Cola Rep Dance Company Performs at 701 CCA - Sunday September 8th

701 Center for Contemporary Art

is proud to present the

Columbia Repertory Dance Company

in performance in the 701 CCA gallery on

Sunday, September 8, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This exciting event showcases choreography by CRDC co-founder and artistic director, Stephanie Wilkins, who was inspired by Jordan Sheridan’s exhibition, “Duality,” currently on view. Sheridan’s interactive exhibition will serve as the backdrop for this unique performance. Prepare to be moved as the dancers bring Sheridan’s artistic vision to life in a powerful fusion of art and dance.

“We are looking forward to adapting some of our favorite pieces of rep from the last few years to perform in and around Jordan’s installation,” says Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, CRDC co-founder and managing director. “The nature of Jordan’s work evokes the idea of movement with the manipulation of light through glass and fabric. As both a dancer and an arts patron, experiencing the highs and lows of these pieces as they are magnified by her work will be something really special.”

Columbia Repertory Dance Company - photo by Ashley Concannon

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!

701 CCA is a dynamic hub for contemporary artistic exploration, experimentation, and engagement. Founded in 2007, CCA functions as a catalyst for outstanding contemporary art, engaging diverse communities and diverse artists in meaningful dialogue. Considered one of the largest non-profit art centers in South Carolina, 701 CCA produces five to six contemporary art exhibitions annually, is free to visit and is open to the public five days a week.

701 CCA is located at 701 Whaley Street, 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201.

During exhibitions, hours are Thurs-Sun 1-5.

For more information, visit www.701cca.org.

Columbia Repertory Dance Company Announces Upcoming Performance in New Koger Center Space

Cola Rep Dance Co will present a full bill of dance Saturday and Sunday in the Koger Center’s new performance space, August 17th and 18th, 2024. “How to Fall Down” explores the idea that though it is inescapable to fall down in our lives, it is how we get up and learn to fail better that develops our character. Cola Rep Dance Co will perform “How to Fall Down” on Saturday August 17th 2024 at 7pm and Sunday August 18th 2024 at 3pm in the Koger Center for the Arts Lower Level (1051 Greene St, Columbia, SC 29201). Admission is $35 for this event, and more info and tickets can be found at www.Colarep.com or https://donorbox.org/events/643006 for Saturday and  https://donorbox.org/events/643158 for Sunday.

“How to Fall Down” brings together eleven Company dancers and five female choreographers along with professionally designed costuming, and sound and lighting by Sherr Productions to be the first dance event in the newly outfitted lower level of the Koger Center for the Arts. Be the first to see three new works by Artistic Director and resident choreographer Stephanie Wilkins and join Cola Rep Dance Co in welcoming Jennifer Deckert, Simone Cuttino and Dale Lam as well as Cola Rep Dance Co Young Choreographer Kayla Uwagbai.

In 2018 co-founders Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins founded the Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company with a desire to offer dancers more options in a city focused heavily on ballet. They started with the financial sponsorship of the Jasper Project, a plan focused on summer performances (Columbia’s dance offseason) and a sold out debut performance in 2019 which was followed by a sold out concert in 2021. The company has extended their season length and become a 501c3 non-profit organization. The group’s popularity among Columbia natives comes from their commitment to exploring refreshing narratives and styles of dance in their work. Cola Rep Dance Co will perform “How to Fall Down” on Saturday August 17th 2024 at 7pm and Sunday August 18th 2024 at 3pm in the Koger Center for the Arts Lower Level (1051 Greene St, Columbia, SC 29201). Admission is $35 for this event, and more info and tickets can be found at www.Colarep.com or https://donorbox.org/events/643006 for Saturday and  https://donorbox.org/events/643158 for Sunday. 

This program is supported in part by H-tax funding from the City of Columbia and by the South Carolina Arts Commission which is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and collaborates in its work with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and South Arts.

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company’s mission is to broaden the experience of professional dance artists and patrons in Columbia, SC through multidisciplinary collaborative performances year-round. We aim to retain the talents of South Carolina dance artists and provide a spectrum of professional opportunities while inspiring and developing a broader and deeper understanding of dance in Columbia and surrounding areas.

Cola Rep Dance Company Performs SAME PALM for Columbia Audiences Before Traveling to NY for International Performance at the DUMBO Dance Festival

If you’re tired of the same old fairytale ballet performances where the spirit of the dancer is subsumed by the restraints of only one person’s imagination, come out to CMFA next Friday and Saturday nights as Columbia Repertory Dance Company presents Same Palm, their first concert of the summer season.

“The title Same Palm comes from our constant investigation of holding pain and joy in the same palm, and how these diverse emotions must coexist for us to get through this life, especially the sometimes-brutal parts,” says Stephanie Wilkins, CRDC co-founder and artistic director.  

Company dancers include Joshua Alexander, Erin Bailey, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, Shannon Chapman (understudy), Ashlee Daniels, Cecily Davis, Emily Jordan, Carrie Preus, Megan Saylors, Jalen Scriven, Jack Thompson, Olivia Timmerman, and Stephanie Wilkins.

“This show we are also celebrating the launch of the Cola Rep Young Choreographer Initiative with the premier of our apprentice Jalen Scriven’s Changes, adds Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, CRDC co-founder and managing director. “Scriven, an Alumni of Columbia City Jazz Conservatory and a student at University of Southern California, worked with the company to create the piece which he says references ‘holding a mirror to yourself.’ It’s impressive to work with a young artist who possesses the capacity to communicate what he wants clearly but is also so open to collaboration. It’s inspiring and makes me hopeful for the future of dance.” 

In addition to Wilkins’ choreography, the company is excited to welcome works from other major SC choreographers including Erin Bailey Angela Gallo, and Terrance Henderson. “Terrance’s piece is a beautiful blend of ritual and contemporary dance that truly honors both his culture and ancestors,” Wilkins says. “Erin and Ashlee‘s duet is a perfect example of what brings them the most happiness, which is moving in and out of the floor and over and under and on top of each other with lovely contact partnering. Angela’s piece is, as usual, set to a very interesting score and the movement in it embodies her very essence, I see her in all of the dancers and the choreography. Erin’s Kinect is athletic and powerful, but also sinuous … I know the work of these three choreographers and what I love about them is that their pieces are genuine and true to themselves, but they also try to break open their own personal stories and use their creativity to challenge themselves, their dancers, and the viewer.”

Columbia Repertory Dance Company was founded in 2019 by Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins as a professional company that would resolve the age-old Columbia problem of already established dance companies only offering contracts to their dancers for six or fewer months per year. This impacted the dancers, who still had to stay in shape, (professional dancers must take class from 5 – 7 days per week to stay fit), and also had to pay for their living expenses, by offering them paying dance gigs, artistic stimulation, and the opportunity to stay in shape without going broke. It impacted dance audiences by providing new, original, and innovative contemporary ballet performances from their favorite Columbia-based dance artists, with choreography by a large variety of some of Columbia’s top choreographers.

Sadly, in response to the founding of Columbia Repertory Dance Company, which became a non-profit 501c3 in 2022, South Carolina Ballet, which has recently changed its name again from Columbia City Ballet, began illegally forbidding its dancers from participating in any off-season, off-contract performances with other local companies such as Columbia Repertory Dance Company or Ann Brodie’s Carolina Ballet.

But this didn’t hold Columbia Repertory Dance Company back. The Company has grown to include two unique dance concerts per summer, as well as additional local performances such as Live on Lincoln, and traveling to New York to be honored as the only South Carolina dance company featured (2023 and 2024) in the DUMBO Dance Festival.

A dance festival celebrating it’s 23rd year in Brooklyn, NY, DUMBO Dance Festival stands for Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass with the festival’s official description stating, “2024 DDF features 50 contemporary dance troupes combining over 400 artists who will present solo, chamber, and full-scale works. Dancers from across the United States, and internationally from Switzerland, Germany, Colombia, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea will join New York’s active dance community to offer the full range of new directions in dance in the 21st century.” 

The festival takes place over four days in June and highlights dance companies making significant artistic contributions to the dance world. Cola Rep Dance Co is the only company from North or South Carolina invited to perform. 

“We are honored and excited to have the opportunity for the second year in a row to act as ambassadors for South Carolina dance by taking members of our company to perform on stage with the other wonderful groups selected. We see it as an important way of remaining part of the global conversation on the evolution of the art form,” says Boiter-Jolley. 

