City Youth Ballet - Johnson City, TN

Five dancers with the City Youth Ballet and its training school, the Johnson City Ballet Academy, performed at the Celebration of Dance, a regionwide production showcasing dancers from local ballet companies and dance studios. The event, hosted by Bristol Ballet, was held at the Paramount Center in Bristol.

Kathryn Kenneson, Gwynn Root, Allan Smith, Taylor Vanders, and Ginny Whaley performed classical variations and an original piece choreographed by ballet instructor Pat Holden. The dancers are students of Susan Pace-White, City Youth Ballet artistic director, and director of the Johnson City Ballet Academy.

Clara and all her friends from the Nutcracker’s Land of Sweets invite you to spend an afternoon at Clara’s Tea. You’ll enjoy refreshments, watch excerpts from the CYB’s December 12 production of “The Nutcracker” and even dance with Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The afternoon is set for Saturday, November 14, 2-4 p.m., at The Charles, 301 E. Main Street across from Hands On! Museum in downtown Johnson City. Tickets are $7 a person and can be purchased at the door.

Colorful cupcakes, cookies, and punch will be served at tables adorned in pink linens and set with festive Nutcracker dolls. After refreshments, members of the senior and junior companies of the City Youth Ballet will perform some of the ballet pieces from the Nutcracker production. Then, tea party-goers can take the stage with Clara and learn a few dances themselves.

All proceeds from the afternoon will help offset production costs for “The Nutcracker,” set for December 12 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Veterans Administration Memorial Theater. Tickets will be available at Clara’s Tea and at the door.

Free parking for this event is available behind Nelson’s Art Gallery at State of Franklin Road and Colonial Way. The parking has been donated by URA Associates.

For more information call (423)434-2195

The City Youth Ballet will join with the East Tennessee Regional Symphony on October 21 to present the children’s tale “Peter and the Wolf.” The story will be told with orchestra music and in ballet with company members of the City Youth Ballet.

A school performance will be held at 10 a.m. on the campus of Milligan College. More information to come.

The City Youth Ballet will host classes Sept 10-12 and Sept 24-26 with Janet Hana Park, a former member of the Sun Hee Jang’s Ballet Company with the Korean National Theater. Classes are open to dancers ages 10 and up.

Classes will be held at the City Youth Ballet’s studios, 3501 W. Market Street, September 10 at 3:30 and 5 p.m.; September 11 at 3:30; and September 12 at 11 a.m. She returns September 24-26 for another set of classes. Classes are $20 each for non-CYB members. For more information, call the City Youth Ballet at 423-434-2195.

Ms. Park was born in Ashland, Ohio and after age 6 was raised in the Republic of Korea. She started her dance training at age 9, and later graduated from Kae-Won High School of Art. In 2009, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Dancing (classical ballet) from Sae-Jong University, Seoul, Korea, one of the finest schools of performing arts in Korea.

She received a Certificate of Qualification of Ballet Teaching from the Korea Association of Dance Leaders in 2008. She was a instructor of Yi-Reh Dance Academy in 2007-‘08, and became a leading instructor teaching at Bun-Dang International School in 2008. Ms. Park was a member of Professor Sun Hee Jang’s Ballet Company at the Korean National Theater in Seoul and appeared in performances of FAUST and CARMEN, and also performed in PRAYER and COUNTRY MARKET OF KOREA at Khabarovsk, Russia in 2000.

Ms. Park has earned numerous awards including the Special Gold prize in Ballet by the Korea Association of Dance Leaders. Ms. Park moved to Buffalo, New York, in January, 2009, and joined the Buffalo City Ballet. Ms. Park will be working with the City Youth Ballet and its training school, the Johnson City Ballet Academy, this year in association with Marvin Askew of Buffalo City Ballet and through the generosity of Stanley and Christy Dunbar.

Join the City Youth Ballet of Johnson City in the Nutcracker’s magical Land of Sweets at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15 p.m. at the CYB studios on West Walnut Street in the Burlington Park South Mall. Admission is $5. The performance is part of the City Youth Ballet’s Lollip series, petit ballets for children.

Junior and senior company members of the City Youth Ballet will perform excerpts from the outstanding third act of the Nutcracker ballet, set in the Land of Sweets. This land is home to the Nutcracker Prince who takes Clara there in gratitude for saving his life. Among the dances will be Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Candy Canes, Arabian, Reed Pipers known as shepherdesses, and, of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy.

After the performance, the City Youth Ballet will host a Sugar Plum fair with booths for crafts, Nutcracker gifts, face painting, and chances for audience goers to meet the dancers.

All proceeds from the afternoon will support the operations of the City Youth Ballet, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and entertaining Northeast Tennessee audiences with ballet performances. For more information, call (423) 434-2195.

The studios are located just off West State of Franklin Road, south of the Johnson City Medical Center, and near the Krogers and Zaxby’s. Turn on to West Walnut Street (the old Jonesborough highway) and travel about 1/4 of a mile to the Burlington Park Mall South, the former Burlington Industries. Enter the building under the black CYB banner.

The spirit of Christmas comes alive December 7 and 8 when the City Youth Ballet of Johnson City debuts the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol” at the Veterans Administration Memorial Theatre at Mountain Home. The holiday production is a treat for the entire family and tells in ballet the beloved story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s quest to know the joy of giving.

