Verb Ballets partnered with the Cleveland Dance Movement to bring the community an opportunity to share in South African dance traditions. Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni taught an intergenerational masterclass of South Africa’s dance traditions in the styles of Pantsula, moving through Traditional African to Contemporary African. Together the two organizations seek to bring the area a deeper appreciation and understanding of cultures while finding community in dance. He joined Verb Ballets in 2021 as a part of Verb's International Cultural Exchange Program. He began training at Cape Academy of Performing Arts then continued at the Kaatsbaan International Dance Center under the guidance of Stella Abrera. Before joining Verb Ballets, he danced with the Joburg Ballet and Mzansi Ballet. He has been a wonderful addition to the company and we are honored to have him share South African traditions with the community.
Photo: Courtsey Cleveland Dance Movement
HELP US WELCOME SPRING HEALY Help us welcome Spring Healy to Verb Ballets! She joined the company in July as the Company Administrative Manager. She has a background in dance, studying ballet for nearly 12 years in her hometown of Toledo. Spring holds a B.A. in English from Bowling Green State University and is currently completing her M.A. in Arts Administration at The University of Akron where she was a Graduate Assistant for the School of Dance, Theatre, and Arts Administration for two years. Spring has worked with several arts organizations including the Toledo Arts Commission, American Dance Festival, National Center for Choreography in Akron (NCCAkron), and most recently, the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival in Akron as Operations Coordinator. She is
Photo: John Aylward
Photo: Kolman Rosenberg (2021)
SOUTH AFRICAN DANCE TRADITIONS
currently conducting research for her master’s thesis, which focuses on dance and creative placemaking. In her spare time Spring enjoys reading, hiking, making coffee, and hanging out with her cat, Ezra. verbiculture | October 2021
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