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The Rockbridge Ballet has announced Grace Fleshman and Magdalena Greer as the 2024 T. David Grist Merit Scholarship recipients.
The scholarship is awarded annually to two high school juniors or seniors who show dedication to both their academics and their community through involvement with The Rockbridge Ballet. The gift memorializes T. David Grist, echoing his commitment as a community leader and avid patron of the arts.
Grace Fleshman, daughter of Rebecca and Scott Fleshman, is a senior at Rockbridge County High School. She began dancing at age 3 and joined The Rockbridge Ballet in 2017.
During her tenure with The Ballet, Fleshman has performed as Glinda the Good Witch in “The Wizard of Oz,” The Snow Queen in “The Night Before Christmas,” Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid,” and will be featured as Snow White in The Rockbridge Ballet’s production of “Snow White’s Holiday Celebration” in December.
In addition to dancing with the Ballet, she is the managing editor of the RCHS Journalism Staff, a member of the National Honor Society, and enjoys traveling the world with family and friends.
She writes, “For as long as I can remember, dance has been a major part of my life, a part of who I am as a person, and a major constant I can always fall back on. At dance, I am able to form close relationships and learn from people who share the same passion as me. As I move to the next chapter of my life I will never forget the gifts, lessons, joy, and relationships I gained through The Rockbridge Ballet.”
Magdalena Greer, daughter of Melissa and Brian Greer, is also a senior at Rockbridge County High School. She has been dancing and performing since she was a child and joined TheStudio at age 5, where she fell in love with dance.
Since joining The Ballet in 2017, she has been featured as Candycanes in “The Nutcracker,” The Snow Queen in “The Night Before Christmas,” Flounder in “The Little Mermaid,” and will be performing the role of The Evil Queen in the upcoming production of “Snow White’s Holiday Celebration.”
A well-rounded artist, she acts and sings in RCHS theater department productions; she is also a member of the National Honor Society and Project Connection.
“Dance encourages me to think more positively about myself and the results have been incredible. For me, dance is all about love. Not only for yourself but for the people in your life that stick with you through the whole journey,” she says.
Both Fleshman and Greer are participating in this year’s flagship collaboration with The Rockbridge Ballet and Mountain Gateway Community College, where students receive dual-enrollment credit for their participation in local arts. Classes are held weekly at TheStudio and are taught by assistant director and community outreach coordinator Evelyn Bransome.
“We are incredibly proud to recognize Grace and Lena with this scholarship; both young ladies have been dancing at our school for over a decade, are talented dancers, leaders amongst their peers, and actively engaged in their school and local community. They serve as class assistants for many of the younger dancers and are beloved members of our dance family. Their dedication reflects our organization’s mission, and their commitment pays tribute to David’s legacy,” says Artistic Director Jessica Pyatt Martin.
Fleshman and Greer will perform together in The Rockbridge Ballet’s performance of “Snow White’s Holiday Celebration” on Dec. 13-15 at the Lenfest Center for the Arts at Washington and Lee University.
