Students poured into the auditorium of Dunbar Middle School while the announcements blared over the intercom. Step Afrika dance troupe was here to perform and the excitement was audible. As first-year principal and new Academy Center of the Arts board member Derrick Brown attempted to settle the energetic crowd, a uniformed officer turned to me and mentioned how the din is always a precursor to special events. Principal Brown introduced Shaun Spencer-Hester who spoke about the life and contributions of her grandmother Anne Spencer. She was a renowned icon of the Harlem Renaissance as a civil rights activist, poet, and a former librarian at Dunbar. Before Step Afrika took the stage, a group of young girls from the school performed an elaborate step recital, building on the now almost tangible anticipation of the student body. Finally, Principal Brown invited Step Afrika to take the stage. The dancers began in a circle facing each other, singing, stepping, clapping, and dancing. They were as impressive vocally as they were visually. As they progressed into each new routine, it was obvious that they had practiced choreography extensively. The music and rhythms they created were completely unaccompanied by music, and yet they stayed in […]
Archives for February 2017
Family Friendly Theater Troupe Coming to Lynchburg
Barter Players Present: Great Expectations The Barter Players have been acclaimed worldwide as one of the finest theatre troupes for young people anywhere. And now, Lynchburg youth have a chance to see them in action for the first time. This March, they are taking the stage at The Academy Center of the arts to perform the Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations. Plot Synopsis Great Expectations follows the story of Pip, an orphan living on the Kent marshes. Pip lives with his abusive sister and her husband, Joe Gargery, the village blacksmith. While exploring in the churchyard near the tombstones of his parents, Pip is confronted by an escaped convict. After this encounter, Pip begins a journey that takes him from his impoverished village upbringing to a new life as a London gentleman. Along the way, he meets the eccentric Miss Havisham and her ward, the beautiful, haughty Estella. The two fall in love. Determined to prove he is worthy of her, Pip strives to meet his great expectations. However, he experiences a downfall that teaches him the truth about himself and life. Barter Theater History The Barter Theater, a historic theater in Abingdon, VA was started in 1933 with the […]
Sharing the Love
Last week a few Academy employees had the pleasure of participating in a community event downtown: Share the Love. This event, hosted by Continuum of Care, takes a census of the homeless in our community but also connects them with various resource agencies. Many people got their hair cut, received food and toiletries and were connected to legal service agencies just to name a few. The Academy was honored to participate, especially since the event connected to one of our outreach programs. On March 18th we are holding our annual Empty Bowls event where local potters and community members make bowls of various shapes and sizes. Participants purchase a bowl for $20 and along with keeping it, they receive a meal of soup, bread and a drink all of which are donated by local restaurants. Proceeds benefit The Daily Bread, a local soup kitchen in downtown Lynchburg. We are so pleased to say that this is a wonderfully successful event that benefits another non-profit organization in our community. Many men and women from the Continuum of Care event had the opportunity to “Share the Love” by making bowls themselves. They knew that those bowls wouldn’t be something they kept but […]