Same Palm will be performed at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday nights, June 21st and 22nd, at Columbia Music Festival Association at 914 Pulaski Street in Columbia’s historic Congaree Vista. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.  

While you’re reserving your seats for Same Palm, mark your calendars for August 17th and 18th when Columbia Rep Dance Company performs their second concert of the summer, How to Fall Down, at the Koger Center for the Arts. How to Fall Down features the work of choreographers Dale Lam, Jennifer Deckert, and Simone Cuttino, as well as in-house choreography by Wilkins. Tickets will be available soon. 

SC Phil presents a Brilliantly Collaborative Holiday Event with Some of SC's Finest Vocalists, Dancers, and of course, the SC Philharmonic!

SC PHILHARMONIC BRINGS SINGERS, DANCERS AND SANTA TO KOGER CENTER FOR “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”

Collaborative creation from Music Director Morihiko Nakahara and Director Chad Henderson promises to be an extravaganza

Vocalist Kanika Moore

Kanika Moore

Katie Leitner

Catherine Hunsinger

Samuel McWhite

Columbia Repertory Dance Company

Santa

Morihiko Nakahara

& the SC Philharmonic

In a brilliantly collaborative act The South Carolina Philharmonic presents Home for the Holidays on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 7:00 PM at the Koger Center for the Arts under the baton of Music Director Morihiko Nakahara. After years of sold out holiday concerts at Harbison Theatre, The SC Philharmonic is bringing their holiday-themed event to the Koger Center this year for one night only and making it truly grand. The show itself is a collaboration between SC Phil Maestro Morihiko Nakahara and award-winning theatre director Chad Henderson, the former Artistic Director of Trustus Theatre and current Marketing Director of the SC Phil. Tickets may be purchased by visiting 

scphilharmonic.com or by calling the Koger Center Box Office at 803-251-2222.

More from our friends at the SC Philharmonic – 

Home for the Holidays is positioned to be one of the last large-scale holiday-themed events of the season, with the performance scheduled on December 21st. The orchestra anticipates that this concert will be appealing to families who have gathered for the holidays, and to those who are looking for new traditions. “We wanted to create a large-scale concert event due to our move to the Koger Center,” says theatre director Chad Henderson. “Audiences are going to get a traditional orchestral experience in the first act, and then in the second half we’re going to enjoy the alchemy of multi-disciplinary work with uplifting, moving and energetic performances from amazing singers and dancers alongside the SC Phil.” 

Singer Kanika Moore is known internationally as the lead singer of Doom Flamingo (Charleston, SC) and Tauk (Long Island, NY). This Charleston native’s original tone and seamless effort is almost impossible to ignore, and this is quite possibly the reason she was named the Charleston City Paper Soul/R&B Act of the Year in 2019. Joining Moore are Columbia singers Katie Leitner of Say Femme, Catherine Hunsinger of Rex Darling, and the magnetic musical theatre veteran Samuel McWhite. 

Wanting to dive deeper into multi-disciplinary work, the SC Phil invited The Columbia Repertory Dance Company to collaborate with the orchestra. In its fourth season, The Columbia Repertory Dance Company’s mission is to broaden the experience of professional dance artists and patrons in Columbia, SC through multidisciplinary collaborative performances year-round. Led by Artistic Director Stephanie Wilkins and Managing Director Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, the company is bringing emotional and athletic work to the Koger stage – a trademark of this company which performed at the DUMBO Dance Festival in NYC in Summer 2023.  

The concert will boast two arrangements by Columbia’s Dick Goodwin, famed jazz artist and composer. Goodwin’s arrangements of “All I Want for Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” will be featured in the second act, with the latter serving as the finale of the evening. Audiences can also expect to hear classic orchestral fare like Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” alongside popular songs like “White Christmas” and “Santa Claus is Back in Town,” and readings of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and the famous editorial by Francis Church “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” All of these elements combined with production design from Chad Henderson and Koger Center Technical Director Steve Borders will make for a sensational evening of symphonic spectacle that will entertain the whole family. 

“In the end, we want audiences to have a fulfilling and rich experience,” says Henderson. “We want people to feel a range of emotions while they’re with us. We’re using the undeniable universality of music, dance and, at times, theatre to provide audiences with a joyful evening that will be uplifting, energizing and powerful. Hopefully this will become a signature event for the SC Phil where friends and families join us every year to ignite their celebrations.” 

The SC Philharmonic’s Home for the Holidays will take the Koger Center stage on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 7:00 PM at. Concert ticket prices range from $10 to $40 currently, and they can be purchased at scphilharmonic.com or by calling the Koger Center Box Office (803) 251-2222.

Student Rush tickets are available for $10 starting thirty minutes before the concert, and group rates for 10 or more are available by writing kathryn@scphilharmonic.com. 

COLUMBIA REPERTORY DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS “IN OUR TIME” FOR TWO EVENINGS AT CMFA ARTSPACE

Professional dance company from Columbia, SC presents fourth annual concert on August 18th and 19th, 2023

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will present a full evening of dance for two nights at the CMFA Artspace, 914 Pulaski Street, August 18th and 19th, 2023 at 8 pm.

IN OUR TIME explores the stages of life and addresses the human capacity for vulnerability, strength, and growth.

With IN OUR TIME, Columbia Repertory Dance Company presents their fourth annual summer concert and second as a nonprofit organization. Featuring South Carolina choreographers Angela Gallo, Erin Bailey, Dale Lam, Kiyomi Mercadante Ramirez, Jennifer Deckert and Andre Megerdichian, and Stephanie Wilkins, the organization will mount an evening of versatile and exhilarating entertainment that demonstrates the depth and range of talent in dance in Columbia, and follows their mission statement in helping to both employ SC dance artists and ultimately provide dance opportunities that will allow exceptionally skilled professional dancers the opportunity to call Columbia, SC their year-round home.

The company will present works that portray the unique perspective of each choreographer. By collaborating with local artists and organizations and blending the highly physical with the highly emotional, Columbia Repertory Dance Company aims to create an experience that draws people in and encourages them to make dance a regular part of their arts consumption.

Pictured front - Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, co-founder & managing director, formerly of Spectrum Dance Theatre (Seattle) and principal dancer with Columbia City Ballet

Left to right - Megan Saylors - who has danced with Joel Hall and Dancers and Innervation Dance Cooperative in Chicago

Olivia Timmerman - apprentice - currently pursuing a BFA in Choreography at Coker College

Lindsay Fallow - freelance artist

photos from “Two Vulnerable People” photo credit Meghann Padgett

In 2018, co-founders Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins founded the Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company with a desire to offer dancers more options in a city focused heavily on ballet. They started with the financial sponsorship of the Jasper Project, a plan focused on summer performances (Columbia’s dance offseason) and a sold-out debut performance in 2019 which was followed by a sold-out concert in 2021. The company has extended their season length and become a 501c3 non-profit organization. The group’s popularity among Columbia natives comes from their commitment to exploring refreshing narratives and styles of dance in their work.

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will perform IN OUR TIME on Friday, August 18th, 2023, at 8 PM and Saturday, August 19th, 2023, at 8 PM at CMFA Artspace (914 Pulaski St, Columbia, SC 29201). Admission is $30 for this event, and more info and tickets can be found at www.coladance.com  or https://donorbox.org/events/479213 for Friday and https://donorbox.org/events/479216 for Saturday.

