Teenager to get her kicks at Radio City
By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN
Published June 23, 2007
Sarah Blair Holding just turned 14, but she has a dance resume that would be the envy of someone three times her age.
At age 11, the New Port Richey girl was one of 16 girls chosen to be a Junior Rockette when the grown-up Rockettes performed the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in 2003. She danced in the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and, later, with the Miami City Ballet.
In July, Sarah will go to New York City to train with the real Rockettes at the real Radio City Music Hall for one full week. They'll dance from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, with only two one-hour breaks for their tired feet.
And that comes after her second year of study at the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive at the University of Alabama for the next two weeks, a spot she won when she competed with 4, 200 other dancers for just 900 positions in the ABT schools.
Sarah's mom is proud of her daughter, but she gives much credit for her success to Chris and Shanna Sell, Sarah's dance teachers for seven years.
Before the Sells opened their Broadway Dance Company studio in New Port Richey seven years ago, they were full-time professional dancers, traveling around the world in major Broadway and national touring companies. In fact, they met and married while they were both dancing in the record-setting musical Cats.
All that experience made them aware of the kinds of dance opportunities out there and gave them invaluable contacts in the dance business, which they pass on to their students.
Six out of the 16 girls chosen to be Junior Rockettes, for example, were from the Sells' school.
The Holding family is going to New York City at the end of Sarah's study stint with the Rockettes to watch her perform on the Radio City Music Hall stage.
"It's a 40-hour round trip, but it's worth it, " said Lori Holding, Sarah's proud mom.
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The 2006-07 season was a double record-setter for Richey Suncoast Theatre.
The season opened with the blockbuster Fiddler on the Roof, which set an all-time ticket sales record that looked as though it would be around for a long time.
Then came the season-closing The Music Man, which set a new record as the highest grossing show in the history of the theater.
"We ended the season on a very positive note, " said Marie Skelton, who directed The Music Man. "After the show closed, 40 or 50 people came in wanting tickets. That gave a good reason to buy season tickets for next year."
The first time I attended a show at Richey Suncoast back in 1991, I was told that in order to get good season ticket seats, you had to wait for someone to, um, pass on to his or her reward.
The theater went through a bad slump later that decade, and seats went begging, but it's well on its way back to its original glory - and then some.
In the past nine years, the theater, led by board president Charlie Skelton, has paid off a crushing mortgage, completely refurbished the doors and exterior, covered the roof dome in gold metallic materials, remodeled the box office, restrooms and lobby, built lighting and sound sub-balconies, and is using this summer to tear out the walls and ceiling of the auditorium and install new coverings, seats, carpets and curtains.
No wonder the crowds are flocking back as in the days of yore.
A new face at gallery
For the past three years, Lia Gallegos has been the eyes, ears and mouth for the Progress Energy Art Gallery in downtown New Port Richey. She's recruited volunteers and put together many impressive art shows.
On July 6, during the traditional First Friday reception at the gallery, she'll hand over her director's position to her assistant, Karren Doll Tolliver.
Lia plans to put the major part of her energies into her Web and graphic design business. But she's not leaving the art scene by any means. She'll continue as chair of the city's Cultural Affairs Committee and keep touting New Port Richey as a comfortable place for performing and fine artists.