Hollywood in Paris

Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville, Tennessee has a pretty amazing education program. I’ve seen many of the children in productions at the playhouse, and I wish I had lived close enough/had enough money/had the knowledge to have taken advantage of the program when I was younger.

Every year they do their spring recitals and as a season ticket holder, I got to go this year. It’s the first time I had ever been to anything like it. The theme for this year was Hollywood in Paris. And while most of the performances were dance performances, there were some musical theatre performances as well.

Every age group and every type of talent was represented. Jazz, modern dance, tap, ballet, creative movement. By intermission, I sent a text to my mom asking her to come with me to see it the next day (Mother’s Day). I wanted her to see how great some of these groups were. Some of my favorite performances were by the pre-ballet class (Oh my, they were so little and so, so cute!), and the class made up completely of special needs people.

But I think my favorite of all of them were the adult tap and the adult hip hop classes. Um, seeing grown women do a hip hop number to Katy Perry’s “California Girls” = PRICELESS. It also makes me want to take those darn classes. And I haven’t had any dance classes unless you count a year of ballet when I was 7, and ballroom dance as my PE credit in college (and with no dance partner, you don’t learn much).

I took my mom back the next day and she was also impressed and loved seeing the children (and adults!) do their thing on stage. It makes me proud that there is the opportunity for these kids to learn and be exposed to the arts. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I think that Cumberland County Playhouse is a true asset to the community and the communities that surround Cumberland County.

So, anyone wanna take a hip hop class with me next year?? Anyone?