Portland sure had a lot going on this past weekend….
- Temperatures in the 90′s.
- A huge city wide urban scavenger hunt.
- A thriving ballet summer intensive coming to a close.
At first glance, one couldn’t possibly imagine these three having a thing to do with each other. But they did.
And goodness was it fun.
As you may have seen in a Facebook and blog post we made last week, Oregon Ballet Theatre had the pleasure of serving as a checkpoint and non-profit partner of City Solve Urban Race, a group that offered nothing but fun and energetic opportunities for active Portlanders of all ages this past Saturday via a city wide scavenger hunt that mixes athleticism with intelligence, and problem solving with hard work (and a lot of picture taking for bonus points).
The racers mission was simple – survive the heat and find our studios, and then with the help of company members Lucas Threefoot and Ashley Dawn, learn and perform a combo of ballet steps.
What resulted was this:
And this:
And…this.
There’s a lot that makes me happy watching these videos. The juxtaposition of the astute dancers taking part in class with the racers who are most certainly taking their “first ballet steps”. The kind, warm hearted suggestions made by Lucas and Ashley. But most of all, the smiles of those who perhaps have never thought for an instant about ballet before, leaving their preconceived notions of what the art form is, and simply put, enjoying themselves.
That sentiment is what we’re about. We exist with hopes of providing an opportunity for you to engross yourself in the beauty of ballet, dance, and art for as long as you desire, even if only for a minute or two in the midst of your hectic life. Join us for our season. Become a volunteer. Engage with the city you live in, and the art that gets created within it. You’ll be surprised by how great it makes you feel.
August 8, 2012
Behind the Scenes, In the Community, Just for Fun, School of OBT