Performances varied from straight ballet to hip-hop

March 12, 2017 at 12:08a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Ballet Western Reserve One Hit Wonders

Audiences at “Building Art,” the annual fund raiser for Ballet Western Reserve, were treated to traditional ballet, jazz, tap, modern and hip-hop styles of dance and an original show of “One-Hit-Wonders” interpreted by the school’s company dancers.

The three performances began at 7 p.m. Saturday at the BWR studio on West Boardman Street, downtown.

Founded in 1962, Ballet Western Reserve has about 30 dancers ages 10 to 18.

Many of its members have gone on to advanced study in some of the nation’s most prestigious universities to study dance and have successful professional dance and dance instruction careers, said Sabrina Shapiro, BWR executive director.

Lilly Gilfand of Boardman, a BWR alumnus enjoying Saturday’s performance, is studying modern dance at Ohio University.

Gilfand, who danced 16 years at BWR, said the professionalism at the Youngstown dance school laid a strong foundation for studying dance at the next level. She said the friendships made during the five-day-a-week classes are one of her favorite memories.

Normally, Ballet Western Reserve is strictly ballet and performs several productions annually.

But Saturday’s performances, while they included plenty of dancing on toes; tutus, short classical ballet skirts; adagios, a succession of slow, soft, lyrical and continuous movements; allegro, which involves fast and dynamic movements such as jumping steps; and plie, which involves bending of the knees, the show could have been described as the “The Nutcracker” meets the 1950s.

In many of the dances, the performers were barefoot and wearing socks and non-traditional costumes.

The company dancers choreographed and performed to the music of “Rhythm of the Rain” by the Cascades, “1000 Miles Away” by The Heartbeats, and “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye, which was choreographed by Ava Shapiro.

Ava, 15, a student at Canfield High School, has danced with BWR for 11 years.

“It is a lot of work ... it’s physically demanding and mentally stimulating ... but it is worth it because of the friendships we make. We are like sisters,” Ava said.

Kellsie Shadowens, 13, a student at W.S. Guy Middle School in Liberty, has only been with BWR for two years, but has been dancing most of her life. Besides ballet, she takes modern, musical theater and tap dancing.

The BWR is a “wonderful place to grow up together,” said Kristin Dew of Canfield, whose daughter, Emily Dew, 10, studies at the dance school.

“This is a unique dance school in the Mahoning Valley in that it has a curriculum,” said Dew, a member of the BWR Parent Guild.

“Our mission is to focus, through dance, on enhancing the development of the whole child, instilling in each the confidence, discipline, artistry and joy that will last a lifetime,” Shapiro said.