Valerie here, reporting from Asheville NC, where I will be dancing with the summer dance company Terpsicorps! I heard of this program many years ago while attending National Choreographer’s Initiative (NCI) in Irvine, CA. Many of the dancers in California had danced with Terpsicorps and highly recommended it.
I’m so excited to share this experience with you all back home, especially since I will be performing Salvatore Aiello’s Clowns and Others down here, which Richmond Ballet will perform in the Studio One program this Fall.
Our director’s name is Heather Maloy. Heather attended North Carolina School of the Arts and joined North Carolina Dance Theatre when she was only 17—at that time the youngest company member in NCDT’s history. Heather worked with Richmond Ballet’s Ballet Master Jerri Kumery at NCDT…in fact, Jerri is the curator of Salvatore Aiello’s ballets because of her close work with him at NCDT, so she will be coming here to Asheville to do a seminar on Aiello and his work, and to help us clean up his choreography before the show.
In addition, we are performing Aiello's Rite of Spring and a piece of Heather’s called Second Line.
When I got here I went straight to the house of Terpsicorps board member Sally Rhodes, who is graciously providing me with housing during my time here. Funny enough, my roommate is Michael Eaton, who is great friends with Richmond Ballet’s Justin McMillan and knows Maggie Small from National Choreographer’s Initiative (NCI) last summer! Sally’s house is so beautiful; it’s up on a mountain with gorgeous views, it’s very relaxing. I’ll try and get some photos for next time.
Week 1 we will rehearse Monday-Friday, so I’ll have a lot to update as rehearsals get rolling! Until next time…
Smooches- Valerie Tellmann
