Webmaster Tries Out for the Ballet

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Arkansas Festival Ballet Artistic Director Mark Bush contemplates whether he should accept our Online Little Rock webmaster into the AR Academy of Dance. Academy students range in age from first grade through high school. Ballerina Allison Stearns who recently returned to Arkansas after performing with the Nashville Ballet Company in Tennessee, attempts to show our webmaster proper foot and hand positioning. "It's not exactly like the East Coast Swing, is it?" he was heard to mumble.

Several Arkansas ballet enthusiasts formed Arkansas Festival Ballet in 2000. In a short period of time it has emerged as a leading organization due to its successful performances and partnerships in our state's art community. Both the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and the Arkansas Arts Center were represented at the August 29 press conference where Bush outlined coming events.

Bush is no stranger to the performing arts. He studied at the prestigious National Academy of Arts in Illinois and the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. After a successful career dancing with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, he served as Ballet Master for Ballet Austin and has previously served as Artistic Director for both Ballet Center and Ballet Evansville. Arkansas dance is richer for his coming to Little Rock.

November 3 & 4, 2006 -- the Arkansas Festival Ballet will present a repertoire of classical and contemporary works at The Rep located at 601 Main Street in downtown Little Rock. The performance will be entitled Red Shoes and The Rep. It is not expected that Online Little Rock's webmaster will be included in this production. He tried to borrow his wife's red shoes but she would have none of it!

Hope is not lost because the group will return from the Pittsburg Regional Dance America National Festival in April 2007 to prepare for a June 1 - 3 performance of Cinderella at the Arkansas Children's Theatre.

Our webmaster posed a question to Cindy Murphy, founder of the group and member of the advisory board, "Cinderella, is that the one with the dwarfs?" Murphy was unable to respond immediately.

Our webmaster was next seen chatting with Executive Director Tisha Gribble of Little Rock. Further investigation revealed that she asked if he'd like a glass of water and he, being of dire thirst after practicing with Allison in front of a press corps hungry for news, gladly accepted. (Correction: the group of media present was in line for Tisha's cookies; those lean hungry facial expressions known only to investigative reporters were more chocolate chip related.)

Board president Kim Meyer-Webb was seen scurrying from the room as the Margaritaville Panama Hat turned her direction.

"I tried to explain to Mark that Allison's skirt was so fluffy I couldn't see if my feet were pointed forward or backward. He was very gracious. He shook my hand as he walked me to the Main Street exit."

"I think I'll call Bill Valentine and see if he needs a pitcher. Or, maybe the Arkansas Twisters could use my blistering 4.9 speed. They do stop the watch after ten yards, don't they? Wait, wait, wait -- the Arkansas Rimrockers are holding tryouts at the end of September.

"I just don't know. What with my movie career and I still haven't given up on ballet...I just don't know."

Click here for more information about the Arkansas Festival Ballet.

My sincere thanks to all the great people associated with Arkansas Festival Ballet. Your great sense of humor made my "try-out" a fun time. -- Online Little Rock Webmaster