Gwendolyn the Graceful Pig comes to Borders February 19th
Enjoy a perfect day of ballet fun for the budding dancers and story lovers in your family on Saturday, February 19th, at 1:30 PM when dancers from Thomas Armour Youth Ballet will take center stage at the Coral Gables Borders Bookstore. Author David Ira Rottenberg will read his new picture book, Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig, while Thomas Armour Youth ballet dancers perform. As an added treat, Rottenberg will answer questions and sign copies, and a mini-dance lesson will be offered. Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig tells the tale of Gwendolyn and Omar – two best friends who have big dreams. Gwendolyn longs to dance ballet and Omar want to join the football team. There is just one problem – they are both pigs!
Picture book author, David Rottenberg, contacted Thomas Armour Youth Ballet’s Artistic Director Ruth Wiesen about offering the event in Coral Gables. Rottenberg has collaborated with other ballet companies all over the east coast such as the Joffrey Ballet School, the Pittsburgh Ballet and the Boston Ballet. Weisen then shared the concept with one of her instructors, Natasha Williams, and inspired her to take the project on. Natasha is excited about directing Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig. “The piece is an opportunity to not only work with lovely young dancers, but to collaborate with an artist in another genre, the author David Rottenberg, and share both dance and a love of reading with young people.”
Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig features ballet students Priscilla Jean Baptiste, Emilia Echeveste, Marcel Mejia (Omar), Mia Pennekamp (Gwendolyn), Arianna Felice, Kitana Lin. The dancers like the idea of sharing their love for ballet with young people, especially in such a non-traditional setting. If children enjoy Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig, then they might decide they want to learn more about dance themselves.
Wiesen hopes that the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet will do more performances of Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig, and she looks forward to finding other opportunities for collaboration. “Part of our mission is to share the arts with as many people as possible. We hope to continue with more outreach programs of this nature, which benefit both the participants and the audiences with whom we share what we love to do!”
The event is free. Bring your cameras!
When: Saturday, February 19th at 1:30 PM
Where: The Coral Gables Borders Bookstore, 358 San Lorenzo Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33146, (305) 529-4567
For more information contact: Thomas Armour Youth Ballet, 5818 Southwest 73rd Street
South Miami, FL 33143-5210, (305) 667-5543
