Recital To Showcase Several Dance Styles
Sonya Elkins, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer
05/27/04

Ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop will take center stage at two recitals presented by Baird
Ballet on Saturday.

The shows at the Rome City Auditorium are free and open to the public, and will
showcase the skills of the studio's dancers from 3 years old to adults.

“It's educational as well as entertaining,” said Kathy Baird, studio owner and instructor.
“Kids will love it.” The matinee show, “Puttin' on the Ritz,” will begin at 2 p.m. and
feature tap, jazz and hip-hop.

The studio is offering hip-hop classes through an Atlanta instructor for its second year,
Baird said. The new style is popular with audiences as well as students.

“They love it,” she said. “I think that they've never seen it close up — all they've seen in
on TV.”

The evening show, “The Little Mermaid,” will begin at 7 p.m. and feature a ballet
rendition of the Walt Disney movie, Baird said.

She said that the ballet performance would follow the movie's story line as closely as
possible and use classical music.

The part of Ariel will be performed by Chelsea Flynt, a senior graduating from Coosa
High. She is attending Belhaven College in Jackson, Miss., in the fall on a dance and
academic scholarship, said Baird.

“I've been dancing since I was three, because I love it,” Flynt said. “It's fun to do, and it
really makes you think.” Flynt will perform a pas de deux— “dance for two”— with
Warren Nichols, the rising Shorter College sophomore who will perform as Prince Eric.

“I'm big on the cultural arts, so I hope there's a big turnout,” he said. “It's good for
people to go out and see these kinds of things.”

Baird said that she hoped the public would come out and see the experience levels of
some of her dancers.

“It's still a pre-professional school but we're trying to lay the foundation for children to
have performance experience,” she said. “It's training if they want to pursue dance as a
career.”

Katie Kiser, who just graduated from Rome High, said that this year's recital holds a
special significance to her, as her last performance with the studio.

“It makes it more sentimental,” she said. “You cherish every moment more.”

She said that she hopes that the public comes out to support the performance.

“It always makes us feel better to look out there and see a lot of people.”