Tickets are available at Bear ‘n Friends, Party Central, the Johnson City Area Arts Council or at the door. General admission tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for children under 12. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. performances. For more information, call 423-434-2195.

“A Christmas Carol” features the talents of some 20 dancers, all members of the City Youth Ballet’s junior and senior companies. They are led by senior dancers Anna Daught, Edith Dunbar, and Gwynn Root, who portray the spirits of Christmas past, present, and yet to come, respectively. Junior dancer Maggie Hensley carries the role of Tiny Tim.

The dancers bring to stage a spirited vitality in the opening scene a market square in London, where they are busy preparing for Christmas, only to have their revelry interrupted by the crotchety Scrooge portrayed by David Clinkscales, a Texas A & M theatre major and professional actor now studying for the ministry at Emmanuel School of Religion. Robert Kitchens, whose talents have been featured at Barter Theatre as well as a host of productions at his alma mater, Milligan College, portrays both Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s overworked employee, and Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s deceased business partner.

“Our dancers and the professional actors have created a true gift to our community in that this entire evening will put the audience in the Christmas spirit,” says Susan Pace-White, the CYB’s artistic director, and one of the production’s producers and directors along with Traci Honeycutt.

Opulent costumes of the Victorian era are another highlight of the performance, many of them created by CYB’s wardrobe mistress, Sharon Ritchie. In addition, the colorful stage sets are being designed by local artist Peggy Root and built by CYB volunteers.

The debut marks a change in the history of City Youth Ballet and the training school, the Johnson City Ballet Academy. For 27 years, the ballet organization has presented “The Nutcracker.” A change was made this year to offer something new to audiences as well as challenge the dancers with a production that features so well the dancers’ artistry and athleticism. Already, more than 500 school children are signed up to attend the school performances and a host of senior citizen groups will attend another daytime show on December 7.

“Carnival of Animals,” a contemporary ballet featuring ballet dancers as whimsical creatures, comes to stage at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 15, at the studios of the City Youth Ballet of Johnson City, 2203 McKinley Road at the Burlington Park Mall’s South entrance off West Walnut Street. The ballet is part of CYB’s Lollipop Series, petit ballets by children and for children. Tickets are $4 at the door.

“Carnival of Animals” features ballet dancers dressed as lions, unicorns, elephants, fish, birds, and tortoises — dancing to the music of French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. Saint-Saëns wrote the composition for a private performance for his friends, but since it has become one of America’s most popular ballets.

Choreography for the local ballet was done by senior members of the City Youth Ballet under the direction of its artistic director, Susan Pace-White. The dancers are members of the CYB’s Junior Company.

For more information call the CYB at (423) 434-2195.

Jennifer Wheat, ballet mistress at the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, is again coming to the City Youth Ballet for a week-long workshop beginning Monday, August 13.

As you know, Jennifer has been a favorite for her artistry, superb teaching technique, and her love for our dancers. The workshop will focus on ballet technique. She will teach a little choreography at the very end of the workshop for all dancers to perform at a CYB family gathering on Friday, August 17 at 7 p.m. at the studio.

The workshop is open to all CYB dancers and will be held at the studio.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 3:45-5:45

Cost: $100

The CYB so much appreciates Steve and Anne Darden for making possible this excellent opportunity for our dancers.

In the first of a series of children’s ballets, the City Youth Ballet brings to stage “Peter and the Wolf” at 11 a.m., Friday, July 6, at the CYB studio, 2203 McKinley Road, off West Walnut Street, in Johnson City. Admission is $4 at the door.

This classic children’s tale is a delight for the entire family and features the talents of CYB’s Junior Company, as well as Senior Company members, Allen Smith, who portrays Peter, and Jennifer Darden, who portrays the grandmother. For more information, call (423) 389-5524.

These children’s ballets, the Lollipop series, are petite ballets performed for children and by children. Mark your calendars for Sept. 15 for the next in the series, “Carnival of the Animals.” All proceeds from the series support the City Youth Ballet’s productions and operations.

Ballet and fitness take center stage in early June for over 100 girls from Girls Inc. as they take part in a two-week clinic hosted by the City Youth Ballet of Johnson City. The clinic, held at the ballet company’s new studio off West Walnut Street, is funded by a grant from the Johnson City Sports Foundation.

At the clinic, girls ages 5 to 11 are learning fitness and muscle-strengthening
techniques as well as being introduced to the athleticism and artistry of classical ballet. The instructors are some of the senior and junior members of the City Youth Ballet and its artistic director, Susan Pace-White.

Ms. Pace-White, a former member of the Miami Junior Civic Ballet, has taught ballet for nearly 40 years. She trains dancers for the City Youth Ballet via the Johnson City Ballet Academy, one of the oldest classical ballet schools in Tennessee. The CYB produces such ballets as “The Nutcracker” for audiences in Northeast Tennessee. As part of their training, students work on fitness and strengthening techniques.

“This clinic is a major outreach to the community and will introduce so many girls to the beauty of ballet while we have a lot of fun working on fitness techniques,” said Ms. Pace-White.

The clinic will be held June 4-15 at the CYB’s studios in Burlington Park South Mall, 2303 McKinley Road. Classes for the youngest dancers will be held at Girls Inc.

Girls Inc. is a United Way agency serving the Washington County area. The Johnson City Sports Foundation has given over $150,000 to youth organizations to fulfill its mission of distributing funds earned from operating the Johnson City Cardinals baseball organization.