Craig dancers show off grace, agility, holiday spirit with Studio V’s ‘A Christmas Carol’
Andy Bockelman
Young dancers were as light on their feet as fresh snow in the Moffat County High School auditorium Saturday, Dec. 14 as part of the Studio V holiday recital.
“A Christmas Carol” took inspiration from the Charles Dickens holiday classic with teachers Kalee Voegtle, Shaundra Patrick, and Laura Leigh Ellis crafting their own dance setlist and choreography to one of society’s most adapted stories.
“I think it went really well,” said Voegtle, the head of Studio V. “All of the dancers worked really hard to put on a great show.”
The basic outline of the miserly Scrooge discovering the true meaning of Christmas was accompanied by contemporary yuletide tunes ranging from The Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrapping” to Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
Besides newer covers of familiar songs, a fantasy sequence with young Scrooge utilized music from “Aladdin” to add to an already vast array of costumes.
The Studio V disciplines included tap, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, and acrobatics.
Samantha Franklin portrayed Scrooge with some of her fanciest footwork involving leaps, lifts, handsprings and cartwheels in both solo and ensemble sets.
“My style of dance is more acro,” she said, laughing.
Samantha added that she loved being in the show with younger sister Amanda, who played Tiny Tim.
“The cartwheel was pretty hard, but it was fun,” Amanda said.
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Daphne Vest sways as the guiding ghost of “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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An “Aladdin” number is among the music of Studio V’s “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Studio V’s Samantha Franklin and Kimber Eike perform as Scrooge and Marley in “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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A Scrooge silhouette is part of the decor for Studio V;s “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Daphne Vest and Samantha Franklin get off their feet and into the air in “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Lifts, leaps and other acrobatics are part of “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Kimber Eike and Amanda Franklin perform as Cratchit and Tiny Tim in “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Samantha Franklin performs her solo set as Scrooge in Studio V’s “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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The Studio V ensemble performs “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Studio V instructors accept a standing ovation for “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
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Sisters Amanda and Samantha Franklin hold up bouquets in the lobby following their performance of “A Christmas Carol.”
Andy Bockelman
Some of the major characters were combined, such as Kimber Eike as both Scrooge’s poor clerk Cratchit and the ghost of Marley. Likewise, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future were all one spirit, embodied by Daphne Vest.
Though each time taking the stage had its challenges, Vest said one in particular was tough to get right.
“My illusion where I have to go on the ground and do splits in the air, I couldn’t do that until a few days ago. I’m really proud of that,” she said. “I’m doing competition too, so I’m really looking forward to dancing that with Samantha.”
The collection of dancers included preschool ages and older, with a long ensemble list: Alexander Albaugh, Zoey Aragon, Kay Dean Baker, Ellyana Dunn, Riley Gorley, LeAnna Kelly, Marlie Kulp, Penny Lane, Ivy Padilla, Abigail Perez, Arianna Sampson, Rainy Staker, Taryn Isrealson, Brett Handrahan, Jasmin Hershiser, Meadow Simpson, Kynadee Caster, Peyton Ely, Breanna Ginther, Chase Howard, Galataya Mounce, Lilliana Oliver, Ellie Schell, Teagan Siminoe, Zariah Stover, Madeline Turner, Charlotte Browning, Crystal Gutierrez, Addison Markham, Applelora Matheson, Sofia Medina, Brewer Miles, Oaklyn Miles, Porter Naillon, Tess Weber, Quincy Loya, Abigail Markham, Addyson Stocks, Heidi Swan, Quincy Weber, Elle Luster, Acelynn Medrano, Kyrani Holt, Brooklynn Kroese, Brylei Padilla, Katie Timmer, Olivia Knez, Maisie Matheson, Tobias Wilson, Ellen Reed, Camila Balbuena, Victoria Balbuena, Paisley Bowers, Saphira Fredricks, Jaelynn Johnson, Hannah Markham, and Emma Palmer.
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