For those looking for a great way to see local dancers in a creative production, on September 7th, the Copper Coin Ballet Company is once again delivering a great show with Rockballet at the Muni. Featuring a live band, Downstate, headed by longtime theater personality and musician Damian Kaplan, and wonderful dancing by local talent, Rockballet promises to be an entertaining way to spend a Saturday night.
Rockballet debuted in 1994 and was the brainchild of Julie Ratz. In the early 1990s, Julie attended a Joffrey Ballet production in Chicago entitled “Billboards” with music from Prince. Julie was inspired to create a similar show in Springfield. As Julie remembers, the thought was to have more contemporary music combined with ballet dancing to “appeal to a wider audience.” The first Rockballet show in 1994 featured music from the rock band U2. It was a success, and over the past 30 years, Rockballet has produced many spectacular shows combining ballet dancing with contemporary rock music. This year’s theme is “Eras of Rock” and will include classic, pop and modern rock music.
Many thanks to Julie for bringing this unique performance to Springfield and for her hard work over the years to ensure its continued success. Julie, who now serves as the Artistic Director for Copper Coin Ballet, is well known from her years with the Springfield Ballet Company. Julie is another example of a native Springfieldian staying local and making Sangamon County a better place. Growing up in Springfield and attending Blessed Sacrament School and Sacred Heart Academy, Julie started dancing at a young age. After studying under Grace Nanavati at Dance Arts Studio and dancing with the Springfield Ballet Company, Julie took her skills to college at Illinois State University where she majored in dance. Julie graduated in 1989 and then moved to Chicago and continued studying dance until Grace Nanavati wooed her back to Springfield in 1991 to serve as the Ballet Mistress of the Springfield Ballet Company. In 1997, Julie became the Artistic Director of the Springfield Ballet Company, a position she held until 2021 when she left the Ballet Company. In 2022, Julie and others, including Grace, Ronda Brinkman, and Gina DeCroix Russell, revived the Copper Coin Ballet Company.
In the 1970s, Grace Nanavati was instrumental in founding the Springfield Ballet Company and served as its Artistic Director from 1975 until Julie took over that position in 1997. Under the direction of Grace and Julie, the Springfield Ballet Company was a wonderful local dance company that trained so many girls to be not only great dancers, but also responsible and mature young adults. Dancers were required to attend one-on-one evaluation meetings, show their grades, and learn the importance of receiving constructive criticism in order to get better. Springfield Ballet Company was the backdrop of so many Springfield childhoods and prepared many local girls to be successful in college and their future employment. While most did not continue on and make dancing a career, the Springfield Ballet Company has produced a number of professional dancers.
One of these professional dancers is Analysse Vance, currently a professional dancer in Chicago with Giordano Dance Chicago. Analysse spent eight years in the Springfield Ballet Company, first as a trainee and then as a company member, dancing in numerous productions including the holiday staple “The Nutcracker,” where she danced the role of Clara. Analysse graduated from Springfield High School in 2019 and then attended the University of Arizona majoring in dance and business. After graduating in 2023, Analysse began her career as a professional dancer in Chicago. Analysse is one of several dancers returning to Springfield next weekend to participate in Rockballet. Olivia Pennell, another Springfield Ballet Company alum, is also returning to take part in the production. She attended Williamsville High School and the University of Kansas graduating with degrees in both dance and communications. She currently works on the administrative side of Giordano Dance Chicago while freelance dancing and choreographing. Says Olivia on her time with Springfield Ballet Company, "SBC shaped me, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return to a place where I learned so much. It’s so exciting to be able to come back in a different capacity and to work with these talented dancers who are in the same position as I once was.”
Both Olivia and Analysse return to Springfield occasionally to assist the efforts of Gina DeCroix Russell who purchased Dance Arts Studio from Grace Nanavati in 2018. Gina continues the legacy of dance in Central Illinois. Dance Arts provides weekly dance lessons for children as young as age 4 all the way up to adults. Grace continues to provide her expertise, teaching multiple classes weekly at Dance Arts.
For those interested in Dance Arts Studio, contact information can be found at https://www.danceartsstudio.com.
For those interested in getting more information about Copper Coin Ballet Company, please visit https://www.coppercoinballet.org.
For those looking to attend the production of Rockballet, tickets may be purchased at https://www.metrotix.com/events/detail/smo-rockballet.
