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VBA Ballet Trip to DC: "Don Quixote" Kennedy Center | January 17 — below

Virginia Ballet Academy would like to thank everyone who attended and/or supported its 2nd Annual Holiday Performance on Saturday, December 20th.

The students enjoyed "showing off" the results of all their hard work! Unur and Nara would like to extend special thanks to all the parents who helped with the preparation and performance day activities.

We would also like to thank everyone that participated in the Silent Auction. The proceeds will go to financing future performances, trips, and to help pay for the completion of the dance floor. Any and all additional donations are always welcome and appreciated.

If you have any questions about making a donation, please contact VBA at (540) 387-4422 and ask for Unur or Nara.

Be sure not to miss the the Virginia Ballet Academy's "Dance Trip to DC" to see the Mariinsky Theater (formerly Kirov Ballet) full length ballet production of "Don Quixote," at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on Saturday, January 17th at 1:30pm.

This is a wonderful opportunity for students and parents to see ballet performed at its highest level by some of the world's greatest and most renowned professional ballet dancers.

"Don Quixote" Facts:

World premiere: 14 December 1869, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow (choreography by Marius Petipa)
Premiere of Alexander Gorsky’s version: 6 December 1900, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow
Premiere of Alexander Gorsky’s version in St Petersburg: 20 January 1902, Mariinsky Theatre

The cost for the trip is only $120.00 which includes a ticket to the ballet and hotel accommodations. For more information, please contact VBA at (540) 387-4422.

 

Virginia Ballet Academy is very excited to have a number of talented Guest Instructors and Dancers assisting with this year's Summer Dance Camps and Classes. Learn more about them below.

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Amy Frost

Amy Frost trained at Virginia School of the Arts and has danced professionally with Southern Ballet Theater in Orlando, Florida, (currently Orlando Balle), Roanoke Ballet Theater in Roanoke, Virginia and Charleston Ballet Theater in Charleston, SC. She taught ballet and performed at American Dance Festival from 2000-2006. After graduating from Hollins University with honors in dance she joined Northwest Florida Ballet. Ms. Frost has been a principal dancer and Academie teacher since 2004.

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ShaLeigh Comerford

ShaLeigh Comerford is a Brooklyn-based dance artist and Artistic Director of ShaLeigh Dance Works. A native of Roanoke, Virginia, she began her formal training as a scholarship student with the Roanoke Ballet Theatre where she performed and toured with the company until 2004. She graduated with honors in fine art and creative writing before completing a master's degree in Visual and Performing Arts from Hollins University. She spent several summers training at the American Dance Festival where she was a 2003 scholarship recipient and was selected to perform with Nicholas Leichter [nicholasleichterdance], Marigia Maggipinto [Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal], and Keigwin & Company. She has performed in the works of Anima Dance, Open Air Dance, Jessi Knight Walker [Cleo Parker Robinson Dance], and most recently performed with Tina Croll & Company for the New York premiere of Ancient Springs at Danspace Project and LaMaMa Theater. Since moving to New York, she has studied on scholarship with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and her emerging dance theater company has toured its growing repertoire in six cities along the east coast. Her company made a successful New York debut to a packed audience at Judson Church receiving a standing ovation for Dedicated to [ ] because of [ ] (and vice versa) in May of 2007. She extends deep gratitude to the Roanoke Ballet Theatre for bringing her back again and is thrilled to be a part of their spring production.

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Sergei Domrachev

Sergei Domrachev was born in Russia. He graduated from the Perm Ballet Academy. He was a bronze medallist in the Vaganova Competition and the Internathiol Arabesque '92 Competition, and earned the Audience Favorite Award. He has danced professionally as a soloist with both Moscow Classical Ballet and Los Angeles Classical Ballet. He has toured throughout Europe and the USA. He made his television debut on Life with Bonnie and in a national commercial for Mercedes-Benz. Domrachev joined State Street Ballet in 1997.

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Casey Benson

Casey Benson took ballet and modern classes at Roanoke Ballet Theatre for fourteen years. Casey has been dancing with Unur and Nara since they started teaching dance in Roanoke. After graduating from high school, she attended Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland to study dance. In the fall, she will be transferring to James Madison University to major in athletic training.