Courtesy of SWVA Ballet
Southwest Virginia Ballet, a non-profit organization and dance company, will begin tryouts for their annual production of "The Nutcracker" in September.
September 1 auditions at the Star City School of Ballet between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. are for local dancers interested in performing dancing parts with the ballet company.
September 8 auditions at Tanglewood Mall between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. are for non-dancing extra parts of the production.
Members of the ballet company auditioned in the spring and began rehearsals in August 2019. Rehearsals are held Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the Junior company and 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for the senior company.
Artistic Director, Pedro Szalay, said, “Every time I do the auditions I love to see the enjoyment of why they want to be apart of the production and, especially, of the dancers coming from the beginning when they were six to now, where some company members do major roles.”
Szalay, a former professional dancer, said he values the time and commitment of the company members and their parents.
“This was my job, six days a week for eight hours,” Szalay said. “You know for them to accomplish what they do is incredible. Their dedication and passion for what they do. It’s about their time and commitment to learning and the support of their parents that make this possible.”
Southwest Virginia Ballet, located in the Star City School of Ballet, have company members coming from many cities in the Blue Ridge area, including Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Galax and Charlottesville.
About the Writer:
Jennifer F. Riales is a Roanoke-based freelance writer and blogger. She and her husband, both originating from Memphis, TN, enjoy visiting local coffeehouses, going on walks with their dog and cuddling with their two cats.