Meet Binford | Year Three | Special Feature
Meet Binford Dance Company
Location: BYRD THEATRE, Carytown
Special Edition | Year Three | 2020
The Binford Dance Company was established in 2016. It is an audition-based student dance company from Binford Middle School, an arts integrated school located in Richmond, VA. Company members study Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Improvisation, and Composition within the Binford dance program. The company has performed throughout the community including: The 2019 Superintendent’s State of the Schools Address, Generation Dream, Richmond Public Schools Fine Arts Festival, Strawberry Street Festival, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology, Petersburg Home for Ladies, and Cedarfield Retirement Community. The company also had the opportunity to perform in the music videos “Have It All” and “Love Is Still The Answer” by Jason Mraz. The Binford Dance Company inspires students to find their own voice through performance and choreography while learning valuable skills in the rehearsal process including collaboration, respect, and confidence.
Location: BYRD THEATRE, Carytown
A note from the principal:
Binford Middle School serves students in grades sixth through eighth from across the city. Our students come to us each day to learn what all middle schoolers need to know, but they have a unique opportunity to learn in a different way. At Binford, teaching and learning takes form through and with the arts whenever possible. Our teachers design lessons that allow for the exploration of their content area, such as math, and pair it with an art form like dance, which makes learning fun and meaningful. When the math class gets to come to the dance studio to explore number relationships they get to involve their whole body. They get to learn vocabulary and skills in a new way which makes the learning stick.
Because of our work to use arts integration to transform the learning experiences for our students, we have been lucky to be included within the Turnaround Arts: Richmond program, a program of Richmond Public Schools, in partnership with the Kennedy Center. Binford belongs to a network of Turnaround Arts schools across the country that is using the arts to improve student learning, as part of a national program along with other federal and private partners. As a Turnaround Arts school, we prioritize the arts and value the many ways it can truly turn around a school.
We are tremendously fortunate to have an expert dance instructor in Lisa Perkinson. She founded the dance program in 2015, which was the first year of our arts integrated mission. In a short amount of time she has been able to establish a reputation for excellence with and among the dance students. Children who like dance but have never had formal dance training are able to work with someone who can create a safe space for them to work alongside someone who’s been dancing all their lives. The power of dance is that it truly can be for every child to express every emotion and connect to every subject. Lisa embodies that power and shares it greatly with our school and community.
-Melissa Rickey, Binford Principal
Location: COOL COLORS GALLERY, Carytown
Location: Streets of Carytown
Location: CustomInk, Carytown
Location: LES CREPES, Carytown
Location: Galaxy Diner, Carytown
Meet Zoe | 8th grade
Location: Sugar and Twine, Carytown
I first started dancing around five years old with ballet and tap. As I grew older, I continued to take ballet classes, falling more and more in love with the art form. I remember getting my first pair of pointe shoes and feeling so accomplished and just itching to dance beautifully on the tips of my toes. Dance soon became more than a hobby or just something I did after school. It became an amazing form of expression for me. I love the precision, meaning, and emotion that comes from dance. The fact that I will never be perfect in what I do, but still do it anyway. Falling out of leaps and turns, to get back up and do it again, knowing that every time I get up, I am closer to my goals. Now, I have had the opportunity to explore different styles of dance from classical ballet to jazz, modern, and improvisation. I have always loved learning new techniques and working through challenges, and I have grown a lot from moving outside of my comfort zone.
I have struggled with frustration with my work at times, but dance has helped me improve my patience in other areas of life and how to learn effectively from my mistakes. When I dance, I forget about all of the worries from the day and remember to enjoy the depth and emotion of the art. Dance has also opened many doors for me to perform at the National Cathedral, in the “Have it All” music video by Jason Mraz, and on the Altria Theater stage with SPARC Live Art. This year, I had the amazing opportunity to audition for Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology and was accepted. I am so excited to further explore and cultivate my dancing in high school. I am thankful to be able to learn so much through dance, and I never want to stop continuing to improve and express myself through movement.
