City Youth Ballet - Johnson City, TN

City Youth Ballet will join First Friday festivities in downtown Johnson City with a series of performances at The Charles Building on Main Street. First Friday is a monthly arts and music festival featuring artists throughout the region.

The CYB performances will showcase the work of our local ballet dancers and excerpts from the CYB’s productions. On July 3, 6-6:30 p.m., CYB company members will host a demonstration of a ballet class. The public is invited to participate in the class. On Aug. 7, CYB will show excerpts from its spring performances of “Snow White” done in conjunction with the Johnson City Ballet Academy, the CYB’s training school.

“These performances are a way to bring ballet to the people of Johnson City who have supported us for so many years,” says Susan Pace-White, CYB’s artistic director. “We can introduce ballet to some and get the word out about our work in the arts.”

The Charles Building is located across from Hands On! Museum and just a few doors down from the Nelson Fine Art Gallery, the epicenter of the First Friday activities. For more information, contact Susan Pace-White, CYB artisitic director, 423-434-2195.

The City Youth Ballet welcomes in late July and early August two outstanding guest instructors in ballet and modern. All dancers are invited to attend classes.

Marvin Askew, executive director of the Buffalo (NY) City Ballet and a long-time guest instructor and performer for the City Youth Ballet, will lead classes July 20-24, 11-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-3 p.m. Cost is $20 a class.

Mr. Askew began his training under the tutelage of Karl Singletary, founder of the Buffalo Inner City Ballet School. He has been awarded numerous scholarships from prestigious institutions, such as the American Ballet Theater, the New York City Ballet, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Center. A former member of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Maryland Ballet and Capital Ballet, Mr. Askew has appeared as guest artist with many regional ballet companies.

Marcus Hayes, an assistant professor of dance at Austin Peay State University, will lead classes 3:30-5 p.m., July 31; 10-11:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m. on Aug. 1; 1:30-3 p.m. on Aug. 2. Cost is $20 per class.

Mr. Hayes, a graduate of Mills College with a Masters in Fine Arts, has danced and choreographed professionally with the Without Shoes Modern Dance Company and has taught dance technique for the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Rockford College, and the School for the Rockford Dance Company.

All classes will be held at the City Youth Ballet’s studios on West Walnut Street in the Burlington Park South Mall. The mall is located off of West State of Franklin Road near the Krogers and Zaxbys. For more information, call Susan Pace-White, CYB artistic director, at 423-434-2195.

The City Youth Ballet of Johnson City brings to stage April 19 at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. another of its popular Lollipop Series with the presentation of excerpts from “Cinderella.” These petite classical ballets are geared for children’s audiences and feature the City Youth Ballet’s junior and senior companies.

This ballet opens as Cinderella, portrayed by CYB senior Christa Rockney, tends to her chores and dreams of going to the royal ball. She then encounters her fairy godmother, portrayed by Rose Johnson, who magically transforms her rags to a beautiful gown and sends her off to the ball.

Villagers, Allen Smith and Kathryn Kenneson, rejoice in this transformation of Cinderella with a pas de deux. Also, senior members, Edith Dunbar, Taylor Vanders, Hannah Dunbar, and Julie Dunbar, portraying seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall, join the celebration of Cinderella with additional variations that are part of the full-length ballet and performed to the classical music of Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev.

In the scene at the palace ball, ballerina fairies, Maggie Hensley and Ginny Whaley, welcome Cinderella. CYB’s junior company portrays evening stars that shine and dance around the ball. The performance ends with Cinderella dancing as a princess.

“These Lollipop ballets can be enjoyed by the young and young at heart,” said CYB artistic director Susan Pace-White. “We strive to present ballet in a way that children can appreciate its artistry while being immersed in the magic of a fairy tale.”

“Cinderella” will be presented at the Charles Building, 308 E. Main Street, in downtown Johnson City across from Hands On! Museum. General admission is $5 a person. Tickets can be purchased at Bear ‘n Friends, Party Central, or at the door. All proceeds will benefit the CYB’s operations and outreach in the community.

For more information call (423) 434-2195 or visit the CYB website at www.cityyouthballet.wordpress.com.

The City Youth Ballet of Johnson City, a non-profit ballet company, will hold auditions Feb. 26 at its studios. The CYB produces classical and contemporary ballets for the community including “A Christmas Carol” and this year’s children’s ballet with excerpts from “Cinderella.” Auditions for senior company, for dancers 12 and up, will be held at 3:30 p.m.; junior company auditions, for dancers turning 9 this year, will be at 5 p.m. Dancers can train elsewhere at other studios, but still be a member of the CYB and participate in its productions. The studios are located at Burlington Park South Mall on West Walnut Street in Johnson City. Enter the building under the black CYB banner. For more information, visit www.cityyouthballet.wordpress.com or call 423-434-2195.

Dancers ages 11 and up are invited to join the City Youth Ballet at its studio January 24, 1-2:30 p.m., when the South Carolina Dance Conservatory hosts a ballet class and audition for its summer intensive. Come enjoy the class! Cost is $20, payable to the SC Dance Conservatory at the time of the audition. The ballet class will be led by Susan Anderson, artistic director of the South Carolina Dance Conservatory.

