Junction Dance Festival Crosses the River to Include Lebanon NH
You could, as David Bowie suggests, “put on your red shoes and dance the blues.” Or, if not the blues, perhaps the flamenco.
The third Annual Junction Dance Festival, July 13 to 21, 2024, has expanded beyond its home base in White River Junction to include events in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
TJDF offers 14 exciting workshops encompassing various dance styles, from ballet and Scottish dance to breakdancing and the aforementioned flamenco. (Flamenco at AVA Gallery, July 20, 2:30 pm.) Note also an Intergenerational Movement Workshop for kids and seniors on July 18, 11:00 a.m, at Norwich Public Library in Norwich, VT. In the words of the festival organizers, “most workshops cater to beginners with little or no experience.”
The festival showcases over 20 works by New England dance artists at diverse venues, including the Briggs Opera House, Lebanon Ballet School, and AVA Gallery, all within walking distance in downtown areas. Expect a vibrant mix of performances, featuring ethnic, street, contemporary, ballet, improvisation, and folk dance styles. Evening performances will take place on July 20 and 21 at the Briggs Opera House in White River Junction, VT.
A family-friendly event: Thumbelina
Thumbelina: Ballet Story Films by Avant Vermont Dance: July 20th, 11:00 am. Duration: 40 minutes
Come revel in the joy of Thumbelina, an original, family-friendly story ballet! Audiences of all ages will delight in this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story of Thumbelina, a tiny girl who goes on a big adventure to find a magical place where she truly belongs. Performed by a cast of regional dancers, Thumbelina is set to a narrated composition by Vermont composer Evan Premo (Scrag Mountain Music), with choreography by Ashley Hensel-Browning.
Admission is by optional donation to ensure Thumbelina is accessible to as many members of our community as possible. Lyman Point Park, WRJ: tickets by donation
The schedule at a glance . . . (larger format available on website):
For more information, please see the festival’s website, which is filled with information about the workshops, performances, venues and artists, and will let you know which events are free, and which require a ticket or suggest a donation.
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And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.