.jpg)
The Rockbridge Ballet will present “The Moving Canvas” gala on Saturday, Feb. 18, in Washington and Lee University’s Evans Hall.
The evening event will consist of 16 new, contemporary ballet, jazz and modern dance vignettes, each inspired by a different piece of visual art created by a Virginia artist. Thirteen professional and four student artists are featured in the program, representing a diverse range of media, including oil painting, watercolor, digital art, photography and pottery. All of the artworks will be on display and available through a silent auction during the performance, with all proceeds benefiting The Rockbridge Ballet.
Professional and avocational artists, including Nick Alexander, Daniel Burke, Claire Capron, Daniel Caruthers, Nova Caruthers, Gail Caskie, Jeff Hansen, Bruce Macdonald, Gail MacLeod, Evelyn McCain, Jo McMurtry, Marion Pearson, Jessy Poole, Charlotte Smith, Emma Spencer, MaKenna Whiting and Merryn Williams, participated in the project.
Their work served as inspiration for The Rockbridge Ballet choreographers, including artistic director Jessica Pyatt Martin, Kitty Burke, Meagan Herald, Evelyn Branscome, Reilly Faith, Braigen Britt, and Rockbridge Ballet alumni Maeve Dick and Leah Beagan.
The pieces include performances by the Senior, Junior, and Apprentice Company members, and include five graduating high school seniors: Carter Cook, Anna Cunningham, Ava McCabe, Charlotte Smith, and Anna Wilson. All five of these dancers will be featured with classical ballet solos inspired by the artwork of Merryn Williams.
“The Moving Canvas” is the latest installment in a history of artistic collaborations undertaken by The Rockbridge Ballet.
“The gala provides another exciting opportunity for The Rockbridge Ballet to work with people who inspire us, as well as the chance to explore a more intimate venue and performance format,” said Martin. “We’re not only working with visual artists and giving our choreographers tangible reference points from which to draw, we’re also stepping out of the comfort zone of a traditional auditorium environment and removing many of the barriers that typically separate dancers from the audience. This will be a unique opportunity for people to see works performed from a much closer perspective, providing a level of connection and interaction that’s unattainable in a concert hall.”
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages served. At that time, patrons will have the opportunity to view the visual artworks and bid via silent auction. The performance will last for approximately two hours, with one intermission. At the end of the evening, the graduating seniors will be honored and the winning auction bids will be announced. Semi-formal attire is suggested and seating is reserved; individual seats and tables of eight are available. Admission will include food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Tickets may be purchased at TheStudio for Dance & the Arts, the official school of The Rockbridge Ballet located at 126 Walker St. in Lexington. Tickets can also be reserved by calling (540) 463-3436 or emailing [email protected].