Pictured left to right - Ashlee Taylor who performs with Moving Body Dance and the Johnson Company in addition to CRDC

Sakura Oka - 2017 World Ballet Competition Bronze Medalist who has performed with Columbia Classical Ballet, Ann Brodie’s Carolina Ballet, and Columbia City Ballet

This program is supported in part by H-tax funding from the City of Columbia and by the South Carolina Arts Commission which is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and collaborates in its work with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and South Arts. 

 ~~~~~

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company’s mission is to broaden the experience of professional dance artists and patrons in Columbia, SC through multidisciplinary collaborative performances year-round. We aim to retain the talents of South Carolina dance artists and provide a spectrum of professional opportunities while inspiring and developing a broader and deeper understanding of dance in Columbia and surrounding areas.

For more information about the Columbia Repertory Dance Company, please visit www.coladance.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram

COLUMBIA REPERTORY DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS “NEXT” FOR THREE EVENINGS AT CMFA ARTSPACE

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will present a full evening of dance for three nights at the CMFA Artspace, September 9 -11, 2022.

NEXT

centers on the idea of progress, and features a number of pieces that reflect the nature of life and moving forward in today's climate.

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will perform NEXT on Friday, September 9th, 2022 at 7:30 PM, Saturday, September 10th 2022, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, September 11th, 2022 at 2PM at CMFA Artspace (914 Pulaski St, Columbia, SC 29201). Admission is $30 for this event, and more info and tickets can be found at www.coladance.com or https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5534979

With NEXT, Columbia Repertory Dance Company presents their third annual summer concert and first as a nonprofit organization. Featuring South Carolina choreographers Angela Gallo, Erin Bailey, Dale Lam, Ashlee Taylor and Artistic Director Stephanie Wilkins, the organization will mount an evening of high caliber entertainment that changes common perceptions of dance in Columbia, and follows their mission

statement in helping to both employ SC dance artists and ultimately aid in their retention in the state. The company will showcase a variety of work that represents snapshots of the emotional and physical world and offers something relatable but elevated as the world learns how to exist post-COVID. By collaborating with local artists and organizations and blending the highly physical with the highly emotional, Columbia

Repertory Dance Company aims to create an experience that draws people in and encourages them to make dance a regular part of their arts consumption.

In 2018 co-founders Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins founded the Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company with a desire to offer dancers more options in a city focused heavily on ballet. They started with the financial sponsorship of the Jasper Project, a plan focused on summer performances (Columbia’s dance offseason) and a sold out debut performance in 2019 which was followed by a sold out concert in 2021.

The company has extended their season length and become a 501c3 non-profit organization. The group’s popularity among Columbia natives comes from their commitment to exploring refreshing narratives and styles of dance in their work.

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will perform NEXT on Friday, September 9th, 2022 at 7:30 PM, Saturday, September 10th 2022, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, September 11th, 2022 at 2PM at CMFA Artspace (914 Pulaski St, Columbia, SC 29201). Admission is $30 for this event, and more info and tickets can be found at www.coladance.com or https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5534979

~ * ~

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company’s mission is to broaden the experience of professional dance artists and patrons in Columbia, SC through multidisciplinary collaborative performances year-round. We aim to retain the talents of South Carolina dance artists and provide a spectrum of professional opportunities while inspiring and developing a broader and deeper understanding of dance in Columbia and surrounding areas.

BUY TICKETS HERE!

An Evening with the Columbia Repertory Dance Company THIS SATURDAY

The Public is invited to an evening with the city’s newest professional dance organization, the Columbia Repertory Dance Company, on Saturday, June 18th at 7 pm at Columbia Music Festival Association - 914 Pulaski Street.

There will be snacks and adult beverages, as well as an opportunity to learn more about the dance company and its mission for performances and growth in the South Carolina Midlands. Attendees will also get an inside look at works in progress and meet new company members.

The event is hosted by the board of directors for the Columbia Repertory Dance Company including company founders Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins.

There is a suggested donation of $25 which can be made

online

or at the door.

COLUMBIA REPERTORY DANCE COMPANY MAKES CHARLESTON DEBUT AT CANNON PARK AS PICCOLO SPOLETO POP-UP SELECTION

The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will make its Charleston debut at Cannon Park on May 29, 2022 as an official selection of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival.

This dance concert is presented as part of Piccolo Spoleto’s new Pop-Up program which transforms neighborhood parks and public places around Charleston into pop-up performance spaces.

This performance will also feature performances by Columbia pop band Say Femme with Charleston dancer and choreographer Jenny Broe opening.

The concert will begin at 7:00 PM at Cannon Park, and admission is free to the public.

In the company’s third season, Columbia Repertory Dance Company will be premiering new pieces from their 2022 season featuring works by Artistic Director Stephanie Wilkins. Attendees will experience athleticism and emotionally evocative performances that have become a trademark for the group over the last three years.

In 2018, co-founders Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins founded the Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company with a desire to offer dancers more options in a city focused heavily on ballet. They started with the financial backing of a local arts organization, a plan focused on summer performances (Columbia’s dance offseason) and a sold out debut performance in 2019 which was followed by a sold out concert in 2020. In the past year, the company has extended their season length and become a 501c3 non-profit organization. The group’s popularity among Columbia natives comes from their commitment to exploring refreshing narratives and styles of dance in their work. The Columbia Repertory Dance Company will perform on Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 7:00 PM at Cannon Park (131 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29401). Admission is free for this public event, and more info can be found at http://www.piccolospoleto.com/ or at www.coladance.com.

Jasper is Thankful for YOU - a message from Cindi

From the bottom of our hearts, we are …

At this time of year those of us at the Jasper Project like to say thank you to the universe for the treasures that have come our way, just like everyone else.

In addition to all of you who support our mission by donating, volunteering, spreading the word, participating in our projects, and reading what we write, I am also thankful for our hardworking board of directors. The Jasper Project board of directors give of their time, energy, and their own wealth and blessings to keep Jasper afloat and actively serving the needs of our arts community at the grass roots level that we believe is so important.

Here are some of the things this board has done for Jasper this year: They have sold tickets, hung posters, hauled and delivered magazines, put up stages and run sound and light for performances. They have baked and prepared food, picked and arranged flowers, balanced our books, filed our taxes, managed projects, written articles, consulted with artists and donors. They have donated their own funds, and so much more.

They also shared with us the people, places, and things in the greater Columbia arts community that they are thankful for themselves.

Read on to see what they had to say..

—Cb

Jasper Project board vice president & director of Harbison Theatre, Kristin Cobb says, “I am thankful for Larry Hembree because he is always willing to lend a hand to all of us in the arts world.”

L-R Joe Hudson, William Cobb, Kristin

~~~~~

According to USC professor Drue Barker, “I am thankful to live in a city with a thriving contemporary dance community with leaders like Erin Bailey, Martha Brim, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, Stephanie Wilkins, and Wideman-Davis!” 

Christina Xan, who writes articles and manages the Tiny Gallery project, in addition to always being at the ready to help out wherever she can, agrees, saying, “I’m thankful for Stephanie Wilkins because she has used her compassion and skill to carve new, unique spaces for dancers and dance in Columbia.” 

Stephanie Wilkins and Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, co-founders of the Columbia Summer Rep Dance Co.

~~~~~~

Our intern Stephanie Allen, who is also an excellent writer and devoted to the cause, says, “I’m thankful for the CMA because they continually make themselves accessible to students like me and create open, welcome spaces for the community.”

~~~~~

Web Maven and graphics guru Bekah Rice, says, “I'm thankful for the MANY outdoor markets in Columbia because they make buying local goods, especially art, more accessible and provide artists and artisans in our community more opportunities to make a living.”

~~~~~

Jasper Project board president Wade Sellers says, “I’m thankful for an independent film community that continues to create and grow while supporting their fellow creators. The past ten years have seen imaginative new voices emerge in our city. More importantly we have seen those filmmakers get to know each other, share ideas, and share their skills. Our city and the surrounding areas are the rare place where roadblocks that usually hinder access for independent filmmakers don’t exist. I look forward to the new stories these filmmakers will tell in the coming years.”

~~~~~

Bert Easter, who manages the Jasper Gallery in the Meridian Building in downtown Columbia, says, “I am thankful for ceramics artist Virginia Scotchie of USC who has partnered with me to show student work alongside her art at the Jasper Gallery at the Meridian on Main and the display windows along Washington and Sumter Street.

I am also thankful for the neighborhoods who have had art-in-the-yard events. These meet-the-artist events have been fun,” Easter continues. “I am thankful for the city’s poet laureate, Ed Madden. He’s so cute... oh and he does poetry and art stuff too.”

Columbia City Poet Laureate (and Cutie) ED Madden

artist - Virginia Scotchie

~~~~~~

Paul Leo says, “I am thankful that we have a lively Opera scene here in Colombia, between the productions of The Palmetto Opera Company and The Southeast Division Metropolitan Opera Competition which is starting back up in January 2022 at Columbia College. Columbia's art scene is rich in the preservation of the classical art forms as well as encouraging new and innovative art forms. That is what makes it a truly great city!”

