South students are participating in a spring ballet with Indiana University’s Pre-College Ballet program to mark the end of second semester classes. The performance will take place on May 5 at the Musical Arts Center.
The ballet dancers have been preparing for the performance since February. Presently, rehearsals take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays during pointe classes that go on for about an hour. An extra hour is also reserved for rehearsal time on Saturdays after regularly scheduled classes take place.
As performance day approaches, technique class times will be cut short, and the extra time will be used to run rehearsals. The pieces will be practiced on the stage more often to ensure the best performance possible.
A variety of training and choreography will be showcased based on age and level by the ballet students. The performance will mark the last day of ballet classes until August.
“It opens with a piece that Ginabel [Peterson] choreographed for the ballet eight [level],” freshman Sophia Ramlo said, “the rest of the first act are variations and pieces performed by different levels until intermission.”
The second act will then open with a piece choreographed by Rebecca Janes, as well as more individual pieces performed by various age groups. Lastly, a jazz piece with choreography by Sterling Manka will end the performance.
“I’m excited for the performance, because we’ve worked hard on all of our pieces, and overall, it’s been a fun year,” Ramlo said.
Junior Grace May’s remaining days at IU are numbered as the ballet year comes to an end. May will graduate as a senior next spring, making next year’s performance her last.
“I’m feeling really weird,” May said, “This year went by super fast, but even more I haven’t fully accepted that next year is my last. It’ll be crazy for this huge chapter of my life to end.”
