Ballet show includes special guests
The Ballet Art School is one of Belize’s premier dance schools, and throughout the years their recitals have always been eagerly anticipated, both for the quality of the performances and the costumes and set designs. This weekend the school will be putting on two shows. News Five spoke with Director Mamie Martinez about the programme called “Like a Dream,” which includes special guest performances by ballroom dancers Karen and Chris Chaleki who are now based in Belize.
Mamie Martinez, Director Ballet Art School
?This is our annual recital and we will have all of our students performing in the show. They will be doing classical ballet. We have from four-year-olds, right up to our senior dancer, Maria Waight, who is eighteen-years-old. We have two groups that will be performing on Pointe, and a very special item, our guest performers Chris and Karen who are ballroom dancers. We invite everyone to come along. We are all excited; the costumes will be absolutely gorgeous, Mrs. Chee does them for us every year. We are very happy about this and invite you to come along.?
Karen Chaleki, Ballroom Dancer
?We are looking for a couple here in Belize that want to be world champions. We know they are here, we just have to find them. We have instructors who are world champions who are coming to Belize and they would love to work with some kids. The whole idea is to show the kids what ballroom dancing is about. And it?s not just about the waltz and the–?
Chris Chaleki, Ballroom Dancer
?No, there?s the Latin music. It?s very exciting when you do your cha-chas and your sambas and your jive or your American swing, and so it?s a lot of fun.?
Karen Chaleki
?A great deal of fun.?
The Chalekis invite anyone interested in learning ballroom dancing to a series of classes beginning June twenty-second at seven p.m. at the Pickwick Club. The Ballet Art School’s “Like a Dream” performances are Saturday night at seven and Sunday at six at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available at the box office, which will be open from ten on Saturday.