~~~~~

Board member and manager of the Lizelia project Len Lawson says, “I'm thankful for Columbia Museum of Art, Writer-in-Residence Ray McManus, and Drew Barron for the excellent work on the Hindsight 20/20 Series and Binder Podcast of which I'm grateful to have been a part.”

~~~~~~

Thanks to all of our diligent board members including Grayson Goodman, Al Black, Barry Wheeler, Diane Hare, Christopher Cockrell, Laura Garner Hine, and Preach Jacobs.

If YOU feel like you might have a gift to offer the Jasper Project by way of contributing to our publications, helping out at events, or even applying to be a member of the board of directors, please let us know! We’re always looking for sisters and brothers in the arts who want to join us in our labor of love.

In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the Jasper Project!

7 Questions for Columbia Summer Rep Dance Co. Director & Co-Founder Stephanie Wilkins

 I think if COVID has taught us anything, it's life can be short, and it can be hard, and you better get out there and experience things you've never done before.

Stephanie Wilkins - phot by Kevin Kyzer

The Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company (CSRDC) was founded in 2019 as an opportunity for Columbia-based dancers to work and practice in their off-season while staying in the city they love and to bring unique performances to Columbia patrons. After a sold-out opening performance in 2019, CSRDC is back with their second annual performance, Limitless.

Jasper, CSDRC’s fiscal agent, sat down with CSDRC’s co-founder and Artistic Director, Stephanie Wilkins, to hear her thoughts about the upcoming performances.

JASPER: How did you feel after your first performance in 2019?

WILKINS: I was just overwhelmed with joy at how well it went and at the support that the Jasper Project and the local community gave us. We only did one night the first time, and we completely sold out and had to turn people away at the door. I’m still so incredibly overwhelmed by that generosity and, of course, so happy that dancers and artists were able to get paid for what they love. I was so excited for the next season, and then COVID happened. But we continued to work through the summer last year with safety precautions. It was actually a good choreographic challenge for me to choreograph with everyone wearing a mask and, of course, no partnering. Both of the dances we made during COVID last summer will actually be featured in this show.

Stephanie with sister chorographer Angela Gallo after 2019 show

JASPER: Who is performing in the show this time around?  

WILKINS: Excluding me, there are eight dancers—four women and four men: Bonnie Boiter-Jolley [who also serves as CSDRC’s co-founder and Managing Director], Abby McDowell, Nicole Carrion, Jennifer Becker Lee, Joshua Van Dyke, Sam Huberty, Nicholas White, and Josh Alexander, who just danced in the most recent Superbowl Halftime with The Weekend. I’m choreographing several dances, and there are three guest choreographers: Dale Lam, who is the Artistic Director of the Columbia City Jazz Conservatory; Angela Gallo, who is the Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Coker University; and Terrance Henderson, who was the Artistic Director of Columbia’s Vibrations Dance Company’s for over a decade. We also have a couple of musical acts that will function as interludes in between the dances and as part of two of the dances as well: Katie Leitner, who is a local singer-songwriter, and Claire Bryant, who is a cello professor at the University of South Carolina and is currently in the band of Moulin Rouge on Broadway.  

The Columbia Summer Rep Dance Company 2021

JASPER: You didn’t dance last show—what made you dance this time?

WILKINS: Good question. I am seriously terrified. I mean, I'm not so terrified of the group piece, the Carolina Shag, which is just so much fun and serves as a tribute to my dad. But the solo dance is what scares me. You know, I'm a lot older than these dancers—I could be their mother—but I'm not done yet. I'm in good shape, and even though my dancing career is different than it used to be, I can dance. I had two major knee surgeries in the past four years, so maybe I can't do the crazy stuff I could do when I was their age or younger, but I'm more seasoned and more expressive. It's been a very long time since I performed, so I'm really scared but excited too. But you know, you face fear. You're scared as hell, but you do it anyway. That’s why I’m dancing.

Stephanie on Gyrotonic equipment 2019

JASPER: What should the audience expect if they attend a performance? 

WILKINS:Well, right now we’re looking at having at least nine dances, and we may have one or two more. There will be the two musical acts, and altogether the show will probably be about an hour and a half with one intermission. We have a little something for everybody. There’s a lot of contemporary dance and dances that cover the range of the human emotional spectrum. You know, people always joke with me, ‘Stephanie, can’t you choregraph something happy?’ but this is my art and my way of communicating and expressing my own emotions, which of course the dancers make their own and express in their own unique ways. We have a couple lighter pieces, like the shag, which might be the lightest moment of the show. Some pieces are mournful, some are lonely, some are angry.It’s a group of people using their bodies to show the depth of human emotion and how it wears on more than our faces and inner bodies. 

JASPER: Do you have a favorite number or moment in the show? 

WILKINS: We’re still doing tweaks, but I think it's turning out to be a piece called “Seven,” which will be the piece where Claire performs with her cello. It was written by her friend, Andrea Casarrubios, who is a Spanish cellist living in New York, and she wrote it in honor of the 7:00pm hour during COVID in NYC where people would hang out of their windows, come out onto the street, and bang pots and pans and make noise in honor of the heroes, the frontline workers. I mean, I'm dreaming about that piece. I still haven't finished it, you know, I don't want to screw it up. It's such a beautiful composition, and it’s so beautifully played by Claire, and the dancers are exquisite. I'm ending the show with it because even though it's a mournful piece about the pandemic, it's hopeful too because it's about a moment in time where every night people were together—even though they couldn't come together and touch each other, they were celebrating, being alive, and making noise.

JASPER: What made you call the show Limitless? 

WILKINS: I keep a journal where I jot down words that inspire me or might inspire or be relevant to a dance. I sent three choices from these to Bonnie for the title, and we both tended to lean toward limitless. I think all of us can say that we've limited ourselves in our lives in some way, shape, or form. I personally can say that in a lot of different aspects of my life, but specifically the dance world, I feel like I really pigeonholed myself. I was so sure of being a contemporary dancer, and one time my dad said to me, ‘Stephanie, dancers dance. That's what they do. And if you're dancing, you're doing what you love, regardless of if it's your favorite type.’ And I was just so stubborn, but I finally have opened myself up so much to anything and everything that is in the realm of the dance world,challenging myself as a choreographer and dancer. I’ve learned, even though it took so long, that I don't want to limit myself anymore. I don’t think anyone should. And that's where limitless stemmed from.

Stephanie with CSRDC co-founder Bonnie Boiter-Jolley post performance

JASPER: Why do you believe people should experience Limitless?  

WILKINS: Often when I come across people in Columbia, whether clients, friends, or family, they either have a never been to a dance performance or their only exposure to dance has been maybe the Nutcracker as a child. So, this is an experience where if people are the least a bit interested in artistic presentations—whether they like dance or music or art or drama or theater—this has something for everyone. And it’s pretty phenomenal to watch the absolute artistry and athleticism of these dancers. Beyond that, it'll challenge your thinking—it'll make you feel something that maybe you didn't think about before. It'll make you laugh, and it'll make you cry. I think if COVID has taught us anything, it's life can be short, and it can be hard, and you better get out there and experience things you've never done before.This is a good chance to do that in our little, special town—a chance to be limitless, right here in Columbia.

CSRDC’s Limitless will premiere two consecutive nights:

Friday, August 13th and Saturday, August 14th, both at 8:00pm at Trustus Theatre.

You can purchase tickets at

https://summerrepdance.bpt.mehttps://summerrepdance.bpt.me

(Editor’s note: The Jasper Project is serving as the fiscal agent for the Summer Rep Dance Company, and we are encouraging this amazingly hard-working group of artists to start their own 501c3. We believe in them this much! But since this may be the last time we try to raise funds for them under the auspices of the Jasper Project, I wanted to say a little something.

THIS is what art is all about! These dance artists love what they do so much that they are changing the rules and upping the game. Their spirits and their artistic instruments — their bodies — miss dance so much during their off-season that they CREATED THEIR OWN OPPORTUNITY to dance. For themselves and for us.

Right now, we are about $3000 short of our fund raising goal of $12,000. All of the money we raise goes directly into putting on this performance — paying a modest amount to the dancers, choreographers, costumer, and crew with just a little bit toward advertising. Nothing goes to overhead or administration. Nothing to the Jasper Project. No frills.

