Meet Lauren | Choreographer of the Year, Best Dance Studio, Best Studio Company Nominee

In this very moment, I could not be more proud to be a part of the Richmond dance community. Our small city holds such great talent and although we are all so unique and talented in our own way; we equally share an amazing passion and love for the art of dance and the avenues in which we are all contributing to our dance community. Thank you, RVA Dance Awards for creating the perfect storm for dancers, studio owners, choreographers, directors, and educators to come together and celebrate one another. I am extremely honored and grateful for my nominations as Choreographer of the Year and Best Artistic Direction. Being able to create, explore, and grow with my dancers is one of the most fulfilling pieces of my life…I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Meet RADAR | Best Collaboration | Best Dance Company Nominee

RADAR is incredibly honored to be nominated for Best Dance Company and Best Collaboration! We love and are passionate about dance and find the process of creating and performing rewarding in and of itself. That being said, having the Richmond community recognize us and our work in this way definitely enhances that reward! We are so grateful for the support and excited to be representing Richmond dance alongside so many other amazing dance companies!

Meet Carrie | Best Dance Studio | Best Dance Studio Performance

I am honored to be nominated for both Best Dance Studio and Best Studio Performance Company. As an educator, you hope to grow your students, but it is truly a privilege for that growth to be recognized. I believe that teaching children is a gift. There is no greater joy than to envelop a child into a world of creative expression, movement, and passion for the art of dance. Children are the next generation of dancers and without diversifying their training, dance would never evolve.

Meet Taylor-Leigh | Dancer of the Year Nominee

When I first found out about the Dancer of the Year award, I thought someone nominated me as a joke. I immediately thought about all the people who I thought were more deserving of it. But as a few days passed and people started to congratulate me, I realized that it’s real, and it is an honor to be among 5 phenomenal nominees in the city of Richmond, where dance is becoming more and more prevalent. It made sense to me that The Brand would get nominated because people know us, and we put out digital content for people in Richmond to see, and to be inspired to dance. And it’s exciting because we came together and started doing what we do not only for the clubs, the community, and the DJs, but for ourselves as a collective. To give us something to belong to, a home.

But as for me? I clearly wasn’t giving myself enough credit. Truth is, I am so fortunate to be connected to many different dance communities here, and I had that realization when we had the back to back photo shoots for the RVA Dance Awards. I had one of those “I am so thankful for dance” moments because of all the familiar faces I was being reunited with, each with such a unique presence. Another special moment came when Carrie, Kat, Lauren, and Tony all rolled up from Chesterfield Dance Center, and it felt like my past and present selves were being reconciled. As a transforming teenager, a lot happened at CDC. It was not only where I first started to become a dancer. It was where I first started to become myself.

VMFAKatrina Taggart-HecksherNovember 22, 2019vmfaModern Dance Photography Session, RVA Dance AwardsComment

Meet Starr | Choreographer of the Year | Best Dance Company

“It is an absolute privilege to be able to share my love for dance through teaching and choreography around the country for young and professional dance artists. If I am able to inspire young dancers to reach beyond their limits, believe in themselves and fulfill their dreams, then I consider that my greatest accomplishment.”

MEET THE BINFORD DANCE COMPANY- SPECIAL EDITION- YEAR TWO

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 School’s 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 collaborate with the School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC) students to perform in the Jason Mraz music video “Have It All.” 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.

Meet Christine

Now I’m very particular about “community”: the way I serve communities, which communities of artists I’m a part of and how I impart knowledge about community on the people in my sphere.

Meet Taylor-Leigh

“I know that no matter what I do, dance will always be a part of me, affecting the way I think, feel, and experience. Everyone has a groove somewhere within them. Our stories are in the way we carry our vessels, the way we interact with others, with the soul of the world. That’s all I’m really here to do anyways.” - Taylor-Leigh , The BRAND

MEET JASON

”What helped me to fall in love with Richmond was the abundance of arts and culture everywhere. “ - Jason S.

The BRAND - Year Two, Welcome Back!

