Meet Lauren | Best Tap Choreography Nominee & Winner

Looking back over 16 years of teaching, it’s amazing to think back to those days when I was so fresh and wildly passionate, and perhaps a little naïve to the complexities of teaching. It lights a different fire in you because you want to share your passion and give your students more than you had been given. My teaching style is strongly influenced by music as it is the driving force of my craft. I pride myself on the challenges I create for my students, and love watching the development of their growth within those challenges. This is my drive to continue this journey. The music and complexity is my spirit coming out and it ignites my passion day after day.

TAP, VMFA, RVA Dance AwardsKatrina Taggart-HecksherDecember 15, 2019Tap Dance, chesterfield dance center, RVA Dance Awards, VMFAComment

Meet Eric | Best Ballet Choreography Nominee & Winner

I have been in the Richmond area for the last four years, and have been working hard to meet the dance community of VA. It has been a long and joyful journey to become a choreographer and professor. I now have the opportunity to spend time doing research on the topics that inspire me. More importantly, I am in a position to inspire and train young dancers and to be part of their own journeys.

Meet Lauren | Choreographer of the Year, Best Dance Studio, Best Studio Company Nominee

In this very moment, I could not be more proud to be a part of the Richmond dance community. Our small city holds such great talent and although we are all so unique and talented in our own way; we equally share an amazing passion and love for the art of dance and the avenues in which we are all contributing to our dance community. Thank you, RVA Dance Awards for creating the perfect storm for dancers, studio owners, choreographers, directors, and educators to come together and celebrate one another. I am extremely honored and grateful for my nominations as Choreographer of the Year and Best Artistic Direction. Being able to create, explore, and grow with my dancers is one of the most fulfilling pieces of my life…I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Meet RADAR | Best Collaboration | Best Dance Company Nominee

RADAR is incredibly honored to be nominated for Best Dance Company and Best Collaboration! We love and are passionate about dance and find the process of creating and performing rewarding in and of itself. That being said, having the Richmond community recognize us and our work in this way definitely enhances that reward! We are so grateful for the support and excited to be representing Richmond dance alongside so many other amazing dance companies!

Meet Richmond Urban Dance | Best Digital Media Content Nominee

Richmond Urban Dance is extremely excited and grateful to be one of the nominees in the category of Best Digital Content! It is so humbling to see that the RVA dance community appreciates the hard work that we put into our social media. We consider our digital content just as much as an art form as we do our dancing, so it is an honor to be recognized. Taking a dance class or participating in a performance is one thing, but trying to reach a larger audience through social media is entirely different. We want our audience to feel the same positive energy and vibes that we try to have in all of our classes and performances!

RVA Dance Awards, Richmond Urban DanceKatrina Taggart-HecksherDecember 7, 2019Richmond Urban Dance, RVA Dance AwardsComment

Meet Maggie | Dancer of the Year Nominee

I am excited to be nominated as Dancer of the Year because there are so many incredible artists in Richmond who could be included in this category and I am humbled to be considered among those chosen this year. As the dance world in Richmond continues to expand and grow, I am honored to be recognized even as a nominee for my contributions on the ballet stage.

Meet Tony | Hip Hop Dancer of the Year | Best Collegiate Team Nominee

I’m so excited to be nominated not only for Best Hip Hop Choreographer, but Best College Dance Line as well (Virginia Union University) because this nomination was voted on by the dance community. That alone means the world, just to know the community is actually watching and respects and sees your hard work is an honor in itself.

Meet Taylor-Leigh | Dancer of the Year Nominee

When I first found out about the Dancer of the Year award, I thought someone nominated me as a joke. I immediately thought about all the people who I thought were more deserving of it. But as a few days passed and people started to congratulate me, I realized that it’s real, and it is an honor to be among 5 phenomenal nominees in the city of Richmond, where dance is becoming more and more prevalent. It made sense to me that The Brand would get nominated because people know us, and we put out digital content for people in Richmond to see, and to be inspired to dance. And it’s exciting because we came together and started doing what we do not only for the clubs, the community, and the DJs, but for ourselves as a collective. To give us something to belong to, a home.