This is art in its purest form.

So, here’s the humble ask.

If you can, please pat these artists on the back by offering your financial support either by buying tickets ($25 in advance with 3 different donor opportunities through BROWN PAPER TICKETS @ https://summerrepdance.bpt.me) OR visiting their page on this website and clicking on DONATE NOW.

Thank you for doing your part to promote artists creating grass roots opportunities to bring art to the city in its purest form.

Thanks & Take Care,

Cindi

PRESS RELEASE - SUMMER REP DANCE CO. PRESENT LIMITLESS -- TICKETS & DONATIONS AVAILABLE NOW

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT

BROWN PAPER TICKETS

In its 2nd Season of Performing Columbia Summer Rep Dance Company Announces Two Shows – August 13th and 14th at Trustus Theatre

After taking 2020 off due to Covid-19 the Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company has united for its second season and will offer two performances of contemporary ballet on August 13th and 14th at Trustus Theatre. Founded in 2019 by Stephanie Wilkins and Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, the purpose of the Columbia Summer Rep Dance Company is to provide innovative dance experiences for local audiences and professional dancers and choreographers who, due to the abbreviated seasons of Columbia’s professional dance companies, go without performing for half the year.

The 2019 season of the CSRDC was a test season engaging six dancers who, after one month of rehearsals, offered a sold-out performance, turning patrons away at the door. Covid-19 led to the suspension of the project in 2020, but the dancers are back in the studio now working on new choreography to bring to audiences for two nights - August 13th and 14th at Trustus Theatre.

Dancers include classically trained Bonnie Boiter-Jolley who, in addition to being a principal dancer at Columbia City Ballet, also danced with Spectrum Dance in Seattle and, locally, with Wideman-Davis Dance as well as internationally in Prague and Italy.

Returning to Columbia is Josh Alexander who most recently performed this year with the Weeknd at Super Bowl LV Halftime Show, on ABC’s Hairspray Live! and So You Think You Can Dance.

Abby McDowell, who is a soloist with Columbia City Ballet along with Nicole Carrion and Joshua Van Dyke, who are demi-soloists with CCB, are also Summer Rep company members as well as Nicholas White, Sam Huberty, and Jennifer Becker Lee.

Head Choreographer Stephanie Wilkins received her MFA from NYU’s Tisch School and has studied or performed with some of the most acclaimed artists in the industry including Bill T. Jones, with whom she apprenticed, David Parsons, and Bebe Miller. Joining her as choreographers for this performance are international award-winning choreographers Terrance Henderson, Dale Lam, and Angela Gallo. 

Internationally acclaimed cellist Claire Bryant will also be performing both solo and with the company, and singer-songwriter Katie Leitner will offer a musical interlude.

Tickets are on sale now for $25 in advance ($30 at the door) as is the opportunity to support the company with a champagne toast pre-performance and more at Brown Paper Tickets or via The Jasper Project website where you can donate to and learn more about the Columbia Summer Rep Dance Company.

https://summerrepdance.brownpapertickets.com

 

http://jasperproject.org/csrdc

Columbia Summer Rep Dance Company Keeps Cola’s Talent Local by Stephanie Allen

“What would have happened had they stayed here — what if that talent had been able to thrive here in Columbia because they were given the opportunity to pursue … what they were maybe really missing out on?

Josh Alexander, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, Jennifer Becker Lee, Josh Van Dyke, Nicholas White, Abby McDowell, Nicole Carrion - photo — Kevin Kyzer

The Columbia Summer Rep Dance Company brings jobs to dancers and shows to local audiences during the summer months. After founding the company in 2019, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley and Stephanie Wilkins are looking to do “something different.” This summer, after suspending the program due to COVID-19, the company is back with a limited engagement performance on August 13th & 14th of LIMITLESS. 

Columbia only had two professional ballet companies, according to Boiter-Jolley — Columbia City Ballet and Columbia Classical Ballet. Their respective seasons each last from around September to March, leaving half the year vacant of professional ballet for Columbia audiences — and several months without local work for performers.  

photo credit Kevin Kyzer

Boiter-Jolley had long discussed the notion of working through the summer with other dancers at the Columbia City Ballet, but the idea lacked momentum until she started working with Wilkins. That’s when the option of starting a summer company came to life.  

According to Boiter-Jolley, Wilkins had the creativity, energy, and motivation to get the project of bringing dance to Columbia’s off-season started. Wilkins had been an adjunct professor at Columbia College and USC and owns a Pilates studio in Columbia. “I kinda got burnt out in the university world and wanted to supplement my Pilates life with my artistic life and have a dance company of my own,” Wilkins says.  

The Jasper Project serves as the fiscal agent for the Columbia Summer Repertory Dance Company until the organization acquires its own non-profit status.

“We have all this talent in Columbia that has to leave,” Wilkins says, “and we’d rather they stay here.”

After just five weeks of preparation, they were able to raise enough funds to debut their first show in 2019 and were, notably, able to pay both the dancers and the choreographers. Dancers and choreographers often have to find work outside of Columbia during the summer months due to their shortened seasons. “We have all this talent in Columbia that has to leave,” Wilkins says, “and we’d rather they stay here.” 

According to Boiter-Jolley, there’s been a longstanding rivalry between Columbia City Ballet and Columbia Classical Ballet —  a sense of competition that, in her opinion, is “silly,” given the breadth of talent that has originated in Columbia. Columbia dancers have made their way into the New York City Ballet, Broadway, and European companies, to name a few. “What would have happened had they stayed here — what if that talent had been able to thrive here in Columbia because they were given the opportunity to pursue … what they were maybe really missing out on?” Boiter-Jolley asks.  

photo Kevin Kyzer

Boiter-Jolley questions the way in which Columbia limits itself, suggesting that the Columbia professional dance scene has been too strictly defined. Her goal with the new dance company is to create something new that is just as valuable and intellectually stimulating as traditional professional dances.  

Aside from two small pieces that premiered in March, everything for the company’s upcoming season is entirely new. The dancers started rehearsing last summer, wearing masks, spacing out, and taking additional precautions. COVID-19 presented specific challenges to Wilkins as a choreographer, who has a penchant for partner-based dancing. Now that the members of the company have been vaccinated, some of the choreography has been adjusted to allow for more closeness between the dancers.  

Boiter-Jolley intends for their August show to be a “pure and heartfelt” experience for everyone participating, without a sense of competition with other organizations.

This season will feature guest choreographers Dale Lam, head of Columbia City Jazz Conservatory, and Angela Gallo, the dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at Coker University, in addition to dancers Joshua Alexander, Abby McDowell, Nicholas White, Nicole Carrion, Josh Van Dyke, Samuel Huberty, and Jennifer Becker Lee. Alexander  appeared in Hairspray Live! on ABC, So You Think You Can Dance, and the Superbowl halftime show. 

The company is now only a few weeks away from its next performance, titled LIMITLESS. Boiter-Jolley intends for their August show to be a “pure and heartfelt” experience for everyone participating, without a sense of competition with other organizations. “We’re doing this because we love it,” Wilkins says, “and we can’t wait to share it with the city.” Both women look forward to seeing maskless dancers on stage, watching their facial expressions of emotion, and seeing the breath that carries their movements.   

“There’s room for all of us,”

Wilkins mentioned the importance of fundraising efforts because, in spite of this genuine passion, the dancers and choreographers deserve to be paid. Based on funds, Wilkins would like to travel with the dancers and take them to international festivals. Additionally, Wilkins would like to see more local collaboration and mutual support.   

NICOLE CARRION AND NICHOLAS WHITE - photo Kevin Kyzer

The women want viewers unfamiliar to the dance scene to watch their performances and feel something — regardless of what that emotion is. They encourage longtime supporters of Columbia dance not to limit themselves, to see something different with them, and, specifically, donate.  

The women are open to conversations and questions from anyone interested in their work and want to avoid competition. “There’s room for all of us,” Wilkins says.

LIMITLESS

AUGUST 13TH & 14TH

8 PM

TRUSTUS THEATRE

TICKETS & SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES HERE 

Columbia City Ballet Concludes Season and Celebrates 60th Anniversary with Return of Fan Favorite Show - The Beatles Ballet!

ADDED PERFORMANCE

FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 16TH @ 7:30

Anna Porter

