VCU Flamenco Festival VII: Spanish Soul

Friday, March 23, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.
Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall
W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts
VCU Flamenco Festival VII

Guitarist and VCU music alumna Leah Kruszewski currently resides in Seville, Spain, where she has spent the last four years deepening her knowledge of flamenco at the Fundación Cristina Heeren, one of Spain’s most renowned professional flamenco schools. While in Richmond, she founded the flamenco-inspired ensemble Sueños Gitanos and performed extensively as a soloist, with Fado Nosso (Portuguese fado music) and with the Richmond Guitar Quartet (classical guitar). Leah accompanies flamenco singers and dancers in Seville and teaches online guitar classes to students from around the world.

From the passionate fury of flamenco to tango’s forbidden heat, the elegance of classical ballet to the earthen power of modern dance, the Latin Ballet of Virginia uses the expressive beauty of movement to weave the tales and traditions that are the heart and soul of Hispanic culture. Directed by Ana Ines King, The Latin Ballet of Virginia (LBV) combines technical excellence with a soulful depth of emotion and an unwavering commitment to education, diversity and accessibility.

Tickets:
$15 General Admission
$10 Students
Click here to purchase tickets

Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts
Department of Music
Contact us

Source:: http://arts.vcu.edu/music/2017/12/12/spanish-soul-featuring-guitarist-leah-ana-ines-king-latin-ballet-march-23/

Save the Arts!

Photo by: Maggie Collins Photography

Can you imagine your child not being able to watch Sesame Street? What about the artists and galleries supported by the Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts or any of these -- Meals on Wheels, heating assistance for low income people, college financial aid for low income people, nutrition for pregnant and nursing women, nutrition for kids in developing countries, after school and summer programs for kids in low income communities, emergency food assistance, efforts to revitalize public housing, and cutting programs like AmeriCorps not to mention legal services for low income households.

Every cultural aspect of our community would disappear. How does this affect us? The NEA funds a huge chunk of Latin Ballet's operation. Every year they sponsor our productions and give us the ability to be able to bring things like "NuYoRican" not only to the Richmond stage, but also to the many places we travel within the year.

“The funding specifically applies to our literary program and helps us support independent voices from across the literary spectrum—writers, publishers, editors—as well as connect them with our increasingly diverse communities here in Iowa. The bottom line: this funding is helping us to build and connect communities through culture. We think it’s important work.”

— Andre Perry, co-founder of Mission Creek Festival in Iowa

We understand that fighting for arts and culture has been an ongoing battle with our government, but this cut would call for the elimination of four independent cultural agencies — the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — also would radically reshape the nation’s cultural infrastructure.

So many educational programs would be cut. Our children will find it difficult to be exposed to art, music, and even books. Places like the Dominion Arts Center, Richmond Ballet, VMFA and tons of educational and therapeutic arts centers would struggle to keep their doors open.  Latin Ballet of Virginia would find this elimination of programming devastating.

Donate to Latin Ballet Now

Take Action Now!
Here's how you can help!

VISIT

https://www.votervoice.net/ARTSUSA/address to find your Representative and Senators and their telephone numbers. Make sure to contact both their DC and district offices as many times you have a better chance of speaking to someone at the district office. Tell them that President Trump’s proposed budget includes total elimination of the NEA and that you support federal funding for the arts and ask them to SAVE THE NEA. 

Utilize Social Media Platforms
Post positive comments about how the arts have positively impacted your life and your community on the Facebook page of your local Representative and Senators Kaine and Warner. Take to Twitter and tweet at your Representative and Senators. Make sure to give your support for federal funding for the arts and ask them to #SAVEtheNEA. 

Advocacy Tip
Keep your messaging positive and in support of the arts and remember that party affiliation does not signal support or opposition here. The National Endowment for the Arts is popular among members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.

Tentative 6pm Sunday Date for Legend of the Poinsettia

Dear Friends and Familia,

As the ongoing weather of the day persisted. we are still in a holding pattern for Sunday's performances. As of yet, we are still performing at 3pm on Sunday if safety persists. We are trying to add a 6pm show and are confident we will be able to. Please keep informed through our website and social media. If you have any questions please contact us and please leave a message if no one is able to answer your call. We will return your call. Thank you all for your patience at this time and we should know more by noon tomorrow. 

Let's Get This Show on the Road!

From all of us at Latin Ballet of Virginia, Happy 2017!

With that being said, we have so many things on the horizon! Check it out!

Photo by: Mia Artz Photography

Thank you all for a wonderful 2016 year, but now is the time for new beginnings and great successes. We at Latin Ballet of Virginia are striving to be our very best and it all starts with you. We thank you all for the past year's contributions, the children who attended our classes, the educational programs we were able to give, the sponsorships received by our students, and ability to put on our lively performances. May 2017 bring us more success and smiles upon our students' and our audiences' faces. 