The class will be held at CYB’s studios on West Walnut Street in the Burlington Park South Mall. Turn on to West Walnut Street from West State of Franklin Road. The Burlington building is about 1/4 mile from State of Franklin. Enter the building under the black CYB banner.

For more information visit the SC Ballet Conservatory’s website at www.cas.sc.edu/dance or call the CYB at (423) 434-2195.

The City Youth Ballet of Johnson City brings to stage “A Christmas Carol,” the beloved tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounters with spirits and the true meaning of giving, in a holiday performance set for 7:30 p.m., December 5 and 6, at the Veterans Administration Memorial Theatre at Mountain Home.

Some 25 dancers, members of the CYB’s junior and senior companies, and actors from the community create on stage a Victorian-era community wrapped up in the merriment of the holidays only to meet Scrooge, a miserly financier portrayed by local actor David Clinkscales, who shuns the poor and wallows in his greed. Clinkscales is a Texas A & M theatre major and professional actor now studying for the ministry at Emmanuel School of Religion.

In an overnight of redemption, Scrooge faces the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-To-Come. He changes heart especially after seeing the suffering of Tiny Tim, the son of his loyal employee, Robert Cratchit, portrayed by Jake Jessup, a Science Hill High School student, who has played leading roles with the school’s musical productions.

“In Christmas Carol, we have created a holiday treasure for our audiences,” said Susan Pace-White, CYB’s artistic director and producer along with Traci Honeycutt. “This being our second year for this production, we believe there’s some excitement in the community in bringing this production to stage.”

Opulent costumes of the Victorian age also highlight the performance, many of them created by CYB’s wardrobe mistress, Sharon Ritchie.

Two school performances are set for Friday, December 5 at 9 a.m. and noon. For reservations, schools need to call (423) 483-1181. Student ticket subsidies are available from the Johnson City Area Arts Council to help defray costs.

General admission tickets of $10 each for the evening performances are available at Bear ‘n Friends, Party Central, the Johnson City Area Arts Council, or at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. performances. For more information, call 423-928-4127 or visit cityyouthballet.wordpress.com.

Directions to the VA Theater.

The theater is adjacent to the Mountain Home Cemetery on the entrance closest to Market Street. Parking is available on the streets and lots near the theater. The theater is handicapped accessible.
From the North
Take I-81 to Exit 57A (Johnson City). Follow I-26 East / US 23 South to Exit 19 (Old Exit 36, State of Franklin Road), and turn right onto State of Franklin Road. Go 3.6 miles on State of Franklin Road, then turn left onto West Market Street. Go 0.7 miles to Veterans Way (BP Station on the right), turn right onto Veterans Way, and go 0.3 miles to the North entrance of Mountain Home. Take your first right and theater is on your right.

From the South
Follow I-26 West / US-23 North to exit 24 (Old Exit 31 - US-321/TN-67 Elizabethton exit), and turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp onto University Parkway (US-321 South). Take University Parkway 1.9 miles, then turn left on State of Franklin Road. Go about 0.5 miles, turn right at the second stop light on Mountain Home Drive. Cross the railroad tracks and bear right on East Lake Drive into Mountain Home. Travel about 1/4 mile, turn right at the first stop sign and travel about 1/4 mile; turn left at the main hospital and left again just before the cemetery. Theater is on your right.

For a map, visit: www.mountainhome.va.gov/visitors/directions.asp

City Youth Ballet will present “Once Upon a Time,” with children’s stories told in ballet, at its studio Saturday, August 9th, at 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. Admission is $4. The production is part of its Lollipop series, all children’s ballets presented for children.

The production will feature such beloved stories as “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Dancing Princesses,” and others. Between the productions, children can take a free ballet class from noon to 12:30. Registration for the City Youth Ballet’s affiliated training school, the Johnson City Ballet Academy, also will be held. Classes begin August 25.

The studios are located on West Walnut Street just off State of Franklin Road in the Burlington Park South Mall. Look for the entrance below the black and white CYB banner.

For more information call (423) 434-2195.

CYB Guest Instructor
August 4-8; 4-6 p.m.
Benjamin “Benjie” Westafer

Frankie Levy, Executive Director of the Georgia Dance Theatre, introduced Benjamin Westafer to ballet when he was three years old. At nine he began training with the Augusta Ballet under the direction of Ron Colton. He continued training with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, School of American Ballet, Joffrey School, and graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Benjamin has danced as a soloist with International Ballet Rotaru, Sacramento Ballet, Ballet Arizona, Chautauqua Ballet Company, and North Carolina Dance Theatre. He has had the honor of dancing soloist roles in works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, David Parsons, Nacho Duarto, and Sal Aiello. Choreographers Alonzo King, Peter Pucci, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Mark Diamond, Graham Lustig, José Mateo, Heather Maloy, and Tom Pazik have featured him in world premiers.

Benjamin has appeared as a principal and soloist around the Southeast with companies including The Moving Poets Theatre of Dance, Georgia Dance Conservatory, Southern Ballet Theatre, and The Augusta Ballet. Benjamin served as the Department Chair of Dance for Georgia’s Governor’s Honors Program in Valdosta, GA from 2004 — 2006. He now teaches at the Augusta Ballet School, Augusta West, and Gwinnett Ballet Theatre.

For more information call (423) 434-2195.