 The past season of the Columbia City Ballet (CCB) has been unlike any other in its 60-year history. As for all of us, COVID-19 presented difficult obstacles for the CCB, but leaping over barriers is what dancers are built for.

 After having taken the time to consult with members of the CCB and several public health officials, the Columbia City Ballet has still been able to safely offer 22 performances this season. If there’s ever been a time for art, it’s now, and with costumed masks, adapted rehearsals, and tenacious community, the CCB has risen to the challenge.  

Now, this unparalleled season is coming to an end with a show as special as it has been—The Beatles Ballet. This show, created by Artistic and Executive Director William Starrett, was exceptionally popular when it first premiered in 2018. The effervescent aesthetic of The Beatles and their 60s vibes, coupled with the echoing love for the show, made it the perfect candidate to not only end this season but to celebrate what the CCB is calling their “Diamond Anniversary.” 

“When Beatles The Ballet premiered in 2018, it was instantly a hit with audiences,” Starrett expresses in the CCB’s Press Release, “I had always wanted to celebrate our 60th Anniversary Season with a ballet that means so much to me. After everything we faced, it just makes sense that we would end our 60th season with Beatles.” 

Claire Richardson, Dini Tetrick, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, and Anna Porter

Sakura Oka

The show is a mix of energies, crafting a braid out of interweaving classic and modern music and dance. “In many ways, [The Beatles Ballet] is among Columbia City Ballet’s most ambitious projects,” asserts Michael Layer, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, “It incorporates talent, artistic styles, and inspiration from all over the world.” 

Putting a show with so many elements together takes a lot of hands (and feet!) and a plethora of talent. The full company is dancing with the addition of 6 guest dancers. 12 choreographers came together to set the tone and craft a through-line of bodies across these themes of old and new, which will be traced across more than 35 songs.  

Live music will accompany the show—the first time since the pandemic started—played by local musician Mark Rapp and his Little Big Band as well as members of The Return, a Beatles Tribute Band. Having live music matches the style of the show, which moves in part like a jukebox musical or mixed-rep show, with dancers’ bodies flowing between many sounds and tones. 

Beyond sharing this creative take on ballet and widely loved music, the “multimedia ballet will follow the story of The Beatles’ careers beginning in the 1960’s and [examine] their cultural impact and the elevation of social consciousness throughout their music,” the CCB states on their website.

The show, which is sponsored by the Lexington Medical Center, will open on Friday, April 16th with a newly added performance at 7:30, followed by performances on April 17th, 2021 at 3:00pm and at 6:30pm. Additionally, in honor of their anniversary, the CCB will be screening a film highlighting their history at the very beginning of the evening show. 

The show will take place at the Koger Center for the Arts, which enforces COVID-19 regulations for the safety of all patrons. Tickets are sold in pairs, seats are socially distanced, and face coverings are required at all times. These tickets, which start at $25, can be purchased at the Koger Center’s website or by calling their box office at 803-251-2222.

 

—Christina Xan

Columbia City Ballet Opens Cinderella After a Year-Long Postponement -- Christina Xan Talks with Bonnie Boiter-Jolley

The Columbia City Ballet (CCB) is finally getting the chance to open Cinderella after having to cancel it last year due to COVID-19. Jasper got the chance to sit down with Cinderella herself, danced by Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, who has been with CCB for 10 years and is dancing her third season as principal dancer.

Jasper: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me about the show — I know you’re busy!

Boiter-Jolley: It’s no problem!

Jasper: So, this show was actually postponed, right? It was supposed to happen last year? 

Boiter-Jolley: Yeah, it was supposed to happen late March of last year (2020). We toured it to Florida, came home, had a performance in Columbia on Friday, the 13th and that was our last performance of the whole season. And last year, I was fairy godmother—our original Cinderella is a new mom, but I’ve been dancing all the principal roles this year because I’m the only principal in the company currently.

Jasper: Oh, I didn’t know that! I assume that’s just one of the many changes since COVID. And dancing in a mask! I can’t imagine — what’s that like? 

Boiter-Jolley: It is definitely a challenge. Dancing in a mask is not fun, I will certainly say that, but it is something that a lot of us have been working with since last year, as soon as we were cleared to get back into the studios. It doesn't make it any easier, but you do kind of get used to the feeling of having something strapped to your face. But it's not just a breathing issue. If you inhale sharply, it’ll get stuck in your mouth, and you don't have your usual full range of vision because the mask is cutting off everything below your eyes. There've been a couple of times that a mask has actually slipped up over people's eyes. It's a little frightening, but I think, honestly, most of us feel as though it's a small price to pay to be able to do what we love and continue to work at our passion. And we really want to protect, not just ourselves, but our coworkers, our families, everything.

Jasper: How has this affected rehearsal? 

Boiter-Jolley: So, we test every week. And we've actually been really, really lucky. Everyone has tested negative except for one false positive, and on that day, all rehearsals were cancelled and didn’t resume until we knew everyone was safe. We do our classes broken up into three different groups of people so that we're not all in one same group sweating and breathing together all day. It kind of gives us a little bit more space, so we feel like we have a little bit more room if we do need to pull our mask down on our face for just a second to get some water or to just catch a breath quickly. Partnering wise, we're trying to keep switching partners to a minimum when we can and trying to stay as closely quarantined amongst ourselves as possible.

Boiter-Jolley rehearses with guest artist Mark Krieger, coached by William Starrett

Jasper: And how long have y'all been rehearsing for Cinderella now? 

Boiter-Jolley: We started last week, which isn’t particularly normal, but this is a show we had practiced for last season. I personally started rehearsing my role on my own over our Christmas break, and I came back into the studio in January, and [artistic director] William Starrett worked with me some individually. But many dancers had a head start and were able to recall roles they’ve danced before. And, of course, we’ve been trying to get in as much dance as we can because people need it these days. We just did “Off the Wall” two weeks ago, last week we had “Body,” and we're also working on “The Beatles” ballet.

Jasper: That’s so exciting! And even more so, this is your first time ever doing Cinderella, right? 

Boiter-Jolley: Yes!

Jasper: You’ve danced so many roles—I’ve seen you in several! What do you think is unique about Cinderella? 

Boiter-Jolley: There's a lot of acting in this role as well as some pretty hard dancing. I'm finding the partnering stuff in this one kind of challenging because I have a lot that's new to me. I'm actually learning some new bodily vocabulary—learning some new steps and new things that I haven't really been able to do before, I've never really tried before, or never been asked to do. I'm getting to push my boundaries, if you will, as far as what I am capable of. I've always been kind of a solo dancer, and that's just been my strength, to go out there and do my thing, but I'm going to get to carry this ballet. I start from the first scene and go all the way to the last scene. I'm a little bit nervous, but I'm also really excited because this ballet is all about Cinderella finally getting her chance to go to the ball. And I kind of see it that way, that it's finally my chance to go to the ball.

Boiter-Jolley in Off the Wall - photo by Ashleigh Concannon

Jasper: You said this show is more acting heavy than others. What did you mean by that? 

Boiter-Jolley: Well, you know, there are the stepsisters and the stepmother, and they're kind of fun, I mean, they're mean, but goofy. And then Cinderella has to deal with them, she meets the prince and falls in love at first sight, and she’s on a path of self-discovery. So, it's kind of going back and forth between how I portray this sad girl and then how I transform into someone who will open themselves to love, who will accept it and become a princess…and all of that happens in a couple hours. So, to effectively communicate that to an audience is a challenge, and that's mostly my challenge in this coming week. I know all the steps, I know all the choreography, and this week, I'm really hoping to do a deep dive in character work to find out how I can bring this character to life.

Jasper: What does that look like for you? How do you do character work and make sure you're translating the ideas and emotions in your head into your movements? 

Boiter-Jolley: That's a great question, and it's going to be a little bit different this time around because we are masked, so it all has to be physical­­—there's going to be a lot of physicality. How does my body language read? If I turn a shoulder this way, point my fingers that way, what does it mean? I need to spend some time just myself thinking through each moment. I need to sit with the music in the studio on my own, dancing through things. When you stop thinking about the steps, then you can start thinking about what the character is, who that character is, you know? And then, likewise, once you stop having to think about the characters, you can just become that character.