“We have dancers of many different backgrounds, such as popping, breaking, contemporary, housing, locking, jazz, salsa and so on. Among the group, pretty much everyone is a hybrid of different dance styles, having experience in multiple forms. While much of The Brand’s time is spent dancing socially and inviting other party-goers to join in, we set aside time to train on our own to share our knowledge and skills with one another, and explore our creativity. “

VMFA, THE BRANDKatrina Taggart-HecksherDecember 31, 2018VMFA, Hip Hop, Modern Dance Photography SessionComment

Meet Pam

“When I dance, nothing else exists; I am able to leave the whole world behind me. Dancing heals my soul.”

My dance journey began like many others. I begged my Mom to sign me up for a local ballet class. I wore the leotard and tights around the house for weeks, months, maybe even years but I never did get into the class. I remember asking my Mom years later and she said she tried but the class was full. Meanwhile, I never lost my desire to dance. I explored moving on my own. I would dance in front of mirrors and make up routines with friends. I would watch Madonna on MTV and try to mimic her moves.

Meet Rasheeda

“My story with dance seems to be one that has had an unlikely path. For a girl that received her formal dance training through a parks and recreation program, obtained an accounting degree and became a CPA, found purpose through the challenges of life, and is now leading a vision to give God glory through all of the arts . . . the one thing that I can say with assurance about my journey is that it is one of destiny. This is the path that I was always supposed to be on. It’s the path that God created just for me. I’m humbled daily and forever grateful for all the moments that God had me in “the right place, at the right time”. I look forward to this next season, just to see what God will do.”

Meet Anna

“There are shortcuts to happiness and dancing is one of them”

“It all began when I was four years old and my mom took me to the ballet to see Richmond Ballets “The Nutcracker.” I was mesmerized by the movement, the colors, the characters, the lights, but most of all I was in awe of the ballerinas on pointe. I wanted to go up on my toes like that and float across stage as all the dancers did.”

Meet Jess

“Dogtown is everything to me. Watching the tremendous growth we’ve seen over the last three years since I became Director, I have truly come alive. The same ferocity of spirit that got me through the car accident filled inside of me, and I knew I was going to do whatever it took to make Dogtown successful, and something amazing for the dance artists in this community. Now, we have a year-round program dedicated to providing RVA artists with the resources they need to be successful. And everytime I see a new instructor fill a workshop, or a young company shine on the mainstage at Dogtown, I see my future. I know that even when that expiration date does hit, I will always be able to dance. Dogtown, and the artists that fill that space with so much love, energy, and spirit, will keep me dancing forever.”

Meet Kara

“Choreography is magical because in each moment a dance is revealing itself to you.

I am a deep thinker and choreography allows me to reveal my intrinsic thoughts and feelings through abstract expression. My work is not obvious in its content. You may not know exactly what the subject matter is but I like it that way. It challenges you to think beyond the obvious. You have to dig deeper and develop your own understanding. You relate to it in your own way based on your own life experiences.”

Meet Faith

You must create your own path, tell your own story, make your own mistakes, and learn your own lessons. You are an individual, with a heart, a soul, a brain, and you must fight for what you want. Allow others to help you, influence you (positively), inspire you, support you. Strive to be a well rounded dancer, it will benefit you in the long run.

Special Edition- MEET THE BINFORD DANCE COMPANY

“The power of dance is that it truly can be for every child to express every emotion and connect to every subject.” -Melissa Rickey, Binford Principal

Meet Stacy

"When I try to reflect on my dance journey, it is hard for me to remember a time that I have existed without dance in my life. Dance is and has always been innately a part of me and who I am. " - Stacy

Special Edition- IMPETUS - RADAR Dance Company

"As dancers, the impulse to be in motion is strong. Whipping up shapes, slicing through space, stirring the air around us, we know that the capacity for movement is endless. After all, our entire planet is in constant motion, rotating around its axis in a perpetual dance with itself."

Meet IMPETUS by RADAR

Meet Ryan

"I was too busy filling my soul with things I was told I needed, not what my soul was saying it needed.My soul needed to move, to create, to collaborate, it needed to dance."

Dancers of rva is a heart project that shares the passion and stories of dancers in the richmond, va area.

Be | Inspired

email: dancersofrva@gmail.com