ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608230010
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: LESLIE HAGER-SMITH SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
When the Kennedy Center celebrates its 25th anniversary next month, some of the nation's finest dancers will be in the spotlight.
UJIMA, the resident dance company of The Center of Dance in Blacksburg, is one of 50 acts from across the nation invited to participate.
"Naturally, we're honored - and so excited!" says Carol Crawford Smith, the group's artistic director. "This puts UJIMA on a whole new level."
More than 150 singers, musicians, jugglers, dancers and comedians auditioned to be part of the Kennedy Center Open House Festival on Sept. 8. The invitation to UJIMA is especially notable because the troupe is less than 2 years old.
Closer to home, UJIMA will perform works in progress on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at The Center of Dance, 215 Draper Road. Members of a summer performance workshop will also dance. The performance is free and open to the public, but seating is limited.
UJIMA, explains Smith, is a Swahili word meaning "collective work and responsibility. ... I've taken the word and created an acronym for the troupe: United Joyfully In Movement Arts," says Smith, the former coordinator of Virginia Tech's Black Cultural Center.
Approximately a dozen men and women from their teens to their 40s will participate in the Kennedy Center performance. Their repertoire includes classical ballet, as well as modern, African and jazz-influenced dance.
Smith's history helps explain the troupe's success. When she was 11, Arthur Mitchell's world-renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem visited Smith's hometown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Smith entered a master class and found herself enchanted by "that image of black classical dancers."
At 14, she enrolled in the famous company's summer workshop and was asked to join the company. She moved to New York City and for the next 10 years traveled and danced all over the world, becoming a principal artist for the company.
Smith's approach to dance instruction is down-to-earth. She does not focus on performance. Her students are uniformed in simple pink tights and black leotards - no sequins, chiffon, or net, thank you.
In addition to traditional ballet for children and adults, the center offers contemporary dance, Afrocentric movement and a movement class for toddlers accompanied by their parents. For those who want the experience, Smith offers a performance workshop which incorporates dance, theater, set-and costume-design, as well as story and ballet development.
Encouraging appreciation for dance is the most important role UJIMA plays, Smith said. Troupe members give demonstrations at public schools, universities, conferences, open houses, benefits and community gatherings.
The group's Kennedy Center debut will take place Sept. 8 at 4:10 p.m. Tickets are free and will be available at the box office on a first-come, first-served basis. Dancers wishing to join UJIMA may audition next weekend. For more information, call 961-3519.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. Carol Crawford Smith's dance troupeby CNBUJIMA will perform works in progress on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at The
Center of Dance, 215 Draper Road in
Blacksburg. color.