Scarlett | 8th grade
I've been dancing since I was in the 2nd grade. I started with my friend Poppy, at Richmond Ballet. I always enjoyed dancing and was considered pretty good at it, so I continued to dance, specifically ballet. Once we were in the 5th grade, my friend Poppy told me before one class that her family was moving to California. I cried all class, and the teacher told me to sit out. Once she moved I continued to take lessons at the ballet. She stopped dancing when she moved, because she lost interest. Ballet has not been the same for me either. I dance, because of how it makes me feel and for my love of dance. Before I did it to be with my friend, and never really understood why I danced. I will forever be grateful for being friends with Poppy. She introduced me to dance, and helped me grow in a way no one else could. I will never forget her as long as I dance.
Location: VENUE SKATEBOARDS, CARYTOWN
Gia | 8th grade
Location: ASHBY, Carytown
I found my love for dance at a very young age. I started with one of those ballet/tap combo classes, and I’ve been dancing ever since! Now, I’m 14 years old and getting ready to start the next chapter of my dance journey by attending Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology, with dance as my focus area. I have been a competitive dancer for five years now, as well as training in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Modern, and Contemporary.
Being in the Binford Dance Company has been an amazing experience. The family I found it to be is one I wouldn’t trade for the world. I was given the opportunity to be a student choreographer with the Binford Dance Company this year and I think it took my movement to the next level. My movement is pushed every day by these amazing people. I’m sad to leave, but I know there are big things to come. Dance has truly given me everything; it’s my passion and my life. Whether it’s doing a million turns in ballet, or just moving my feet, joy takes over. That’s something we all strive to find, and when we do, it’s the purest feeling in the world.
Sydnee | 8th gradE
Since this is my last year at Binford, I would like to share what I’ve learned and what I will be taking along with me into the next steps of my life. I have danced with a different company outside of school, for about 3 years now, and I tried out to become a senior, but that didn’t go well. At this point I was ready to give up until I realized all the training I’ve received from this amazing company here at Binford. When I came to Binford in sixth grade I thought the company would be just for fun but I was wrong. By being in this company for three years I’ve formed a sisterhood and a very close relationship with my amazing teacher Ms. Perkinson. Ms. Perkinson has given me so many amazing opportunities that will take me to further places in my life. I want to say thank you so much to Dancers of RVA for having me for a third year in a row and thank you to Ms. Perkinson for allowing me to continue to grow in the company.
Diamond | 8th grade
My dance story had been a rocky one at first, but at the end it was one of the best experiences. When I first started dancing, I was very shy, but seeing people on TV shows and videos made me realize that I wanted to do the same thing. So that is when I took my first dance class ever, even though I was very behind being 11 years old at the time. That first day of dancing was very tough on me but it inspired me to keep pushing past that and keep dancing for nobody but myself. Where I am now in my dance journey is that I want to see which dance styles fit me the best, and maybe I can do more things with my ability to dance that I haven't realized yet. The challenges and obstacles I had to face while being a dancer is that sometimes you feel like giving up, and your body and your mind is not all the time in the right place. But at the end, the most rewarding part is being up there on the stage dancing like nobody's watching, and hearing all the applause and knowing it was worth it. And that is how my dance story has changed me as a person.
Caleb | 8th grade
Dance is everything. Dance is an art form. Dance is a lifestyle. I think I was 9 or 10 when I saw my brother, Chris, perform with the Richmond Ballet. He really inspired me when I saw him up there on stage. When Minds in Motion came to my school in 4th grade, I saw my opportunity to get up and just move. I took ballet classes and modern classes over the summer. That's when I figured out what my passion was. Today, I am a member of the Latin Ballet Junior Company and I hope to stick with them. Certain things made my journey hard, for instance, when I got my rejection letter from Appomattox. I was extremely upset but everything happens for a reason and I got into another regional school. Another challenge was auditioning for this company at Binford. I didn't make it the first two times, then my eighth grade year came, and I was the first boy to be cast in this company.
Calli | 8th grade
I started dancing my sixth grade year at Binford Middle School, and I have been taking class here ever since. I have loved every second of it, and I am always excited to come to class. I tried out for the Binford Dance Company when I was in seventh grade, and I didn't get in so I tried out again this year and I made it! When I'm dancing I can just forget about everything else going on in my life and live in the moment. I may not continue dance as my career, but I will always be dancing, whether it's for a performance or in my bedroom to a song I love.
