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Ballet Western Reserve Artistic chief takes charge
Richard Dickinson is wasting no time putting his stamp on the dance company.
Richard Dickinson has been the artistic director of Ballet Western Reserve for a couple of years, but only now is he taking full control of the reins.
That’s because of the long shadow cast by Anita Lin, one of the longest-tenured and most respected members of the Valley’s arts community. Lin served as artistic director of BWR from 1982 to 2007. She became executive director in 2007 when Dickinson was hired. She retired earlier this year to pursue other interests but stayed on as director emeritus until September to smooth the transition for Dickinson.
“I walked in Anita’s shoe steps for two years, as she was transitioning out, and now I’m off and running,” said Dickinson in an interview at BWR’s downtown Youngstown offices last week. “I’ve finally got a new pair of shoes.”
A former artistic associate with Hubbard Street Dance in Chicago and dancer with the Ohio and Boston Ballet companies, Dickinson is wasting no time putting his stamp on the BWR.
He has fomented collaborations with other local arts groups, crystallized the division between the dance company and the school, changed the name to better reflect BWR’s mission — and even created a new logo.
His dancers entertained at Eastwood Mall recently, and danced on stage during the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra’s recent “Amadeus Live!” concert. Two BWR faculty members had dazzling dance roles in Opera Western Reserve’s Nov. 6 production of “Carmen.”
“Part of my mission is to reach out into the community more,” he said. “The more they see you and hear your name, the more they are aware of the quality.”
Dickinson, who also teaches dance at Youngstown State University, is planning new collaborations.
He would like to bring his troupe to the steel museum, which is operated by YSU, and to the Butler Institute of American Art’s Howland branch.
A joint fundraiser is also on the drawing board with the Oakland Center for the Arts in Youngstown. Despite the fact that the Oakland resides in rented space in the Morley Building, downtown, where BWR is headquartered, the two organizations have never worked together.
Dickinson also has altered BWR’s name to reflect its new positioning. It’s now called Ballet Western Reserve and Center for Dance Education.
“It’s a dance company and a school,” he said. “Students can earn the right to be in the company [even if on a temporary basis], and we can also add outside dance professionals, alumni and others.”
A new logo — with an elegant, intertwined “W” — serves as another reminder of the change.
In addition to Dickinson, BWR has six faculty members and about 175 students.
Looking down the road, Dickinson has an ambitious plan to make the BWR’s building stand out. The company has embarked on a campaign to raise $40,000 to repair the east wall, which was damaged when the adjoining State Theater building was razed last year.
After that, Dickinson would like to use the massive brick wall as a backdrop for electronic signage, complete with movable LED type, similar to Powers Auditorium’s marquee. But first, an additional $60,000 would need to be raised.
This week, the company is focusing on “The Nutcracker,” which will be performed twice on Saturday at Stambaugh Auditorium. Dickinson has his fingerprints all over the holiday staple. “It’s a big traditional family event, plenty of mothers and grandmothers and grandkids,” he said. For the second year in a row, a taped narration by Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel will be used in the ballet.
“It’s a girls’ night out ... that’s why we put Tressel in there as narrator. It will put jocks in the seats. I also adjusted one scene with the mice to put in football moves. It’s totally untraditional but will make people laugh. People shouldn’t go and see the same ‘Nutcracker’ all the time.”
Delaney Marsco, a BWR alumnus, and Brian Murphy, a professional dancer with Verb Ballets, will be performing the roles of the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier, respectively. Former students Natalia Hagan, Jens Peterson, Virginia Hartman and Russell Lewis also will have guest roles. The leading role of Clara will be danced by BWR’s Emma Rumberg, and her dancing partner, Dieter, will be performed by Gary Lenington, also of Verb Ballets.
Next year, Dickinson is toying with a different holiday production. “I’m pretty sure we won’t do ‘Nutcracker’ next year. Maybe ‘Willy Wonka.’ We will come up with creative ways to dance it. The dancers can be chocolate bars... .”
if you go
What: Ballet Western Reserve presents “The Nutcracker”
When: 1 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Stambaugh Auditorium, 1000 Fifth Ave., Youngstown
Tickets: $12, $18 and $25; call (330) 744-1934. Discount tickets are available for the 1 p.m. show at any Youngstown-Mahoning County library. Bearers of library cards can buy $18 tickets for $16.50, and $12 tickets for $11.
Party: A Nutcracker Sweets Party will take place after the 1 p.m. performance. Admission is $10 per person (adults and children), and children must be accompanied by an adult. The cast will be available for autographs and photos, and the tea party will feature sweets and treats.