The more Jessica Kimpell Johnson learned about the Charlottesville Ballet, the more she felt the organization’s purpose had parallels to the work being done within the University of Virginia’s Democracy Initiative. Both operations – the one that teaches Johnson’s daughter dance and the one that is Johnson’s workplace – have missions rooted in the shared values of education, community and freedom.
The two groups will come together May 7 at the Paramount Theater, as the ballet presents “Connections,” a mixed repertoire performance – with a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening show at 7 p.m. – that will emphasize these kinds of human commonalities. Between the performances, at 4:15 p.m., there will be a panel conversation on “Democracy and Dance,” exploring that relationship and featuring ballerinas Christina Johnson and Brandye Lee. UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy Executive Director Melody Barnes will moderate the conversation.
The shows will feature trained professionals, young students in the Charlottesville Ballet Academy and community members, some of whom have little or no dance experience. The event will also include live music by members of the Charlottesville Symphony under its music director, Benjamin Rous.
“Underpinning the theme of ‘Connections’ is the idea that dance can build connections among us by being inclusive and accessible,” Johnson said.
The finale of the performance will involve choreography inspired by participants’ answers to survey questions – such as “What does freedom mean to you?” and “What is one wish you have for your community?” – typically used in the Democracy Initiative’s One Small Step program to unite people of different backgrounds.
Johnson, the Karsh Institute’s director of research as well as the manager of the John L. Nau III History and Principles of Democracy Lab at UVA, serves on the Charlottesville Ballet’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access committee. She was instrumental in forging the partnership between the ballet and the initiative, which aims to bring together a diverse group of people to study and advance the prospects of democracy around the world.
“It was kind of a conversation between our projects,” Johnson said. “One Small Step has been making these efforts to ask questions to allow people to have conversations that foster understanding and trust. And the ballet was thinking about how to incorporate community voices into the choreography of ‘Connections.’”
Democracy isn’t just going to the voting booth every so often, Johnson noted.
“We often think of democracy as a political system, especially one that’s marked by a set of electoral institutions,” she said. “But democracy also involves practices, attitudes and values related to political culture. And we want to engage with questions of culture as part of our understanding of democracy. Given that, the ‘Connections’ production is related to us thinking about how it’s important to explore the role of the arts and the humanities in fostering social and political culture.”
Johnson was introduced to the Charlottesville Ballet a few years ago when her daughter performed in “The Nutcracker.” As they do before most shows, ballet co-founders Emily Hartka, a 2012 UVA alumna, and Sara Clayborne came on stage to tell the audience about the unique nature of their company – that what the audience was about to see might not resemble the stereotypical ballet production.
“They talked about their focus on dancer health and wellness, and inclusivity in terms of backgrounds and body types,” Johnson said. “Their organization has been underpinned by a philosophy of inclusion and accessibility – and you see that in their programming, in who they highlight as dancers.”
Charlottesville Ballet’s mission – “To elevate the art of dance through wellness, performance, education and community outreach” – is rooted in personal stories. Hartka battled eating disorders and injuries as a ballerina, and wanted to create a better experience for others.
“We wanted a place that cares about the dancers,” Hartka said. “I trained in unhealthy environments growing up, as did so many of our dancers, donors, patrons and parents.
“One parent, a Black woman, told us that she’d never let her daughter do ballet because she herself was a dancer growing up and her appearance – her body type and the color of her skin – was not valued in the culture of classical ballet. She vowed, ‘I’ll never allow my daughters to dance.’ She came to a performance of ‘The Firebird’ in 2017 and was blown away by the diversity of Charlottesville Ballet’s professional company. This mom said, ‘Wait, maybe I can let my daughter do this.’
“Five years later, she’s an incredible advocate for the ballet with a daughter in the pre-professional program (who will be performing May 7).”
The Charlottesville Ballet’s goal is to change the narrative to one that embraces everyone.
“Charlottesville Ballet Academy is our training school for ages 18 months to 89, and we are constantly trying to shift people’s perceptions like, ‘Oh, my body looks like this, I can’t do ballet,’” Hartka said. “No, this is a place for you!”
Keith Lee, the first Black soloist to dance at the American Ballet Theater in 1968, is Charlottesville Ballet’s resident choreographer and its director of diversity and inclusion. The final act of “Connections,” choregraphed under his guidance, will be a multimedia experience with dancers of all ages and ability levels. This includes those who are active in Charlottesville Ballet’s senior-based Silver Swans and Movement for Parkinson’s programs.
“It’s been exciting to engage and include so many people in this new piece,” said Lee, who will be part of the “Democracy and Dance” panel discussion.
Tickets for “Connections” are $15 for youth (21 and under) and $25 for adults. Admission for the panel discussion, which includes a complementary beverage, is $15 for youth and $20 for adults. Those interested can visit CharlottesvilleBallet.org for information.
Hartka is hopeful the entirety of the event will bring to light for attendees how democracy can come in many forms.
“How do you create a more inclusive public? That’s part of democracy,” she said. “The arts are the perfect vehicle because no matter what side of the aisle you sit on, where you come from, what you look like, it doesn’t matter. We can come together. We can love this ballet, this art form on stage.”
Added Johnson: “There is an interplay between the arts and democracy. In this specific case, I think the audience will learn how dance has a role in helping us foster an inclusive democratic culture and that democratic ideas, in turn, can influence the world of and character of dance.”
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