Jasper: If you had to describe this show in only 3 words, what words would you choose? 

Boiter-Jolley: Romantic, whimsical, and inspiring.

Jasper: Oh, I love that! What do you think is inspiring about it? 

Boiter-Jolley: I think it gives you the sensation that anything is possible.

Jasper: For people who may only be familiar with the Disney story of Cinderella, what should they expect? You know, coming to this show, what will they see that's familiar and that's unfamiliar? 

Boiter-Jolley: Well, they're definitely going to see their favorite characters: Cinderella, the fairy godmother, the Prince, the stepmother, the stepsisters. But they're also going to see there's a whole horde of fairies from the traditional story that come to help the fairy godmother and bring her gifts that help her transform Cinderella into a princess at the ball. And I like to think these are just representations of things that Cinderella already has inside of her. You’ll see specific dances when the fairies give her gifts, and later on, she dances similar steps in her variation, so she kind of repeats the same steps that they did. I think that it's really showing that this is what was there all along, and they've just brought attention to it. Because you don't need a fairy godmother to make you a princess. You might just need a fairy godmother to let you be the princess you already are.

Jasper: I love that! Well, thank you again for talking to me. Good luck on the show! 

Boiter-Jolley: Thanks! I just hope that people do get a chance to come see it because we've all really been excited to try to bring this ballet to life for the past year.

Cinderella will open at the Koger Center this Friday the 26th at 7:30pm and continue Saturday the 27th with performances at both 3:00pm and 7:30pm. The Koger Center is taking several COVID-19 precautions including limited, spaced seating and the seating of patrons immediately upon arriving at the theatre. Tickets can be purchased here: https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/USCK/#/events

Two additional performances will be done at the Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College Friday, April 9th at 7:30pm and Saturday, April 10th at 3:00pm. The theatre will also be implementing precautions but says the show could be delayed. Tickets can be purchased here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35980/production/1039663

—Christina Xan

(Full disclosure: Bonnie Boiter-Jolley is the daughter of Jasper Project executive director, Cindi Boiter.)

REVIEW: Columbia City Ballet's Cleopatra featuring Ballerina Regina Willoughby's Retirement Performance

by Susan Lenz

Regina Willoughby taking her final bow for her performance in Cleopatra on March 24, 2018 (photo courtesy of Julia Gulia)

Last night, Ballerina Regina Willoughby couldn’t hold all the flowers presented at the conclusion of her farewell performance of Columbia City Ballet’s Cleopatra. She carefully laid those in her arms atop the mound of roses company dancers had placed at her feet. She gracefully stepped around the pile for one last bow. Artistic Director William Starrett addressed the standing ovation with words of praise for her long career and sparkling personality, and Mayor Stephen Benjamin presented the Key to the City. Many in the audience wiped away tears as the curtain was lowered. 

I hadn’t seen such an emotionally charged scene since Prima Ballerina Mariclare Miranda’s 2006 retirement performance of Giselle. Here in Columbia, the audience seems to know how to respond to the last show in a principal dancer’s life and to the talent they just witnessed. Regina Willoughby was certainly the star in the production. The title role was set on her in 2008 and reprised in 2010. I remember these evenings rather well.

Regina Willoughby was brilliant as Cleopatra in all three seasons, dancing as if she’d already found the Egyptian secrets of an ageless afterlife. Her blunt cropped coiffure by Brittany Mocase Luskin of Studio B at the Old Mill was again perfect. It is little wonder that Regina selected this production for her final appearance. Unfortunately, her Act I partner was not as convincing as past years when Robert Michalski (2008) and Peter Kozak (2010) danced the role of Julius Caesar. Also missing was the excitement and technical abilities seen when William Moore, Jr. danced the part of Ptolemy, Cleopatra’s scheming younger brother. Frankly, the male roles were lack luster until principal Bo Busby stepped onto the stage as Marc Antony. Then, the partnering seamlessly sizzled. Their pas de deux was the highlight of the evening and lived up to a performance worthy of the retirement hype.

Otherwise, much of the choreography was to be in unison or to feature corp de ballet dancers racing across the stage, one-after-the-other in a strong diagonal line. In these instances, it is too easy to see lack of synchronization. Much of the ballet appeared to need additional rehearsal time. The canned music was also problematic. It seemed to need a bit of professional mixing for smoother transitions from melody to melody.

Problems aside, the evening was a lovely way to celebrate a ballerina’s retirement. Columbia City Ballet and local audiences will undoubtedly miss Regina Willoughby but will happily welcome principal Claire Richards and newly appointed principal Bonnie Boiter-Jolley into leading ladies. As Cleopatra’s handmaidens, they complimented one another perfectly. I look forward to seeing them during the 2018-19 season’s productions of Dracula: Ballet with a Bite; The Nutcracker; Sleeping Beauty; and the world premier of Beatles: The Ballet.

My recent interview with Regina Willoughby included well wishes and fond memories from dancers who have moved away or retired. Since then, I’ve received a few more quotes.

Pat Miller Baker wrote: Only once in a blue moon does a ballerina like Regina come along. She made her mark in every role she danced and the memories of her portrayals along with her physicality and artistry shall remain in all of our minds and hearts forever. I have loved being her teacher, coach and friend.  (Pat Miller elegantly appeared in last night’s production as Calpurnia, Wife of Caesar, a character role demanding exquisite dramatic acting.)

Journy Wilkes-Davis wrote: Some of the first big roles in my career I danced with Regina and it was her confident experience that allowed me to grow as a partner. She is a daredevil in the studio and onstage and the intensity she brings to every role pushed me to take risks as a partner where I had previously would have played it safer. I have great memories of dancing Arthur opposite her Lucy in Dracula or Romeo to her Juliet where it was inspiring to match the commitment she brought to her character and build a believable story for the audience. She taught by example how to throw caution to the wind and live in the moment onstage, a gift I will carry with me the rest of my career.

William Moore, Jr. wrote: I will start off by saying that it was a pleasure sharing the stage with Regina for several years! Notably our performance of Cleopatra was an unforgettable process and I am honored that I had that awesome opportunity early in my career. Love Regina dearly and I wish her the best in her retirement!
Love, William Moore Jr, former dancer, current music producer

Some Things Never Die: Decades of Columbia City Ballet's Dracula

by Susan Lenz

In the spring of 1994, William Starrett came to my little frame shop with an order for Columbia City Ballet. Easily, he talked me into exchanging my services for performance tickets. I took my six year old son to the next performance: The Ballet Tara. It was not critically acclaimed, but we didn’t know any better. We loved it and very much looked forward to the next season’s opening show, Dracula: Ballet with a Bite.  

We loved Dracula too. My son left the Koger Center asking for dance lessons. He wanted nothing more than to be on the stage with the Undead. Looking back, I can now see that even a six-year-old boy might feel the attraction of half-clad female vampires using their sexuality to lure men into rolling around on the floor of hot red and passionate purple stage set. What’s not to like when the contract-required long hair of the female cast is part of the choreography? Alluringly slung in full head tosses? The seduction hasn’t changed since Dracula debuted in 1991. 

Yet, much else has. And change is necessary. This is the twenty-second time Dracula has been part of Columbia City Ballet’s season (since 1991, there were a couple years when Dracula’s Revenge or Frankenstein was done instead of the original cult classic.) There is a constant need to update costumes, props, and sets. Every year demands a physically grueling number of rehearsals to introduce new dancers to their parts and ease seasoned dancers into new roles. Over the years, additional music has enhanced the original ASCAP award-winning score by the late composer Thomas E. Samanski. 

Jason Cobb, Office and Educational Outreach Manager, showing off a package of Dracula fangs.)

Even the fangs have changed. Early productions required dancers to visit Tom Hoffman, the company dentist, for full mouth impressions. Nowadays, thermoplastic fangs come in tiny coffin boxes from Dracula House. This year’s show will feature a new Gothic chair fashioned after a set designer’s recent trip visiting Eastern European castles. There’s a new character too: Renfield, Dracula’s weird, fly-eating minion.

Katie Heaton and Amanda Summey, members of the Undead.

Obviously, the cast has changed every year. In 1991 Gillian Murphy, now principal at American Ballet Theater in New York City, danced as a senior apprentice. William Starrett portrayed the protagonist, Jonathan Harker, but would later become Count Dracula before retiring.

