[NEohioPAL] PERFORMANCE AND SUMMER CLASSES: Ohio Youth Ballet and Turning Pointe School of Dance

OYB AND TURNING POINTE PRESENT ‘SPRING CELEBRATION OF DANCE 2008’

Described as being composed of numerous dance styles from “popular classical ballet pieces” to a “fun break dance piece,” the Ohio Youth Ballet and Turning Pointe School of Dance’s Spring Celebration of Dance 2008 is sure to have something for everyone.

Performances will be at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on May 18 at Jackson High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $8 in advance; $10 at the door.

“It's going to be composed of numerous dance styles, including popular classical ballet pieces, funky jazz and hip-hop numbers, beautiful lyrical dances and a fun break dance piece. It is representative of various cultural dance styles including African, character flamenco, and a combination of classical, Arabic and oriental styles,” according to Natalya Vyashenko-Connor, Ohio Youth Ballet artistic director.

Spring Celebration of Dance 2008 will have the youngest dancers making their stage debut, which always promises to be entertaining. While some talented high school seniors who have danced for years will be giving one of their last performances with the company as they move onto the professional world.

For more information, call 330-854-1417.

TURNING POINTE HAS SUMMER CLASSES FOR ALL AGES, LEVELS

CANAL FULTON, Ohio – For both fun and fitness, The Turning Pointe School of Dance, 2387 Locust St. S., is registering now for summer dance classes for beginner to advanced students of all ages.

Two-week summer dance camps for ages 31/2 to 12 years are popular programs that introduce younger students to a variety of dance styles such as ballet, tap, jazz, baton, tumbling, cheer dance and musical theatre. The camps are offered June 16-June 27 and July 28-Aug. 8.

A five-week summer intensive workshop July 6 through Aug. 8 is composed of challenging classes for the serious dancer ages 9 and older. Advanced beginner level classes will be July 6-25 and Intermediate I, II and Advanced will be July 6 through Aug. 8. Classes include classical ballet, character dance, ballroom partnering, pointe and pointe variations, jazz, hip-hop, flexibility class, tap, modern and lyrical.

Students in the summer intensive will be taught by Ohio Youth Ballet artistic director Natalya Vyashenko-Connor, who is a former company member of the Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet in the capital of Uzbekistan. Visiting instructors include Valery Lantratov, who has toured internationally with Rudolf Nureyev and is artistic director of the Russian National Ballet Foundation in Moscow, as well as former Ohio Youth ballet member Kaleb Baker, who has performed with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and joins Ballet Quad Cities this upcoming season. A placement class is required.

Students who want to keep up with their training or try something new over the summer will want to sign up for the summer semester June 16 through August 8. These evening classes are for all ages and levels and styles range from creative movement and beginner baton for the younger dancers, to musical theatre and break dance, to teen and adult classes in ballet, tap, pilates and pointe.

For more information and to register, call 330-854-1417 and visit www.turningpointeschoolofdance.net.