Carli selected
Gina Carli has been selected to participate in the American Ballet Theatre’s collegiate summer intensive program. She will be living and dancing in New York City this summer for three weeks.
ABT is one of the world’s most revered and innovative dance companies. The program is designed for artists ages 18-24 involved in the pursuit of higher education. Dancers have daily technique classes in ballet and modern dance, and will participate in classes focused on ABT repertory, pointe work, composition, production, and choreography. The program is led by world-class faculty, headed by Melissa Allen Bowman at ABT’s 890 Broadway studios.
Carli is a sophomore at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N. Y. where she is a dance and theater major with a concentration in dance and a minor in film studies. She is president of her school’s theater club, Players Guild, and is one of the school’s student leaders. She is currently directing her third play since coming to the school. In her spare time, Carli also takes classes at NYC’s Alvin Ailey studios.
Last summer, she studied dance in Arezzo, Italy, in Tuscany at the Accademia dell’arte for five weeks. There she studied ballet, modern, and choreography, along with some film making and the theater technique Commedia dell’arte. At the end of the program she performed in the International Arezzo Arts festival with artists from all over the world.
Carli performs in the dance concerts at her school, and last winter she danced in a production of The Nutcracker. She studies with Russian ballet instructor Andre Kissilev.Carli studied at Salisbury School of Ballet for 10 years, until her graduation from Salisbury High School in 2007.
She is the daughter of Rebecca Carli of Boone, and granddaughter of Jim and Betty Carli of Salisbury.
Painter honored
Donna Painter has been named Woman of the Year in dance instruction by the National Association of Professional and Executive Women.
Each honoree is selected from thousands of women in her field.
Painter has 30 years’ experience in the area of dance instruction.
As owner and instructor of Donna’s Dancers, she is responsible for business management, along with dance instruction for students ages 3 to adult. Donna’s Dancers provides instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, ballroom dancing, baton and clogging.
Music festival
The District Music Teachers’ Association District Piano Festival was held recently at Catawba College.
Students of Marsha K. Carter of China Grove performing were: David and Hannah Freeze, McKamie Harrison, Kim Fesperman, Iris Faggart, Brittney Burgess and Hannah Koontz.
Students received honor rating from judge Dr. Thomas Swenson of Salem College in Winston-Salem.
Hannah Freeze and Iris Faggart will compete at the State Piano Contest held at Queen’s University in Charlotte on April 18. Students are required to perform three memorized pieces from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, and are graded on accuracy in the correct style of the composer, imagination and interpretation.
Piano recital
Piano students of Mrs. Franklin Merrell were presented in their annual recital March 28 in the Fellowship Building of Union Lutheran Church.
Each of the students played twosolos, with music coming from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic and contemporary eras. All students were recognized as being participants in the upcoming American College of Musicians auditions to be held in late April.
Andy Hallett and Cristin Ritchie were recognized as they will be presenting the Sonatina program to earn the Sonatina Award.
Emily Graczyk was recognized as a senior. Emily has studied piano for 10 years, and upon presentation of her Guild program, will earn the prestigious Paderewski award for having played a 10-piece program each of her 10 years in Guild competition.
Other students participating in the recital were Anna-Leigh Shuping, Sarah Bess Hallett, Kaitlyn Burgess, Meredith Hovis, Katelyn Shuping and Lauren Thomas.