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Time is Running Out!

Don't forget to book your tickets now to our 17th Annual Celebration of  the "Legend of the Poinsettia"! Continue the holiday festivities and join us for this vibrant and festive production.

Photo by: Mia Artz Photography

SIGN UP NOW!!

Latin Ballet is offering a special discount for Spring/Summer Classes. Register now and you get January FREE!!! Come learn ballet, Flamenco, Salsa/Bachata, Hip Hop, and so much more....

NuYoRican - Reserve Your Tickets Now!

We are proud and excited to bring NuYoRican to the LBV stage again in March! This important and relevant dance theater production tells the true story of the Migration that became a Movement that shaped a Culture. Moving stories from authors, Julia Barden Torres, Esmeralda Santiago, Piri Thomas, and others. 

Photo by: Mia Artz Photography

Help Us, Educate.

It's a new year and we have new challenges ahead. We would like very much to be a part of your school's curriculum or field trip. We would also like to continue to give children the ability to take our classes. We also wish for more resources to aid in the salaries of our staff, buying materials for productions and allowing us to give you the quality of production that is Latin Ballet. As always, your contributions are humbly accepted and much appreciated!

Two More Days!!

It's a Holly Jolly Christmas...

Rountree's Luggage of Richmond, VA is sadly going out of business. In the next two days EVERYTHING MUST GO! Why are we mentioning this? Well, Rountree's is a proud sponsor of Latin Ballet of Virginia and the proceeds from the remaining merchandise will be donated to Latin Ballet. So, show your support and give us a little Holiday cheer simply by going to purchase everything from ties to luggage to travel games and novelties! Hurry, time waits for no one!

Latin Ballet Receives Honored Contribution from Dominion

Dominion Foundation gave $1 million to support youth enrichment and programming in Central Virginia. Latin Ballet was honored to receive a $15,000 contribution towards the "Be Proud of Yourself" Program. We appreciate the continued support of Dominion Foundation and their efforts to aid in the growth of Richmond's youth. President of Dominion Foundation & Director, Community Affairs, Hunter Applewhite along with Simon Hodges, Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Financial Analysis at Dominion, presented the very generous donations to 11 of Central Virginia organizations. Junior Achievement hosted the event this morning and demonstrated their programs that help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to be fiscally prepared and responsible while managing and creating capital.

Tonya's Story

Dancers Marisol Betancourt and Roberto Whitaker

Thanks to the successful efforts and collaboration of ArtoberVA and the Better Housing Coalition, we were humbled and ecstatic by this particular response and we wanted to take a moment to share. It is moments like this that make Latin Ballet of Virginia very proud and we thank CultureWorks for their continued support and collaboration.

This is Tonya's story.

During ArtoberVA we partnered with the Better Housing Coalition and a handful of artists to bring performances and collaborative arts experiences into neighborhoods historically underserved by arts and culture. 

While planning a performance at BHC's Winchester Greens community in North Chesterfield with the Latin Ballet of Virginia, we learned that the Latin Ballet had offered a free dance workshop for the children there six years ago.

Through that workshop one young lady, "Tonya", discovered a new world that changed her life forever.

Tonya did not know cultural Hispanic music or dance. The free workshop changed Tonya's life. She fell in love with dance. Latin Ballet offered her a scholarship, and motivated by her new passion, she continued to dance, and discovered something more of herself and the world around her.

Recently Tonya performed on stage with the Latin Ballet of Virginia. She continues to embrace new experiences and is open to new possibilities for her future all because her world was changed by one arts and culture experience six years ago. 

Source: Richmond CultureWorks

Fiesta del Sol

A celebration of the culture and traditions of Latin America

It's ARTOBER! Come spend a nice Friday (October 14th) eve with us as we celebrate Latin culture! The Latin Ballet and the Better Housing Coalition, in partnership with CultureWorks, brings Fiesta del Sol! Bring the family and see the vibrant diversity of Hispanic culture with dancing from the Latin Ballet. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy! Food Trucks will be available. Rain or Shine. We look forward to seeing you dancing to the Latin beats! Dancing begins at 5:30pm.

We Did It!

Welcome to the new look of Latin Ballet of Virginia!

We are so happy and excited about our new website! We realize there is still some tweaking to do, but we have a nice elegant design now for your enjoyment. Feel free to peruse the site and stay tuned for more exciting updates. Please note, you can now register for classes on our website as well as pay for them. All at the click of a mouse! 

We have also added a blog to our website. This will allow us to create stories from our performances to our classes and even post some delightful things about Latin dance. We hope you visit us frequently and we look forward to seeing YOU at Latin Ballet soon!

Besos, 
The Staff at Latin Ballet of Virginia