Christmas Spectacular in Warren delights performers, audience

By SEAN BARRON

news@vindy.com

WARREN

Even though Abbey Chapman’s lifelong ambition to display her dancing prowess at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., has yet to bear ripe fruit, you could say she’s a series of spins, arcs and flips closer to realizing her dream.

“We’ve worked on this at the dance studio for at least four or five hours three days per week since October,” said the Howland High School 10th-grader, who started dancing at age 3.

Abbey was referring to her dance performance as part of “Frozen Sleigh Ride,” a Disney-influenced twist on the popular Christmas tune “Sleigh Ride.” It also was one of 18 holiday-themed numbers that delighted those who attended the W.D. Packard Concert Band’s annual Christmas Spectacular on Sunday afternoon at the W.D. Packard Music Hall, 1703 Mahoning Ave. NW.

Abbey also is one of 26 young dancers age 5 to 18 who make up the Howland-based James Dance & Performing Arts Center, one of five dance troupes that performed in the free one-hour concert.

“We’re trying to get everybody in the Christmas spirit,” said Thomas A. Groth, the 63-year-old, 50-member band’s executive director, who added that Sunday’s performance followed two well-attended children’s concerts the group gave Friday.

“I love to entertain kids, and I love kids’ reactions,” said Abbey, who took part in her first dance competition at age 6 and added that she feels comfortable on stage.

Also at home with making local stage appearances was Joey Lohr, a Howland High senior and part of Abbey’s dance troupe, whose ultimate career goal is to perform on Broadway and in touring shows.

“My interest in dancing and singing began when I was 6. I knew since I was in middle school that this was what I wanted to do with my life,” Lohr said, noting that he has already auditioned for 14 music-theater schools, including New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Proud of her students is Linda James, who, along with her mother, Carol James, directs the James dance studio, which Carol opened 56 years ago in the family’s basement.

“Kids love to sing ‘Frozen;’ they identify with it,” Linda said, referring to music in the highly acclaimed 2013 Disney 3-D computer-animated musical fantasy.

The hundreds of attendees were treated to a potpourri of Christmas songs that ranged from the pop-oriented to the traditional – everything from the band’s renditions of “All I Want for Christmas is You,” by singer Mariah Carey to “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

The guest vocalist was Dana Victor, who earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music in 1981 and a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.

“I absolutely love it. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be” than performing with the Packard Band and in front of local audiences, said Victor, who also served three years in the Army and lives in the Washington, D.C., area.

She also enjoys working on behalf of various charities and performing for fellow veterans, Victor continued.

Another treat for many in the audience was hearing “Blues for Santa,” courtesy of 11 students at Seaborn Elementary School in Mineral Ridge, each of whom played a bucket drum with the band’s accompaniment.

Attendees were pleasantly surprised when Mrs. Santa Claus took the stage to sing the 2017 Pinkfong dance song “Baby Shark,” with members of all five dance troupes behind her. The selection, which was not on the program, got many people moving their arms and hands to the rhythm.

“It’s the bomb!” she said excitedly.

A sample of other numbers included Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers,” from “The Nutcracker;” “Good Swing Wenceslas,” arranged by Sammy Nestico, a big-band arranger and composer; and a narration of “The Night Before Christmas.”

The fun-filled performance ended with an appearance by Santa Claus, who arrived to shake hands with the audience and take requests for Christmas gifts.