Meet Violet | Binford Dance Company Feature | Year Five
The Binford Dance Company was established in 2016. It is an audition-based student dance company from Binford Middle School, an arts integrated school located in Richmond, VA. Company members study Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Improvisation, and Composition within the Binford dance program. The company has performed throughout the community including: The 2019 Superintendent’s State of the Schools Address, Generation Dream, Richmond Public Schools Fine Arts Festival, Strawberry Street Festival, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology, Petersburg Home for Ladies, and Cedarfield Retirement Community. The company also had the opportunity to perform in the music videos “Have It All” and “Love Is Still The Answer” by Jason Mraz. The Binford Dance Company inspires students to find their own voice through performance and choreography while learning valuable skills in the rehearsal process including collaboration, respect, and confidence.
This year the company dancers chose a word and in studio executed their word through movement, costume and set color and design.
MEET VIOLET
EMPATHY
Violet 7th grade
I’ve had a passion for dancing since I was about three but I have really connected with my passion in the last four years of my life. When I started Minds in Motion in fourth grade, I started getting more involved with the Richmond Ballet. Then, I was invited to be an Ambassador which led my whole dancing journey with the Richmond Ballet. During my time as an Ambassador, it opened my eyes to so many different styles of dancing, like musical theatre, modern, tap, character, and of course, ballet! Now, I am in Middle One with amazing ballet teachers and I wouldn’t change it for the world!
As a young child, I was moving a lot, which can be very stressful for a kid. The one thing that made me feel better was dancing and my music. No matter what, through all of the places I’ve lived, I have found a way to incorporate dance into my life. It’s like it has always been there for me. The thing I love most about dancing is the way I can use it to express emotions and my feelings! I feel free when I dance and it helps me escape anything else that might’ve happened in my day. Dance has taught me so many important life lessons and things that will help me in the future. Dance also encouraged me to be more active and helped me get comfortable with experimenting on how I like to exercise!
I chose the word empathy for so many reasons! My favorite teacher who used to work at Binford, Mr. Faulks, made a big impact on my life and made school a safe, fun place! He left Binford in the middle of the year which was really hard for me and a lot of others in the school. The day we found out he was leaving he had a heart to heart with all of his students and told us why he loved us. He took my hands and told me I was the most empathetic person he had ever met and that I should never stop feeling for others. I knew right then and there that I wanted my word to be empathy so I could honor Mr. Faulks!
Now, one of my biggest goals in life is to make people feel heard and to help others voice their feelings. I want people to know that I care for them and want everyone to feel like they have someone to talk to when they need anything! I’ve learned that being empathetic is a very important skill to have in life and I always want people to share their opinions and feelings with no shame! And that is my dance story!
