Meet Lauren | Best Tap Choreography Nominee & Winner

Looking back over 16 years of teaching, it’s amazing to think back to those days when I was so fresh and wildly passionate, and perhaps a little naïve to the complexities of teaching. It lights a different fire in you because you want to share your passion and give your students more than you had been given. My teaching style is strongly influenced by music as it is the driving force of my craft. I pride myself on the challenges I create for my students, and love watching the development of their growth within those challenges. This is my drive to continue this journey. The music and complexity is my spirit coming out and it ignites my passion day after day.

TAP, VMFA, RVA Dance AwardsKatrina Taggart-HecksherDecember 15, 2019Tap Dance, chesterfield dance center, RVA Dance Awards, VMFAComment

Meet Eric | Best Ballet Choreography Nominee & Winner

I have been in the Richmond area for the last four years, and have been working hard to meet the dance community of VA. It has been a long and joyful journey to become a choreographer and professor. I now have the opportunity to spend time doing research on the topics that inspire me. More importantly, I am in a position to inspire and train young dancers and to be part of their own journeys.

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 Maggie | Dancer of the Year Nominee

I am excited to be nominated as Dancer of the Year because there are so many incredible artists in Richmond who could be included in this category and I am humbled to be considered among those chosen this year. As the dance world in Richmond continues to expand and grow, I am honored to be recognized even as a nominee for my contributions on the ballet stage.

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 Tony | Hip Hop Dancer of the Year | Best Collegiate Team Nominee

I’m so excited to be nominated not only for Best Hip Hop Choreographer, but Best College Dance Line as well (Virginia Union University) because this nomination was voted on by the dance community. That alone means the world, just to know the community is actually watching and respects and sees your hard work is an honor in itself.

Meet Rachel | Dancer of the Year Nominee

“ I began dancing in Los Angeles at the age of 10, later setting focus in ballet with opportunities to train in schools around the country including Pacific Northwest Ballet, LINES Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Chicago, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and the Richmond Ballet. I am ecstatic to have been nominated for the Dancer of the Year RVA Dance Award, and really owe this nomination to my many mentors and supporters, Shannon Hunter McConville, Nicole Mickey Shaver, Madison Ellis Ellington, Lisa Rumbauskas, and of course to my many beautiful and talented dance students at the West End Academy of Dance who I love so dearly. My fun fact is that my favorite activities outside of ballet are tap dancing, water aerobics, hanging out with Bretta (my cat) and crying over episodes of the Great British Baking Show.”

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 Ashley | Best Lyrical Choreography Nominee

I currently teach lyrical at Prestige Dance Studio, Contemporary at Momentum Dance Center and various styles of dance at St. Catherine’s school. I absolutely love teaching dance and I’m glad to know that my students appreciate me and my wild ideas. I get goosebumps watching my kids on stage as they transform into these storytelling artists. Most of my student’s I have taught about 5 years or more so they really get me and my style, and I get to know them and what motivates and challenges them. We joked about my nomination because when I choreograph a dance and have to put it in a category I always refer to the “open” category. As a choreographer, my goal is to evoke some type of feeling from the audience and I leave the rest up to my dancer’s. They make my job easy. This nomination would not have happened without my amazing students and their ability to turn the lyrics into movement. Thank you, thank you, I’m honored. And congratulations to all of the other brilliant nominees. Way to go RVA!

VMFA, Prestige DanceKatrina Taggart-HecksherNovember 19, 2019VMFALyrical Dance, VMFA, RVA Dance Awards Comment

Meet Nicole | Best Ballet Choreography Nominee

“I’m honored to be nominated as Best Ballet Choreographer. My passion is telling the audience a story through innovative ballet. I’m humbled and amazed to be recognized in the RVA dance community, with such a talented group of artists. “

Meet Ana | Latin Ballet | RVA Dance Award Nominee

I am from Colombia, South America. My grandmother was a poet, my mother a dancer and my father was a doctor who treated everyone regardless of their ability to pay. I LEARNED FROM THEM the importance of HELPING OTHERS while promoting ARTS AND CULTURE.

“When I came to Richmond 24 years ago to marry my husband, William King, I knew very little English but it was easy for me to adapt to a new culture. It was very hard for my daughter who was 12 years old. She was placed in an ESL class and was very unhappy until she was asked to write an essay about her culture. She made a video of herself dancing SALSA. With her presentation not only did her pride return, but her confidence, security and motivation – all major keys for a happy, successful life.”

VMFA, Ballet, RVA Dance AwardsKatrina Taggart-HecksherNovember 5, 2019vmfaLatin Ballet, BalletComment

MEET LIV | RVA DANCE AWARD NOMINEE | YOUTH DANCER OF THE YEAR

Hello RVA! My name is Liv Klingler, I’m fifteen years old, and I love to dance! I began dancing at age three and haven't stopped since. I decided to commit more to dance at age seven by joining the J'adore Dance Project, which I am still part of. I spend multiple hours training at my home studio, J’adore Dance each night. I train in ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and tap. I also spend my time as an assistant instructor and teacher at J’adore.

Ballet, VMFA, RVA Dance AwardsKatrina Taggart-HecksherOctober 31, 2019VMFARVA Dance Awards, J'Adore Dance, Ballet, VMFAComment

Meet Gabi | RVA Dance Award Nominee | Youth Dancer of the Year

“To be considered for this award is a huge honor, I would just like to thank the community of Richmond for nominating me for Youth Dancer Of The Year. I’m so excited to be nominated with all of the amazing dancers in our community because we are all equally dedicated to our craft. At different points on my dance journey, I have danced with all of the young ladies I am nominated with. I would have never thought that I would be considered for this award. It is so incredible to see that my passion, hard work, and dedication I put towards dance is showing.”

Ballet, VMFA, Modern DanceKatrina Taggart-HecksherOctober 29, 2019VMFARVA Dance Awards, VMFA Comments

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

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 Daniella

"I dance because there is nothing more powerful than creating. Dance is an expression of art that allows anyone to feel all types of emotion through the movement of the body. It is so incredibly amazing to be able take a canvas of movement and create artistry. " Daniella of STAVNA Ballet

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