In 1994, I left my younger son at home. He had just turned four and was in pre-kindergarten with Amanda Summey, one of this year’s Undead. By 1996, my elder son did appear in Dracula. He was one of the children in an idyllic picnic scene with Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, now a soloist with the Ballet and a Maiden of Darkness who is featured on this year’s advertisement poster.

Over the years, and now decades, I’ve seen Dracula: Ballet with a Bite dozens of times. It’s part of my never-dying Halloween tradition. I always look forward to the same campy, sexy fun as well as the updates and transitions that keep the production fresh.

For tickets to the show, please visit http://www.kogercenterforthearts.com

7:00 PM Friday, October 27, 2017
7:00 PM Saturday, October 28, 2017

There is masquerade “Gala with a Bite” ball after Friday’s performance. This ticketed event will be held at City Market Place, 705 B Gervais Street. Tickets can be ordered atbrownpapertickets.com/event/2962339 or by calling (803) 799-7605. On Saturday, there is a 6:00 PM pre-show lecture in the Koger Center Ballroom with Artistic Director William Starrett. During Saturday’s intermission, over $100 in prizes will be awarded through a costume competition for audience members. Dracula: Ballet with a Bite is also scheduled for Charleston’s Sottile Theater at 7:00 PM on Halloween night.

The Ballet Aladdin Returns to Columbia After 13 Years

Conceptualized and choreographed by Artistic Director William Starrett in 1995, Columbia City Ballet presents the return of Aladdin for one weekend only, January 29^th and 30^th. Last performed 13 years ago to the musical score of composer Ludwig Minkus, Columbia City Ballet brings back this classic fairy tale based on Arabian Nights, a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian folktales. “Aladdin is a huge epic ballet, technically demanding for the dancers, visually thrilling for the audience and perfect for the entire family. It is such fun to see Aladdin and Jasmine flying on their magic carpet as the Genie grants Aladdin’s famous three wishes,” says Starrett.

But "the ballet Aladdin isn’t just for children," Starrett says, "because the choreographic foundation of the full length production is based on the 1877 ballet La Bayadere that was first choreographed by Marius Petipa." The ballet La Bayadere is a story of deceit and love, poisonous snakes, ghosts, and murder. The ballet "pre-dates the major romantic era by several years and it includes the famous scene from the ballet The Kingdom of the Shades, one of the most celebrated excerpts in all of classical ballet." The famous late critic Clive Barnes of the New York Times is well known for having said, 'If you don’t like the scene of The Kingdom of the Shades you don’t like classical ballet,'” Starrett says. "So even though the children are so familiar because of the Disney popularity adults will love it because it is rooted in such a strong classical foundation in ballet technique and tradition."

This three-act performance is developed from four of Minkus’ most memorable ballets including Paquita, and La Bayadere; excerpts are incorporated into the score of Aladdin.  The roles of Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, originated by Peter Kozak and City Ballet Prima Ballerina Mariclare Miranda, will be performed in this production by Ballerina Regina Willoughby and Principal Dancer Christopher Miro. Willoughby, who grew up in Texas, came to CCB in 1997 and has risen through the ranks of the company to the position of Ballerina. Reinaldo Soto will be featured as the Genie. Other favorites from Columbia City Ballet include Claire McCaa, Autumn Hill, Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, and Claire Richards.

Columbia City Ballet will give three performances of Aladdin at the Koger Center for the Arts Friday, January 29^th at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, January 30^th at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets, starting at $20, can be purchased at the box office, at www.kogercenterforthearts.com or by calling 803-251-2222. An Aladdin tea will be held prior to Saturday’s performance at 1:30 p.m. in the Koger Center ballroom. For tea tickets and information call 803-799-7605. Call today as seating is limited.

Misty Copeland Heading to Columbia to Benefit Columbia City and Classical Ballets - A Jasper Exclusive

When the 75 plus attendees at Columbia City Ballet's Uncorked Ballet Preview on Saturday night first arrived at the CCB Studios at Taylor and Main we knew we were in for a dance treat. Much of the choreography for the company's upcoming performance of Aladdin comes from challenging classical ballets with time-tested variations such as La Bayadere. Seeing the dancers perform the difficult movements on stage comes complete with a required finesse suggesting a certain ease of performance. But witnessing the dancers in the glaring lights of the studio gives no such illusion. The difficulty, and sometimes danger, of the choreography is plain to see as the dancers pant and grunt and sweat and almost fall then regain their footing, before collapsing at the sides of the studio, exhausted and exhilarated.

No make up, no costumes, no nets.

But before the backstage preview even got underway CCB executive director William Starrett shared an exciting announcement. In conjunction with Columbia Classical Ballet, who suffered tremendous studio losses last fall during the October floods, Columbia City Ballet will be bringing American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland,  to Columbia on March 15th for a luncheon to benefit both Columbia City and Classical Ballets.

"We are thrilled to make this announcement and looking forward to sharing more details as they become available," Starrett said.

Misty Copeland is known throughout the dance world for her athletic dance style as well as for being the first African American principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre's 75 year history.  She performed the lead role in Washington Ballet's Swan Lake last spring with Columbia native Brooklyn Mack who is in his fifth year as principal dancer with Washington Ballet.

Following the announcement, the dancers of Columbia City Ballet continued to take our collective breath away.

Announcing the 2015 Jasper Artists of the Year

It was a beautiful night of revisiting the best of the Italian Renaissance at the Big Apple last night when we announced and celebrated the 2015 Jasper Artists of the Year. Without further ado, the winners are:

MARTHA BRIM ~ 2015 JAY IN DANCE

JULIA ELLIOTT ~ 2015 JAY IN LITERARY ARTS

CRAIG BUTTERFIELD ~ 2015 JAY IN MUSIC

DEWEY SCOTT-WILEY ~ 2015 JAY IN THEATRE

KIMI MAEDA ~ 2015 JAY IN VISUAL ARTS

Congratulations to all the JAY Winners and Finalists!

Thanks to Kristine Hartvigsen for photography, Mouse House for framing, Singing Fox for event planning, and Coal Powered Filmworks for Sponsorship. Special thanks to the shared talents of Duo Cortado, Cathering Hunsinger, the Trustus Apprentices, Chris Carney, and Jasper's Wet Ink spoken word poetry collective.

Blood spills and terror continues as Dracula returns to the stage at Columbia City Ballet -- by Alivia Seely

Dial up the babysitter and put on the Halloween costume, because this weekend is the 20^th anniversary of the Columbia City Ballet’s production of Dracula and it is one that should not be missed.

Back in Columbia, South Carolina for three nights, this year’s production has even more to offer than in years past. With a new technical director, new costumes, a new Count Dracula dancer and even a new character, William Starrett, Executive and Artist Director for the Columbia City Ballet, has pulled “a lot more meat” out of the classic Bram Stoker novel for this year’s show.

“We have a very heavy blend of contemporary movement with classical ballet as a foundation. My goal always is to get the dancer to learn the steps quickly so I can coach them on the quality of the steps and what we bring to the steps and the complexity of the story telling,” said Starrett.

An entire new section was added with the addition of the new character named Renfield, who lives in the basement of Count Dracula and eats bugs and small animals. Along with Renfield, danced by Reinaldo Soto, company member of the Columbia City Ballet, came some new music and original choreography.

But the surprises do not stop there. The new costumes, that clothe 22 dancers, are composed of loose sleeves and large tulle skirts that add dimensions when paired with the movement.

“The costumes for the undead and Maidens have big full skirts, long flowing sleeves, and require the dancers to wear their hair down. As a maiden, I have a lot of tricky partnering to do as well, so the most challenging aspect for me is dealing with both of those things together,” said Bonnie Boiter-Jolley, soloist for the Columbia City Ballet.

This year Boiter-Jolley is playing the role of the Purple Maiden, one of Dracula’s three wives.  “I love getting to become someone, or in this case, something else. I get to be this vicious seductress who shows no mercy. It's a very physical role which I love,” said Boiter-Jolley.

As the tradition continues, everyone at the ballet, including Starrett, encourages the audience members to come dressed in their Halloween costume of choice.

“We have a huge audience in Columbia, which is why we continue to bring Dracula back,” said Starrett.

Tickets are still available through the Koger Center box office for all three performances on Thursday Oct. 29 at 7 p.m., Friday Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Oct. 31 at 8:30 p.m. So grab a ticket and sink your teeth into the story of Dracula.