Valley native lands with Boston Ballet II company

News, updates and milestones from current and former Valley residents who are in the arts and entertainment field:

BWR ALUM makes the leap

Youngstown-area native Austin Dabney has been named to the Boston Ballet II, which is the organization’s 13-person second company.

Dabney began his dance training at Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown, but finished it at the Interlochen Arts Academy, a fine and performing arts boarding high school in Michigan.

He also attended summer programs at Cleveland Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet and Boston Ballet School.

While at Interlochen, Dabney was awarded the Young Artist Award upon his graduation earlier this year.

Mikko Nissinen is artistic director of the Boston Ballet. The 56-person main company of the ballet routinely adds second company members to its roster.

CAMPANA to sing anthem at two nfl games

Struthers native Candace Campana will sing the National Anthem at tonight’s preseason game between the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers.

The game will start at 7 p.m. (Central time) in Chicago’s Soldier Field.

How did Campana get the honor for a Chicago team?

“My late grandfather, Albert Campana, played for the Chicago Bears in the 1950s,” she said. “So not only is this a huge honor for me, but for my family, and the entire community who loved my grandpa as a an NFL player, a teacher at Struthers, and an all-around amazing person.”

Campana will also sing the National Anthem before the Cleveland Browns-Detroit Lions game on Aug. 29 at Browns Stadium. It will be the team’s final preseason game.

MOVIE shot in the area WILL BE SCREENED

“Welcome Home,” an action movie made by Maurandis Berger of Youngstown, will be screened at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Refuge, 1155 Churchill Hubbard Road. Admission is $10 ($25 for VIP tickets).

The film was shot entirely in the Youngstown and Sharon, Pa., area. The cast includes Berger, John Reign of Hermitage, Pa.; and Mickey Nate, Sincere Wright, Darnell Boone, Kellie Nicole and Mark Regan, all of Youngstown.

Berger graduated from JobCorps in Cleveland in 2002, and also the Ohio Media School.

JONES for revival coming to THE LEDGES

Jones for Revival will be back in the are on Aug. 17 for its annual Jonesfest at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park.

The band, which formed in Youngstown more than a decade ago, will play from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $22 at the gate for the all-ages show.

There will be no opening acts. Just a whole evening with the homegrown jam band.

Jones for Revival, led by Jim DeCapua, is planning to release a new single soon.

Guy D’Astolfo covers entertainment for The Vindicator. Follow him on Twitter at @VindyVibe.