2019 marks the 32nd season of the Santa Ynez Valley Performing Arts Company (also known as the Fossemalle Dance Studio). The popular youth program will present its annual showcase, An Invitation to Dance, starting Thursday, June 20, at 7 p.m. at the Santa Ynez Valley High School Little Theater. This year’s event also marks the company’s return to the venue, which was closed for repairs during last year’s showcase.
“It is wonderful to be back in our home, the High School Little Theater, where we have shared so many memories and milestones over the years,” company founder and director Christine Fossemalle told the Sun.
The Fossemalle Studio has been performing at the Little Theater since its first season in 1986, with 2018 being the one exception, Fossemalle said. With more than 30 years of experience under her belt, Fossemalle finds teaching the program to be consistently rewarding.
“The satisfaction from these past 32 seasons comes from witnessing young 6- to 7-year-old girls and a few dedicated boys timidly performing, to 10 to 12 years later elegantly expressing themselves through their chosen art form after countless hours of training,” Fossemalle said. “As a teacher, the reward could not be any more inspiring and encouraging.”
Dancers ranging from ages 6 to 18 will be performing a mix of ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and tap choreography during the recital. Each year, Fossemalle and her students decide on a specific theme to base the show around. “All About Props” was chosen for this year’s program, with a variety of props—flower garlands, parasols, beach balls, brooms, toys, and other items—accompanying each dance.
While some dances are set to selections from classical composers—including Johann Strauss, Leo Delibes, and Jules Massenet—others revolve around hits from contemporary artists like Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, and Gloria Estefan.
“Each piece has been most enjoyable to create and direct, some with more challenges than others, of course,” Fossemalle said. “One piece, however, holds a special meaning—‘Happy Clowns,’ as it was recently performed as a homage to world-renowned artist, friend, and mentor Marta Becket.”
The Fossemalle Studio first performed the piece at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley last February in memory of Becket, who passed away in 2017. As a longtime friend and admirer of Becket, Fossemalle was heartbroken to hear the news of her passing, she said.
“Miss Becket has had a lasting influence on my overall creative endeavors,” Fossemalle said, who hopes the clown-themed dance will honor Becket’s legacy as a choreographer as well as her love for the circus.
Two additional performances of the recital will follow its opening—on Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, both at 7 p.m. Fossemalle hopes prospective new members of the dance program will be among the audience, she said.
“Aspiring dancers, keep up the enthusiasm, drive, and hard work,” Fossemalle said. “You have chosen—or have been chosen for—this field. The satisfaction you will get from a beautiful performance will be unique and uplifting; it will feed your soul.”
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood needs to brush up on DDR. Send information to cwiseblood@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jun 20-27, 2019.