NORWICH – This weekend is an important time for the arts community as it is the premier of the Perkins School of the Arts' main show, “Hidden Gem.” The senior show is at 7 p.m. on June 13 and 14 in the Norwich High School auditorium. The junior show will also be held there and is scheduled for 1 p.m. on June 14 and 15. Tickets will be sold at the door for $12 each.
“There will be dancers from all over,” said co-owner Mikey Perkins. He explained that students travel from all over Chenango County, East Syracuse and Pennsylvania in order to train and perform with the school.
“There are all sorts of dances that we do,” he said and went on to explain the background for the name of the show. “We call it 'Hidden Gem' because being from a small town there are little things that pop out at you... (students say the town) is like a little hidden gem.”
He explained that small town life allows one to notice the “little, small treasures in life and enjoy them.”
“The show is about being happy, upbeat and finding the joys in life, spreading that message,” said Perkins. “It's a fun show... the kids worked really hard this year.”
There will be approximately 200 dancers performing this weekend and the shows will consist of two acts with intermission in between. Each act will feature separate routines by various dancers.
“We've been working on the costumes all year,” said Perkins. “We want each kid to feel proud and special. We try to get unique costumes that they have never seen before.”
Perkins explained that the older dancers practice 12 to 15 hours a week. The show itself is a culmination of a year's worth of work for dancers and choreographers alike. Some older students come back specifically to perform in the show, even though they have moved out of the area for school or work.
“We also do a competition and are preparing for our national (in Orlando, Florida),” he continued. Through competitions like this, the school has built a national reputation. The upcoming competition is the Canadian nationals, which the school has won four times previously. Dancers from Perkins school have also gone to the US nationals 13 times, of which they won nine times. They also won second place three times.
“(Winning nationals) is huge, especially coming from a small town,” he said.
The nationals are a great opportunity for dancers as they provide an opportunity for competition, but also offer classes directed by well-known choreographers, such as those from the TV show “So You Think You Can Dance?”
The success comes from the number of talented instructors and choreographers, as well as the variety of classes that are offered. Classes range from a young children’s program that is focused on fun; to recreation programs for older dancers; and intensive programs for dancers that are also fun, but provide serious training for pre-professional dancers.
Perkins is eager for the upcoming show, but explained that it is always anti-climatic on the Monday after because there has been so much build up and preparation.
“We literally spend over a year planning for this. We, as a staff, take a lot of pride in our kids,” he said.
In regards to upcoming projects, Perkins explained that the school will host a summer camp. Dancers from all over the country will come to participate. Students will come from places like Florida, Canada, Massachusetts and Ohio - to name a few.
“It's more about teaching kids how to dance, have fun, creating confidence,” said Perkins. “It's a positive thing – about feeling good about yourself.”
For more information about the show or classes, visit perkinsdance.com.