermediate Large Group Modern, for “Run Mourners, Run”

·         High Score, Intermediate Small Group Lyrical, for “For All We Know”

·         High Score, Intermediate Duo/Trio Lyrical, for “Precious Lord”

     A traditional Hawaiian dance staged by Trenna Jackson also qualified for the nationals in the Ethnic/Folkloric category.

     “I am extremely proud of the City’s Dance Theatre youth and instructors,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “Their dedication, determination and commitment to excellence has aided them in winning these awards and recognitions in the DanceAmerica Regional Competition. It is my hope that all residents recognize the accomplishments of these youth and wish them well as they travel to the national DanceAmerica competition.”

     The pieces were choreographed by Rodney L. Williams and Talita Jackson, who teach for the department’s City Dance Program at its Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center. Annette Holt manages the dance program for the department’s Cultural Arts Division.

     City Dance Theatre has a long-standing history of winning awards in both the regional and national DanceAmerica competitions having collected more than 100 first place trophies.