4 OCTOBER 14, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Annual dance festival sells out in Middle Village
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Salvatore LaRussa Dance Theatre
on Sunday, Oct. 3, sold out its 12th outdoor
dance festival in Middle Village,
where performers showcased modern
and classical dances.
Ten professional dance companies
performed in the courtyard of
LaRussa Studio with a live audience
of about 50 people. The festival takes
place twice a year in June and October.
Sal LaRussa opened his studio after
dancing professionally for years,
when he worked with local Broadway
companies and international groups.
LaRussa then ventured back to Middle
Village, where he grew up, to provide
his hometown with art programs.
“Our goal is to provide arts activities
and performing arts in dance and
drama,” LaRussa said. “We also want
to educate the Queens community in
the arts.”
LaRussa said there was nothing
like this in Middle Village before he
opened his dance company.
“I really didn’t have it growing up,
there weren’t any professional arts
groups or programs in the area,”
LaRussa said. “I always had to seek
elsewhere like in Manhattan for those
services, so we’re trying to provide
that on a more local basis. I think it’s
just important to provide these services
where it didn’t exist for me.”
Nicole Speletic, another Middle Village
native, opened the dance festival
with her art installation, “Concrete
Cage.” Speletic’s art integrated photographic
installation with a live performance.
Audience members were
able to view photographs of Speletic
improvising movement in Croatia as
she performed live in front of them.
Speletic said this installation was
inspired by the spaces she was working
in.
“It was the confi nement of those
spaces that resonated with the many
ways we are experiencing that constraint
and limitation in our lives now,”
Speletic said.
Speletic also agreed that she wasn’t
able to explore her passion for dance
growing up in Middle Village.
“We had to go elsewhere to have
exposure to a lot of art,” Speletic said.
“You had to go and fi nd it. I think it
would be great if we could bring that
into Middle Village. I think a lot of
people would appreciate it. I think
Middle Village is ready for it.”
Speletic said she hopes to bring
more performances and installations
to her hometown.
For more information on LaRussa
Studio, visit its website at SLDT.org.
Choreographer Luca Villa created large energy and vibrant movement.
Courtesy of Dana Snyder
MEDIA ADVISORY
M
Village
Middle
IA
Preparatory
IS
Charter
Y
r
School
will conduct its
g
monthly Board
y
d of Trustees Meeting
on Wednesday Oct 20 th , 2021
Details are as follows:
WHO: Middle Village Preparatory Charter School
WHAT: Monthly Board of Trustees Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday Oct 20 TH , 2021
TIME: 6:00 PM
WHERE: Multi-Purpose Room at Middle Village Prep
Door # 10
68-02 Metropolitan Avenue
Middle Village, NY 11379
All meetings of the Trustees and all committees and subcommittees
are conducted with the New York Open Meetings Law
(N.Y. Public Officers Law §§ 100-111).
MEDIA ADVISORY
Middle Village Preparatory Charter School
Veronica Cokley is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: MVP Board Meeting
Time: Oct 20, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
JOIN ZOOM MEETING
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/
3545060762?pwd=NGt6OVlSRzRsOHY1Qk5NR2xsWThGZz09
Meeting ID: 354 506 0762
Passcode: mvp#6802
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All meetings of the Trustees and all committees and subcommittees
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