Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Running to Places is expanding its  programming to include summer workshops and year-long classes in all aspects of theater arts, for students entering fifth grade to those leaving twelfth grade.  The vocal, dance, and theater arts workshops will include things like theater games and exploration of different acting styles and methods as well as audition preparation. Some intensive master classes are also being planned for high school students ready for more advanced training.

“I’m definitely going to arrange my summer around R2P’s workshops,” says an enthusiastic Elisheva Glaser, a ninth-grader. “I love how R2P makes learning fun. This is an incredible opportunity and my friends and I are really excited.”

A smorgasbord of dance classes will also be offered for a variety of ages including adults, on the New York City drop-in, take-a-class-for-a-day model.

“Ithaca has some wonderful dance studios,” says Gail Belokur, R2P’s artistic director, “but if someone just wants to brush up on their tap or take just a little bit of ballet to learn some basics, there’s not much available.”

Similarly, classes during the year will include series on musical theatre related topics such as audition preparation as well as shorter sequences on techniques such as proper breath support for singing while dancing.

“Our goal is for kids interested in musical theater to be able to learn important skills and techniques that they can use on stage. The material already covered in our rehearsals will be offered in topic-based sessions that allow all interested students more focused exploration” explains Belokur.

The expanded programming will be held in The Just Be Cause Center for Not-for-Profit Development, which will now house R2P’s office and provide two different rehearsal spaces, located at 1013 W. State Street in Ithaca. “As our theater program continued to strengthen, space limitations forced us to put our other plans on hold because we had no place to conduct workshops,” says Belokur.  “Thanks to the generosity of Jerry Dietz who founded the Just Be Cause Center, we can expand our offerings and schedule them and rehearsals at times better suited to the needs of youth and families.”

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