LifeChance

Probably the best ballet event in town happens near the end of January every year when Radenko Pavlovich puts on his benefit performance of LifeChance ballet. He brings in amazing artists who almost always bring the house down. He also dances his own company, too, which is great. This year, top dancers included homeboy Brooklyn Mack who hails from Elgin and began his work under Radenko years ago. Brooklyn is a dynamic dancer and probably the hardest working man in show business. He has cultivated a real love affair with his audience, making sure that we never forget that he is dancing for us. He does us all proud. ~~~~~ We also got to see some other fine local stars, including Jeanette Medina, who came back to the stage for this performance as a favor to Radenko. She's a beautiful girl and was a real standout in Humberto Teixeira's opening piece, Pilar. (Humberto is a member of Pavlovich's Co-Co-Columbia Classical Ballet and a fine choreographer.) Jeanette danced alongside Bonnie Boiter-Jolley in another original piece, the Polovitsian Dances, choreographed by Leonid Flegmatov, who is also in the company. Bonnie Boiter-Jolley is another one of those dancers we are amazingly fortunate to have in Co-Co-Columbia. She got her start here as a child dancing under William I'm-A-Starrett and then Pavlovich as she matured. She studied for several summers at New York City's American Ballet Theatre where she was a favorite of the late Rebecca Wright. Then, after studying for a year under Stacey Calvert, another Co-Co-Columbia daughter and New York City Ballet star, she went away to North Carolina School of the Arts and became a favorite there of the late, great, and legendary Melissa Hayden, and Bobby Lindgren, founder of the North Carolina Dance Theatre. AT NCSA, she danced principal roles in Balanchine pieces like Symphonie Concertante and La Sonnambula, as well as Kitri in Don Q and the Snow Queen in Lindgren's NCSA Nutcracker. When she graduated and it was time to start her career though, Bonnie turned down offers to dance at places like Cincinnati Ballet and NCDT to take a full academic scholarship at USC and study again under Stacey Calvert. Great things await this girl. ~~~~~ Another stand-out at LifeChance was Andre Teixeira from NCDT. Andre danced with Brooklyn, Bonnie and Jeannette in the Polovitsian Dances, but also gave us a Paquita solo that was worth the price of admission alone. ~~~ Sarah Hairston, also a local girl who has done well, was glorious in Journey along side Jay Goodlet. Sarah is a soloist with Cincinnati Ballet who also trained in Co-Co-Columbia and then at NCSA under Melissa Hayden. ~~ The amount of dance talent in Co-Co-Columbia and coming out of Co-Co-Columbia astounds. Is it the weather? The water? Something about that stupid confederate flag flying at the statehouse that produces some kind of fury in these kids making them dance their frustrations out? What is it in our fair land that makes us spit out such talent? I don't know, but maybe Jessica Trotter should research this, find out, then bundle, bag or bottle it and sell it down at Gotta Dance.

Wild Things at the Koger Center

Had the opportunity to check out Co-Co-Columbia City Ballet's "Where the Wild Things Are" last weekend. We'd seen the show before but wanted to check out Septime Webre's Choreography again with a new eye. Jose Serrano never fails to give one hundred percent and, as Max, he was animated, energetic, and wonderfully playful -- a far better casting job than last time when some tall Brit Boy danced the part. Jose comes to Co-Co-Columbia from Puerto Rico by way of Radenko Pavlovich's slippery hands ... (Radenko my friend, you get some amazing dancers in your company -- you need to either treat them gently and lovingly -- like Fiona always says -- or tie them to your ballet barre, because you've let some fine talent come and go ... but, in your defense my fellow Serb, how William keeps Jose in his stable, is anyone's guess.) Jose is not only an entertaining artist, but a good person and fine role model for young male dancers, to boot. Co-Co-Columbia is lucky to have him on our stages.~~~~~ We were also looking forward to seeing William and Mariclare dance together - not because we expected it to be anything other than sweet, which it was, so we were satisfied. If anyone expected more than sentimentality, they went to the wrong show. Mariclare and William danced to "A Fine Romance" and "The Way You Look Tonight" as a gift to their audience members who have watched them grow up and grow older through the years -- and make no mistake about it, Fiona accepts their gift with a gracious heart. (The rest of the Tribute to Fred Astaire, I could take or leave -- but Fiona does feel the need to mention that we hope Billy Boy was paying Senore Serrano double-time, no,make that triple-time, for all the sweat he flung that night, dancing lead in three separate pieces. Yeah, Jose's got some chops alright.)

Surprised already, aren't you?

Well, of course you are. Those who don't know Co-Co-Columbia may not realize that this lovely little southern berg is actually oooozing in arts. We have several theatre groups (note how I spelled "theater" as" theatre" -- being the passionate little sophisticate that I am); a big orchestra, a small orchestra, a university orchestra and even a lake orchestra (ha! thought I'd forget about Lake Murray, did you not?); and then there are our ballet companies ... Oh my, yes there are ... We have the traditional civic company, with the wise and lovely John Whitehead at the helm. Each year residents of Co-Co-Columbia eagerly await the placement of a giant nutcracker (a scary thought in itself, for young and fragile things like me and mine) outside our beloved Township Theater (sorry, can't spell this spot in the European fashion -- just wouldn't suit - though it has hosted some glorious acts in its day ... Dylan and Wrestle-mania, for example) indicating that Mr. Whitehead and his lovely band of beautiful children will soon grace the stage with a traditional rendition of The Nutcracker that brings tears of joy and pride to many a mama's eye. Then we have Co-Co-Columbia City Ballet held erect (oh my!) by the equally lovely and evidently ageless (a-hem) William I'm-a-Starrett. Billy Boy has sunk his heart and soul (see Stephen Vincent Benet), as well as some portion of his facial tissue, into the love and care of this company. He has good years -- and he has bad years -- but somehow, though always teetering on the edge of disaster, (who am I kidding? think you I should say "sometimes swimming in the sea of disaster?" -- but wrong you are, I should not, for I am kind and gentle, gentle and kind, remember thee?), the uncrease-able William always manages to keep his boat afloat. And finally, last and usually not least, is Co-Co-Columbia Classical Ballet under the direction of our resident Serb, Radenko Pavlovich. Say it again, "Phaaav-loh-vheeech." Once more and this time breathy with some phlegm in your mouth that makes a little growly sound on the "Phaaav" part. That's right, "Phaaav-loh-vheech ..." Fun, huh? If the Co-Co-Columbia ballet war could be won on a name alone, Master Phaaavlohvheech would surely win every time. Alas, as he well knows (as does everyone else who knows anything at all about ballet) it takes a lot more than talent, vision and a hotsy eastern European name to make a ballet company succeed. Can somebody say, "Ca-Ching?" That's right, you gotta have bucks -- you gotta have bucks (this, by the way should be sung to the tune of "you gotta have heart" -- but heart won't get you squat when it comes to the arts in Co-Co-Columbia .... it's sad, I know ... Reality just sucks sometimes. If you don't believe me, ask the owners of all the galleries that have opened and closed on the same day around here. It can be a dirty business, art can-- see Art Spiegelman.) But talk of galleries and shows and buttons and bows will have to wait on another edition of "On Columbia! Left to the aRts!" Coming up shortly on this public space ... until then I remain your kind and gentle, gentle and kind, Fiona I. Wanna -- gentleman at large.