But as for me? I clearly wasn’t giving myself enough credit. Truth is, I am so fortunate to be connected to many different dance communities here, and I had that realization when we had the back to back photo shoots for the RVA Dance Awards. I had one of those “I am so thankful for dance” moments because of all the familiar faces I was being reunited with, each with such a unique presence. Another special moment came when Carrie, Kat, Lauren, and Tony all rolled up from Chesterfield Dance Center, and it felt like my past and present selves were being reconciled. As a transforming teenager, a lot happened at CDC. It was not only where I first started to become a dancer. It was where I first started to become myself.

VMFAKatrina Taggart-HecksherNovember 22, 2019vmfaModern Dance Photography Session, RVA Dance AwardsComment

Meet Starr | Choreographer of the Year | Best Dance Company

“It is an absolute privilege to be able to share my love for dance through teaching and choreography around the country for young and professional dance artists. If I am able to inspire young dancers to reach beyond their limits, believe in themselves and fulfill their dreams, then I consider that my greatest accomplishment.”

Meet Ashley | Best Lyrical Choreography Nominee

I currently teach lyrical at Prestige Dance Studio, Contemporary at Momentum Dance Center and various styles of dance at St. Catherine’s school. I absolutely love teaching dance and I’m glad to know that my students appreciate me and my wild ideas. I get goosebumps watching my kids on stage as they transform into these storytelling artists. Most of my student’s I have taught about 5 years or more so they really get me and my style, and I get to know them and what motivates and challenges them. We joked about my nomination because when I choreograph a dance and have to put it in a category I always refer to the “open” category. As a choreographer, my goal is to evoke some type of feeling from the audience and I leave the rest up to my dancer’s. They make my job easy. This nomination would not have happened without my amazing students and their ability to turn the lyrics into movement. Thank you, thank you, I’m honored. And congratulations to all of the other brilliant nominees. Way to go RVA!

VMFA, Prestige DanceKatrina Taggart-HecksherNovember 19, 2019VMFALyrical Dance, VMFA, RVA Dance Awards Comment

Meet Jamie | Dance Instructor of the Year Nominee

“After performing a ballet, you reappear on stage to the sound of applause. Your heart fills knowing that you have touched someone with your time on stage. As a teacher, we don't always receive that applause. This nomination feels like my "Bravo", my standing ovation. Class after class, I try to make a difference in a young dancer's life. But as all teachers know, it is sometimes hard to know if you are succeeding. To know that I was nominated for this award from students and parents means so much to me. I am very grateful.”

BalletKatrina Taggart-HecksherNovember 13, 2019VMFABallet, RVA Dance Awards, VMFA

MEET LIV | RVA DANCE AWARD NOMINEE | YOUTH DANCER OF THE YEAR

Hello RVA! My name is Liv Klingler, I’m fifteen years old, and I love to dance! I began dancing at age three and haven't stopped since. I decided to commit more to dance at age seven by joining the J'adore Dance Project, which I am still part of. I spend multiple hours training at my home studio, J’adore Dance each night. I train in ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and tap. I also spend my time as an assistant instructor and teacher at J’adore.

Meet Gabi | RVA Dance Award Nominee | Youth Dancer of the Year

“To be considered for this award is a huge honor, I would just like to thank the community of Richmond for nominating me for Youth Dancer Of The Year. I’m so excited to be nominated with all of the amazing dancers in our community because we are all equally dedicated to our craft. At different points on my dance journey, I have danced with all of the young ladies I am nominated with. I would have never thought that I would be considered for this award. It is so incredible to see that my passion, hard work, and dedication I put towards dance is showing.”

Ballet, VMFA, Modern DanceKatrina Taggart-HecksherOctober 29, 2019VMFARVA Dance Awards, VMFA Comments

Dancers of rva is a heart project that shares the passion and stories of dancers in the richmond, va area.

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email: dancersofrva@gmail.com