120 dancers to perform
By Sandy Morris
The Albany Dance Theatre Company will present “Once Upon A Time” this Saturday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Albany High School auditorium.
The performance is free to the public and will include 120 dancers from Albany and five surrounding communities.
“This year, we will feature seniors Hannah Snyder, Blanton Belcher, Sidney Bartee, Landree Connally, Torie Fuentes, and Addie Beth Denton,” said owner and co-director Betsy Black Parsons. “They will be performing as a group to ‘I Danced with Cinderella’.”
The senior dancers also have individual solos during the recital.
Schedule
The dancers and directors have been very busy with rehearsals taking place at the high school auditorium every day this week, including the dress rehearsal scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 4, with dancers instructed to arrive by 1:00 p.m. to be ready to practice the finale first.
“We are working from 8:00 a.m. until around 8:00 p.m. every day this week,” said Parsons, who is also the choreographer. “There are so many things that we have to do to get ready for the performance.”
Recital
Parsons, along with Malarie Sutton and Larson Garcia, are directing the 120 dancers, ages three to 18, in a total of 30 dances at the recital.
Lynda Heatly heads up the task of organizing the backstage for the dancers.
Student assistants this year include Chloe Daugherty, Presley Green, and Leddie Leech.
Wade Jones is in charge of sound, and Howard and Jann Todd provide the sound equipment.
Lighting is handled by Kaeler Russell and McKenna Wilkins, while Lucretia Jordan and Heatly oversee costume needs.
Set design and special effects are by Sheila Mayfield, Jody Hurley, Diedre Cauble, and Laura Perez.
Backstage assistants are Mandi Graham, Sidney Key, Alayna Koemel, Heatly, and Wilkins, in addition to a large group of volunteers.
Free Admission
There is no admission charge to the Dance Theatre Company’s 71st annual recital, and seating is first come, first serve excluding the reserved rows.
“Except for the family members of the senior dancers, there is not any reserved seating,” said Parsons. “The doors to the auditorium will open sometime between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m.”
Hundreds of family members and friends of the dancers are expected to attend the show.
Those who have a conflict and cannot come to the recital are welcome to attend the dress rehearsal, according to Parsons.
“We are so thankful to the school and Jonathan Scott for giving us carte blanche and full rein in using the auditorium,” said Parsons. “The school has always been so accommodating. The dance recital has been held in the school auditorium for 70 years!”
Last year, the recital was moved to the Whitney Theatre, and the smaller event only featured senior dancers due to COVID concerns.
The 2020 recital is the only performance that has not been held in the high school auditiorium.
