Ballet

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Ballet and live bluegrass music. Frenchman and ballet choreographer Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux was, until recently, unfamiliar with bluegrass music. Then he heard a recording by North Carolina bluegrass band Greasy Beans and loved the energetic beat. He called to inquire about the band performing for a ballet. They thought he had the wrong number. "It's fun to innovate," says Bonnefoux, artistic director for North Carolina Dance Theatre. Many people acquaint ballet with boring, but good choreography can be exciting, Bonnefoux says.

julieg@herald-mail.com It's doubtful Clara is the only one who's dreamt about a toy coming alive, but her dream is probably the most well known. Clara is, of course, the little girl who is given a Nutcracker for Christmas and dreams the toy comes to life, becoming a handsome prince. In the Hagerstown Ballet Company's production of "The Nutcracker," Clara is a teenager portrayed by Rachel Doub of Williamsport, says Carolou Russell, the ballet company's artistic director and choreographer.

Auditions for the 2000 Summer Course at School of American Ballet are set for Saturday, Feb. 12, at Maryland Youth Ballet, 7702 Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda, Md. The times are 1 to 2:30 p.m. for 12- and 13-year-olds; 2:30 to 4 p.m. for 14- and 15-year-olds; and 4 to 5 p.m. for 16- to 18-year-olds. cont. from lifestyle An application fee of $15 (cash, check or money order) is required at the time of audition, and students must register one hour in advance of their audition time.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com Katherine Fowler has performed in "The Nutcracker" twice and she danced in her fourth recital on the stage of The Maryland Theatre Saturday afternoon. Before the performance, she was careful to eat a banana for breakfast, to steady her muscles and prevent cramping. She dressed herself, too. Katherine is 7 years old. Before the performance, Katherine's mother, Susan Fowler of Hagerstown, was putting the finishing touches on a bouquet of flowers for her daughter.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - The Performing Arts Series at Shepherd University will present the North Carolina Dance Theatre's evening-length ballet, "Under Southern Skies," on Saturday, March 25 at 8 p.m. in the Frank Center Theater. The program features live music by the bluegrass band the Greasy Beans and country singer/songwriter Christine Kane. "Under Southern Skies" celebrates the music and artists of the south and reflects the ever-changing landscape of the region. The program includes choreographer Mark Diamond's "City South"; NCDT artistic director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux's "I'm with You," with music by Kane; choreographer Uri Sand's piece "Sweet Tea" set to music by John Coltrane; and Bonnefoux's rollicking bluegrass ballet "Shindig," with live accompaniment by the Greasy Beans.

The Board of Directors of the Potomac Classical Youth Ballet Co. has announced that dancers have been named for the 2007-08 season. Selected through a process of open auditions, dancers participated in a 1 1/2-hour class and were rated by five judges on seven criteria, including technical skills at the barre, allegro, adagio, body alignment, presentation, musicality, and for the ladies, pointe work. The judges rated each dancer with a score between 1 and 5 on each of the seven criteria.

A record-setting number of 21 high school seniors performed classical ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop and modern dance on May 19 at The Maryland Theatre. In addition, two senior boys, Logan Bair and Josh Borland, made their debut in the classical ballet, "Once Upon a Time. " All are students at Ballet and All That Jazz under Ranelle Flurie.

Potomac Classical Youth Ballet Company Potomac Classical Youth Ballet Company, a nonprofit company created in 1995, is for dancers 13 to 18 years old. The idea is to turn out pre-professional level dancers, said Lauran Clowser, artistic director. The company rehearses at City Ballet School studios, but is open to students from any ballet school. Ballet Mistress Susan Banks teaches the company's classes. Potomac Classical Youth Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" features more than 100 local children.

 BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. -- It was not easy to find a dance instructor who would train Taylor Haines at age 2 1/2. She began "moving to the beat" at an early age, said her mother, Gerri Haines, and Taylor always said she wanted to be a ballet dancer. Her parents encouraged her to try other things, which she did, but her favorite is ballet. "I want to be able to dance," Taylor said. Taylor, 14, has been studying with Yvonne Salcedo Williams, the founding artistic director of Arts Triumphant Dance Theatre, a performing arts retreat center in Berkeley Springs.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Chambersburg Ballet Theatre School and Company will host its annual open house and registration for fall classes from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Wood Center Stage Theatre, Capitol Theatre Center, 159 S. Main St. A performance of classical ballet by CBT students will be followed by an information and "meet the faculty" session. Refreshments will be served, and students may tour the studios and register for fall classes in both ballet and jazz dance.