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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us July 14, 2005 Free ballet classes for children are held mornings the Monday of each Ballet Rogue show at Lithia Park. Submitted photos Mondays in the Park with Ballet Ballet Rogue takes the stage in Lithia Park for its summer series By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings When dancers leap and spin on the Lithia Park bandshell stage this summer, they will be keeping alive the work of Eric Hyrst, the late choreographer who co-founded Ballet in the Park. Diane Gaumond-Hyrst, his widow and partner in creating the summer series and the dance company Ballet Rogue, said she always tries to include pieces choreographed by her husband, who passed away in 1996. “It’s my responsibility to keep the integrity of his choreography and to keep the artistry that was important to him,” she said. “I strive to be as ‘fidele,’ as we say in French, as faithful as possible in rendering the work. Every choreographer has a different vision. It always brings me a lot of pleasure. It’s a mission that I have. I had been working and living with him half my life when he passed away.” Hyrst choreographed not only classical ballet, but an energetic country hoe-down and a series of dances called “Reflexions” that incorporates the fox trot, Charleston, the tango and other styles. Dancers will perform those pieces this summer, along with works by other choreographers. Hyrst and Gaumond-Hyrst launched the popular Ballet in the Park series in 1985 in order to bring ballet to a wider audience, choosing Mondays, when the Oregon Shakespeare Festival stages no plays. “At that time, nothing was happening on Monday night in Ashland,” Gaumond-Hyrst recalled. “The city was ready to have activities on Monday night. It started with a bang, and it has never stopped.” Residents and visitors who attend Ballet in the Park this year will be treated to classic ballet dances that provide a sweeping overview of ballet style and history, according to organizers. Dancers come from Medford-based Ballet Rogue’s ballet classes and include members of the Ballet Rogue’s Junior Company. They will be joined by local and regional ballet, salsa and modern dancers, organizers said. On Monday, Aug. 1, Lake Oswego-based Kinetic Images Dance Company will present “What Lies Within,” an exploration of experiences that are universal, yet are felt in isolation. The performance features Mozart piano sonatas and symphonies, according to organizers. IF YOU GO Ballet Rogue will present Ballet in the Park at the Butler Bandshell in Ashland’s Lithia Park at 7:30 p.m. each Monday through Aug. 1. Free ballet classes for children are held at 9:30 a.m. the Monday of each performance at the bandshell. The drama and athleticism of ballet is on display Mondays in Lithia Park through the summer ballet season. Photos by Lisa Byrne | For the Tidings Again this year, Ballet Rogue will offer free children’s ballet classes on Monday mornings at the bandshell, where Ballet Rogue Junior Company member Karlie Bach — who at only 15 years old has already been dancing for 12 years — will teach ballet posture and movements. “She is very poised and very meticulous in her approach to her own dancing,” Gaumond-Hyrst said. “She’s happy to carry on a beautiful tradition. I’m sure the little kids are going to be very fond of her.” Staff writer Vickie Aldous can be reached at 482-3456 x 3018 or [email protected]. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Generic Viagra Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Sportsbook Absinthe Supply Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations African Safari Hammocks Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino King of Spirits ink cartridges Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams