All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Augusta Youth Ballet Company to present Coppelia in Buckhannon this weekend

Augusta Youth Ballet Company

The story ballet Coppelia, or “The Girl with the Enamel Eyes,” is coming to Buckhannon.

The Augusta Youth Ballet Company (AYBC), located at The Dance Factory on West Main Street, is taking the stage to present the ballet at the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Opening night is Saturday, February 1 at 7 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday, February 2 at 2 p.m. The cost of admission is $12 for adults and $6 for students.

The dancers in AYBC make up the cast of all your favorite characters from this comic ballet, with music by Léo Delibes. Dancers from Upshur, Lewis, and Barbour counties comprise the youth ballet. 

Senior Company dancers include Tori Adams, Kaida Almase, Leanna Bohman, Alecsis Butler, Ianna Gail Carillo, Christopher Dunaway, Kaylee Feather, Kristen Fisher, Lilly Heater, Sydney Mullens, Arden Payne, Phaedra Payne, Allia Layne Shaver, Savanna Smith, Maggie Taylor, and Addison Zirkle. Junior Company dancers include Maria Benjamin, Socia Bennett, Annabelle Caynor, Savannah Holden, Alexis Huffman, RaeAnna Hyre, Kinsley Ripley and Jenna Smith.

Guest artists for the production include dancers from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.  AYBC alumnus Zoë Payne from Belington, W.Va.; Harry Sukonik from Orlando, Fla.; and Aren Vaughn from Long Beach, Calif. will dance various roles in the ballet. Local dancer and AYBC alumnus Eva Beth Atha, AYBC assistant director Amy Maditz, and Noah Stalnaker of Lewis County, are also involved.

Harry Sukonik will dance the role of Franz. The role of Swanhilda will be danced by Kristen Fisher, and the role of Coppelia will be danced by Leanna Bohman will also be performing.

The Augusta Youth Ballet, under the direction of Nina M. Scattaregia, is a non-profit organization recognized as a pre-professional youth ballet company in the state of West Virginia. 

Tickets may be purchased online at www.dancefactorywv.com, at The Dance Factory at 107 W Main Street, and at the door.  Phone 304-472-8291 for more details.

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