Genevieve
Ross/Appeal-Democrat
Monica Ramirez,
left, and Veronica Navarro perform a ballet piece along with other
members of the Rakela Academy of Dance during Dance 2000 Sunday
at the Marysville Auditorium.
Dancers get moment in spotlight
Wes Sander
Appeal-Democrat
Nearly 200 young dancers milled around excitedly backstage at
the Marysville Community Auditorium Sunday afternoon, a whirl of energy
before the show. They prepared themselves hurriedly in the dressing room
for the second performance of the youth dance extravaganza, Dance 2000
"Delivering Memories." The event happened for the first time Saturday
evening with a two-hour program of dances from a variety of cultures.
A second performance took place Sunday afternoon.
Dance 2000 attracted an estimated 1,000 people over its weekend run. It
was the first-ever performance of an event that Jacque Dake, the show's
director, hopes will become a community tradition.
"It's very much trial-and-error right now," said Dake, owner of Jacque's
Dance Expressions in Yuba City. "The community has never had something
like this." The concept for Dance 2000 started when Dake brought the idea
before the Yuba-Sutter Regional Arts Council in July. It wasn't until
October, however, that she finally received enough sponsorship from area
businesses to start selling area dance groups, as well as her own students,
on the idea. Since then, Dake has worked nonstop to get the show off the
ground.
"It was really hard to let people know about it," Dake said. Many people,
she said, reacted with a degree of skepticism at first - simply because
the area doesn't have much precedent for community events of this type.
"We need to start supporting (the Yuba-Sutter Arts Council) more," Dake
said.
Felipe Arellano and Luis Santana of Xtoleus de la Danca, a Marysville
troupe that performs the traditional "Jarocho" style of dance from Veracruz,
Mexico, hung around the backstage hallway while the girls prepared themselves
in the dressing room.
"This kind of thing doesn't happen very often," said Luis Santana, director
of his troupe. "I wish it did. It's great because we get a chance to meet
other dance groups." Santana's group was the third act on stage. Arellano
and Santana, the only male members of their eight-member group, stomped
their feet to Latin rhythms while their partners whirled around the stage
in traditional, ruffled white dresses that floated through the air in
great waving circles.
Meanwhile, the Yuba City Wildcats cheerleading squad seemed to have trouble
holding still as they awaited their cue backstage.
Ten-year-old Ashley Mosley, a soft-spoken but energetic member of the
group, practiced her jumps and spins up and down the hallway.
Eight-year-old Kaylee Fielding of Olivehurst, a fourth-year cheerleader
and veteran of the two-year-old Wildcats squad, projected a sense of nonchalance
about the performance ahead. When asked if she was nervous, she shook
her head emphatically before admitting, "Yeah." But the Wildcats have
seen larger audiences. They performed at Sacramento's Pig Bowl in January
with 30 other cheerleading squads.
"We're just proud to see them here," said Kimberly Mosley, Ashley's older
sister and one of the group's coaches. A group of youngsters from Dake's
studio performed a jazz-style number accompanied by a medley from the
musical "Grease." The only thing missing from their sparkling Pink Ladies
outfits and hand-jiving dance moves was the popping of bubble-gum.
Marysville resident Venita Katir gave two performances of Bharata Natyan,
the traditional story-telling dance of India. Katir has studied the form
for the past five years, three of them at the highly respected Bharata
Vedya Bharen dance school in England, said her father, Easan Katir.
Venita Katir's well-disciplined poses and intricate hand movements told
the story of the Hindu god Siva. Her father explained the form to the
audience before his daughter emerged on stage, bangles jingling as she
stomped her feet to the steady rhythms of her traditional accompaniment.
For all the youthful energy, creativity and hard work fueling both weekend
shows, one person in particular stood at the center.
As Dake began introducing the second act of Sunday's show from the corner
of the stage, a small group of performers snuck up behind her with a bouquet
of flowers, taking her momentarily off guard.
"Because you've done such a good job," said a young member of the group
into the microphone.