Isabelle | 8th grade
I started dancing when I was three. I started off at Pine Camp doing ballet and then later moved to Richmond Ballet. At Richmond Ballet I started with ballet and slowly moved into jazz and character. I participated, and still do, in the Nutcracker and that gave me real performance experience. I have been dancing ever since. I love trying new styles like contemporary, modern, theater, and tap, which is now my favorite. I tried competition one year for Grace Arts and in the middle of the season I injured my shoulder. I had to wake up early and go to physical therapy for three months. When it was finally done I felt so much better and more capable, but I realized competition wasn’t for me. Now I dance with Richmond Ballet and The Jam Youth Project, which is an amazing tap group. I want to continue my tap dance studies and I look forward to exploring new styles at Appomattox Regional Governor’s School in the fall. I hope to keep letting my heart lead while I come along for the ride.
Aaliyah | 7th grade
I have been dancing for 4 years in total. I started dancing when I was younger but stopped. Then, at 7 years old, I picked back up again at Grace Arts. I went to Legacy for a few months and now I go to Rivercity. Now, I am in two dance companies, Binford Dance Company and Rivercity Dance Company. Some challenges I faced were comparing myself to other dancers. I always forgot that I am different from other dancers and we will never be the same. And every time I did compare myself, it didn’t change, so I told myself to stop. Now that I’ve learned that lesson, I am a better dancer than ever. Dance has always been a part of my life and it always will be. I dance because it allows me to be free at times when I can’t. I don’t think you will ever understand dance unless you take the artform. It really is beautiful. I am glad that I push myself to be better and to be different.
Kalyse | 7th grade
I started dancing when I was eleven years old because of my teacher, Ms. Perkinson. Her excitement and joy of teaching dance made me want to learn more about dancing and join the Binford Dance Company. Without her inspiration, I would not be dancing right now. Some challenges I had to overcome was lack of confidence. I had to stop second guessing myself and just go for it. Dancing has made me more confident. This is my first year dancing with the Binford Dance Company and I hope to pursue dancing in the future.
Kamini | 7th grade
Technically my dance story begins when I was around three or five (I don’t really remember). I did ballet for a few years, not really knowing what I was doing, more of just performing because I loved it. The lights, the stage, the community, I loved just dancing as a way to escape. I then did a program at my school called “Minds in Motion'' for around a year or two. I got into team XL, which was a slightly more advanced group of dancers. After that year was over, I tried out for team XXL. This group of dancers consisted of older kids and they would continue to perform after the school year was over. I did not make it into this group. Looking back, I am glad that I did not. However back then, I was upset. I have never dealt with rejection from auditioning before. I thought I did everything right. After that, I quit dance for a few years, however during that time I never really felt complete. I was doing orchestra, but I craved something more. The feel of going on stage, lights shining in your face, I truly missed that.
Fast forward to fifth grade summer, aka summer before middle school. I decided that I wanted to start dancing again. First, my mom began searching for dance companies. She found a few, but none really stuck out to me. We considered an all hip-hop dance company, The Richmond Ballet, and even a few others. Then I began searching and I found a dance company called Grace Arts. This is when I would like to say my dance story actually starts. Before that, the teacher would just give me moves and I would just do them. I thought it was fun but I did not have an emotion or passion. You know when you see those toddlers at a dance recital and they are just moving around, looking at their teachers for guidance, yeah that was me.
This is getting a little lengthy so I’m going to push forward. I began dancing at Grace Arts that summer. I was very shy (and still am) so I did not really talk much in class. I took advanced ballet, a dance technique class, and I think another class I can’t really remember. I remember the drive to that first ballet class in a couple years, I was so nervous. At the time, advanced ballet was what my mom signed me up for even though I knew I was not ready. That first ballet class, I was so rusty every time I think about it I cringe. I went toward the back of the bars, not thinking about when we switch sides I would be toward the front. Very smart, I know. I remember when we were going across the room and Ms. Faith (my teacher who basically taught me how to dance) was telling us to do a combo that had a tombe pas de bouree in it. When she was explaining what to do I was thinking “What in tarnation is this woman talking about?”. Lets fast forward to the end of summer. Ms. Faith asked me to be a part of the competition team. Although I was very excited, I started to doubt myself. But then I thought of how hard I worked that summer.
