Cleveland Dance Movement and Verb “Ohio Contemporary Ballet” are kicking off Hispanic Heritage month with an open community workshop on September 17, 2022 featuring artists, Bryan Andres Salinas and Norma Jean Barnes! The evening will encompass two masterclasses by the artists in residence followed by a meet-and-greet reception. Verb dancer Bryan Andres Salinas, from Colombia, will take participants through a beginner salsa lesson and Norma Jean Barnes, from Pittsburgh, will take participants through a beginner/intermediate Dunham lesson. Participants of all ages (10-adult) and ability levels are welcome. Together the two organizations seek to bring the community a deeper appreciation and understanding of cultures while finding community in dance.

4:00- 4:55pm Intro to Salsa taught by Bryan Andres Salinas
Bryan Andres Salinas joined Verb Ballets in 2022 from Colombia as a part of the International Cultural Exchange Program. He will be sharing South America’s dance traditions and will be teaching a beginner salsa lesson! This class is 55 minutes long and open to all.

5:00-6:00pm Dunham taught by Norma Jean Barnes
Norma Jean Barnes will be sharing the Dunham technique developed by Katherine Dunham. Which is based in the integration of mind, body, and spirit and marries the language of ballet with traditional dance forms from the African diaspora! This class is an hour long and open to all.

6:00-6:30pm Meet and greet with light refreshments

Verb had planned on performing Pas da Dix as part of our Lakeside Chautauqua program the summer of 2020 with the Lakeside Symphony but was canceled due to the pandemic. Once the company resumed the work restaged and live stream on the Classical Variations program in 2021. VThe ballet opens with the ensemble in beautiful radiant tutus, full of spirited czardas rhythms. Both directors Dr. Margaret Carlson and Richard Dickinson, MFA have danced this challenging ballet and are pleased to bring this classic to the company repertory. Read about the  memories this piece brings back for them.

Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director

What did you like about the role?
I have always wanted to add Raymonda’s Wedding to Verb’s vast repertory because it was one of my most beloved roles in my dance career. I performed the lead role of Raymonda, that you will see on Friday night, with the original Cleveland Ballet in the 1970s. I began as one of the corps couples and later went into a principal role where I partnered with Cleveland Ballet co-founder, Dennis Nahat. My favorite section that I performed was the solo variation that was created by Dennis. I felt that his version really captured the feeling of a young princess on her wedding night with the fears, anticipation, and passion.

What is your fondest memory of the piece?
Our first performance was at the old Cleveland Playhouse church theater. The stage did not have a cross over space for the dancers to walk behind. To get to the other side we had to crawl through a small dirty space under the stage. The wardrobe person would meet us at our exit, throw a big sheet over us, then we both would have to crawl on our hands and knees to cross under the stage. All the while making sure the sheet stayed on us so the costumes weren’t ruined!

Then and now, it seems the dancers will be performing this work with the orchestra this summer and the beauty of this classic will shine on.