Meet Selma | 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.

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MEET SELMA

Rhythm

Selma 7th grade

I’ve loved dancing since I was five years old when I started taking classes at the Richmond Ballet. Since then, I’ve kept up my dance training and it has become a huge part of my life! Most of my journey has been spent on ballet, but I also went through the Minds in Motion (MIM) program which helped me develop modern, tap, character, and theater dance skills. While learning more about those techniques through MIM, I was also taking weekly tap, theater, and of course ballet classes with the Richmond Ballet to really help advance my knowledge of those styles! Now, I dance for about seven hours every week at my studio taking ballet and modern classes. 

As I continued my training with the Richmond Ballet, I joined the Binford Dance Company (BDC). Being in the BDC has taught me more about the contemporary aspect of dance. I also love the company because the environment is super friendly and everyone is supportive! All of my experiences in dance have helped me become comfortable with performing and being on stage, which has led to me becoming more involved in various productions with the Richmond Ballet. I’ve performed four times in The Nutcracker as well as Cinderella and Circus Polka. I've started to understand that although performing can be extremely stressful, it's also a bonding experience and can be really fun!

Along with dance, one of my other focus areas is music. I chose the word rhythm because I've learned from dance and music that rhythm and musicality are extremely important. I think that in life you have to find a steady rhythm and a balance between things, and it’s important to pace yourself and take things one step at a time. I love dancing because it's an escape from other parts of my life that can be stressful and it lets me express myself through the movement!