Sixth grade year was my best. I had finally found a dance company that I was happy with and I found a new dance company at Binford. Grace Arts not only improved my dance tremendously but also made me feel comfortable dancing there. I liked the environment, how it's not so strict but we still learn tons. And at Binford, I was nervous going into the year, but it turned out to be my best year. I found an amazing friend group who I’m still friends with today (shoutout to Aaliyah, Jordan, and Giselle) and I loved the Binford Dance Company. Now this might have seemed like a smooth story but throughout the way I dealt with some challenges that I’m still battling today. At times, I can be so unmotivated that I don’t even want to get out of bed. I’ve learned to push through, after bad times always come the good. Now I love both of my dance families, my BDC dance family and my Grace Arts one. Dance will always be an important part of my life. From going to performing aimlessly on stage to performing a solo in front of judges, I will forever and always love dance. Everyone has a “thing”, a passion, a talent, and I’m glad I found mine. I can't wait to see how the rest of my dance story continues.
Piper | 7th grade
My dance journey started when I was in 3rd grade, we just recently moved and I was always dancing around the house so my mom put me in classes at Grace Arts. My very first classes were ballet, contemporary, and hip hop. I absolutely love dancing and have stuck by it ever since. It has helped me grow and work through emotions. I’m very proud of where I am now and how far I've come since my first class. Binford really helped me to improve in these two years and I appreciate that. I’ve had some ups and downs during past seasons but this season has been great for me. I’ve been to so many fun competitions and different performances! Dancing is a part of me and something I love to do. That’s my dance journey.
Aleah |6th grade
I have been dancing for as long as I can remember. The first time I really did anything professional for dance was Minds In Motion through Richmond Ballet. I started by having a mandatory class in fourth grade, which turned into me being accepted into team XL and performing at the Carpenter Center. After that was over I would just choreograph dances at my school for the talent shows. Dance was just in my body no matter what I did. I would do anything by dancing, whether it was fixing food or going shopping. Once I got to Binford, and realized that dance was actually a class there, I auditioned for Dance Company and got in! Not only have I discovered wonderful dance moves, but I have learned others from my teacher and friends. One of the most important things I have learned from dance is, no matter how good you are at it, there will always be more challenges to overcome.
Zora | 6th grade
My dance journey began when I was 3 years old. I saw the Nutcracker and my life was changed forever. I love dancing so much. It has become a big part of my life and my family’s. The reason I love dance is because I can just let myself go into the music, and for a split second later, the song is over. Then I put on a new song! You can use so many emotions with dance and be free to be yourself. Dance will always be a part of my life.
I’Yana | 6th grade
I started dancing when I was about three years old and instantly fell in love with it. I would take dance classes off and on but never joined a team until I became a part of the Binford Dance Company. I was always around dancers growing up so I would join them and they would teach me some moves. I think I've developed a lot since I started dancing considering that I don't have any formal training and the fact that I do more hip-hop than modern or contemporary. Some challenges I had to overcome are the fact that I was really shy and getting/remembering choreography was hard because I felt like it was too difficult since I don't have training. I would have to work a lot harder which is a good thing that I developed over the years. My favorite dance styles are hip-hop and modern because they are really fun and you get to relax in both genres. To me dance means being able to express how you feel without using words, because everyone understands the language of dance. In the future I would love to take my dancing to the next level and strengthen my craft by attending Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, going to Juilliard, becoming a professional dancer, opening up my own studio, and much more. Dance has opened me up to more experiences and will continue to do so.
Amaya | 6th gradE
I started dancing when I was five and have been taking ballet lessons for seven years. I’m dancing with the Richmond Ballet, which has a dance program called Minds in Motion and I’m also taking modern and ballet classes. Dance is a way for me to forget the day and express myself with movement, the beat taking control. Dance has become a part of me and I would feel empty without it. I am a shy person and one of the hardships that I face is being confident with my dance, but when I perform I’m just in the moment, soaking it all in. I love dance.
