A FORMER local dancer takes part in a summer program for three weeks in New York.
Jessica Ames is dancing with the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble on the advice of her artistic director at Vancouver’s Arts Umbrella, where she’s been for the past couple of years.
“It is a summer dance program recommended to me by my Artistic Director, Arty Gordon. Arty has friends and connections with the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble and she was able to get me a small scholarship,” said Ames, adding the program is called Movement Invention Project and will be mostly modern-based with a little ballet.
“I took this opportunity because I know how important it is to travel and dance with other people to make connections of my own and get my name out there,” she said, adding she’ll be dancing with Jill Johnson, Sidra Bell, Troy Ogilvie, Kyle Abraham and Shannon Gillen.
In addition, she will get to see Sidra Bell’s world premiere “Homme” and American Ballet Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty Ballet.
Ames travels to New York with six other Arts Umbrella dancers. Six dancers from New Jersey will be coming to Arts Umbrella’s summer dance intensive for three weeks in August, she added.