Darien dancers back for 12th show of ‘So We Think We Can Dance’
So We Think We Can Dance, a student-run show for dance talent, returns to the Darien Arts Center for its 12th year.
The show is produced by the Arts Center’s dance students aged 12-18 and takes place at the DAC Weatherstone Studio, 2 Renshaw Road, behind Darien Town Hall, with performances on February 4th at 7pm and February 5th at 2pm Watch.
Eight DAC student choreographers with 18 dancers will manage all phases of creation and execution, choreographing and performing approximately 11 pieces spanning different dance styles.
“So We Think We Can Dance” was the idea of ​​former DAC students who envisioned using the skills they had acquired over years of dancing at the DAC to express their individuality in their own dances.
DAC dance students Sophia Condon, Sarah Jackson and Mackenzie Maier will produce the 2023 show.
Tickets for So We Think We Can Dance 2023 are $20 each; The show lasts about two hours. Buy tickets at darienarts.org or at the door.
If you have any questions, call the DAC at 203-655-8683.
DAC accepts grant applications
The Darien Arts Center is accepting applications for the Ginny Wright Scholarship, a $2,000 grant for a Darien high school senior to pursue fine arts or design studies in college.
Applicants do not have to be a declared art major as long as they wish to take art courses.
The award is given in memory of Virginia Wright, a talented artist, dedicated volunteer and generous benefactor. All applications, including artwork, artist letter, and letters of support must be received by the DAC by April 7th. All submissions are digital.
The winner will be announced later this spring.
Visit darienarts.org for application forms and more information. If you have any questions, call the DAC office at 203-655-8683 or email [email protected].
Performance by East Coast Contemporary Ballet
The Darien Arts Center is hosting Dance is in the Air, a brand new program by East Coast Contemporary Ballet.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the dance evening offers four neoclassical and contemporary love duets and a world premiere. Performances will be at 7:30pm on February 11th and 2pm on February 12th at the DAC Weatherstone Studio, 2 Renshaw Road, behind City Hall.
Founded in 2019 by Claire Mazza, DAC Dance Director, and Alejandro Ulloa, East Coast Contemporary Ballet is a Connecticut-based dance company performing seasonally in Connecticut and New York. Producing wholly original works, the company strives to reach diverse audiences and produce art that audiences can relate to and be inspired by.
Tickets for Dance is in the Air cost $35 each and are available at darienarts.org. Darien Arts Center students can attend the performance at a discounted rate of $20. Visit the DCA office to purchase these tickets. Call 203-655-8683 with questions.
Troop 53 honors its Eagle Scouts
Darien Scouts Troop 53 reunited January 8 to honor Pace Flaherty, Connor Blenke, Khrystos Yica-Nacarino and Christopher Cope, all of whom achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout over the past year.
Family, friends and other Scouts attended the Eagle Court of Honor, where the four each received commendations from State Senator Bob Duff, State Representative Tracy Marra and Darien First Selectman Monica McNally.
A requirement to earn the rank of Eagle Scout is to design, prepare, and lead others in undertaking a large service project that benefits a community organization.
For her projects, Blenke oversaw the creation of raised beds at the Mather Homestead; Cope directed the installation of an apiary wildflower garden with a protective perimeter at Mather Homestead; Flaherty built large closets that hold three shelves of books that are open to the public free of charge for both Weed Beach and Pear Tree Point Beach. and Yica-Nacarino renovated a storage area into an office space for the Darien Depot.
For more information about Darien Scouting, visit www.darienscouts.org
Geary Gallery opens February exhibition
The February exhibition at the Geary Gallery of Darien is called Joyous Spirit and features the bold and colorful natural landscapes of Goldens Bridge, NY artist Mireille Duchesne
Her work will be on display until February 25th.
Duchesne, a native of Normandy, France, received her formal education at the Lycee of Le Havre and a master’s degree from the University of Rouen; When she came to the US, she took classes at the Pastel Society of America and the Art Students League in New York.
She has received numerous awards for her pastels and oil paintings, including from the Pastel Society of America, the Salmagundi Club and the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club. Duchesne is a teacher at the Katonah Art Center.
The show is free and open to the public.
The Geary Gallery, 576 Boston Post Road, is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call 203-655-6633 or visit gearygallery.com for more details.
engagement announced
Eileen Begert Bergmann of Norwalk and Oliver Bergmann of Stamford announce the engagement of their daughter Charlotte Annelies Bergmann to Patrick Austin Reed, son of Jan and Michael Reed of Menlo Park, California.
The couple were college sweethearts and dated nine years before their engagement.
Charlotte Bergmann grew up in Darien, graduated from St. Luke’s School in New Canaan in 2012 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Strategic Communications with a minor in Spanish from the American University in Washington, DC with honors in 2016. Language and a certificate in Spanish translation. She is a public relations specialist at IBM in New York City.
Patrick Reed grew up in Menlo Park, graduated from Menlo-Atherton High School in 2012 and graduated magna cum laude from American University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with minors in Computer Science and Russian. He was part of the American University Honors Program and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Reed also graduated from New York University School of Law with a law degree in 2021 and was admitted to the New York State bar in 2022. He is a sophomore associate with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York City.
The couple will marry in October.
Dean’s List award winner from the city
The following residents of Darien have earned the Dean’s List or equivalent honors from their college or university.
Lauren Fisher, Coco Jepsen and Ted Brennan have been named to the President’s List at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Only students who ranked in the top 3 percent of undergraduate students in each department during the Fall 2022-23 semester were included in the President’s List, which recognizes academic excellence.
Sarah McLaughlin, Keely O’Shea, Tyler Strub and Katherine Wolters have been named to the Fall 2022 Dean’s List at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. To qualify, students must pass four or more letter-graded courses without bad grades during the semester and earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Susan Urstadt and Sophia Larizza have been added to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2022 semester at the University of Vermont at Burlington. To be included in the Dean’s List, students must have a GPA of 3.0 or better and be in the top 20 percent of their class at their college or school.
Charlotte Alexander has been named to Muhlenberg College’s Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester at the college in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Students with a GPA of 3.50 or higher will be recognized for academic achievement.
