Latin Ballet shines light on diversity

JAYLA MCNEILL Contributing Writer

Featuring diverse casts, dynamic costumes and intense choreography, the Latin Ballet of Virginia has been committed to preserving Latin American culture, promoting awareness and fostering community involvement through dance theater for more than 20 years.

Founded in 1997 with about 20 students, the Latin Ballet of Virginia (LBV) has grown exponentially. Now one of the state’s premier professional Hispanic dance companies, LBV has expanded to include two dance schools in Virginia and regularly performs locally, nationally and internationally.

To Ana Ines King — the founder and artistic director of the acclaimed LBV — the group’s productions represent far more than just dance theater.

“We tell the story through dance theater of who these people are,” King said. “[The audience] is learning not only history, but the power of the culture, traditions and legends.”

The latest step in this mission is LBV’s original production “VICTOR, The True Spirit of Love,” which premiered at the Grace Street Theater Sept. 7. This production told the true life story of Richmond local Victor Torres and his path from drug addiction to redemption. Torres moved from Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, New York in the 1960s where he endured substance abuse and gang activity. Today, he is a minister and founder of New Life for Youth, a non-profit rehabilitation center that includes two homes in Richmond.

“VICTOR” audience member Phoebe Ashley praised the cast’s ability to “bring to life” and encapsulate the pain and anguish of a drug addict’s lifestyle.

Ellie Martinez, Torres’ younger sister, said the performance brought back significant feelings and memories.

“It brought tears to my eyes,” Martinez said. “It was just very, very tender, very soft, very emotional.”

Roberto Whitaker, 25, who played the title character of Victor and has been performing with the company for more than five years, noted LBV’s dedication to inclusivity and cultural awareness.

“With this company, it’s just culturally diverse and sensitive,” Whitaker said. “We don’t just dabble into West African [dance] and not try to understand their tribe, their history, [and] not try to understand how to elaborate this through our physical speech.”

This October, LBV will travel to New York to perform “NuYoRican,” a production based on the experience of Puerto

Samuel Goodrich

Staff Writer

The first day of fall — aka Halloween season — rolled around early last week. Not only have spooky decorations and fun-sized candy filled the grocery store aisles, but horror films are hitting the box office, capitalizing on Halloween spirit for thrills and chills.

“The House with a Clock in its Walls” aims to capture the child-like passion and love for magic and bizarre rituals. While the film will appeal to the oddball children of the world, its attempts to please a wider audience prove to be its largest hurdle.

Set in the 1950s, “The House” follows Lewis Barnavelt, a young boy whose parents recently died in a car accident. He is sent to live with his eccentric uncle Jonathan, who turns out to be a warlock living in the titular house. Lewis soon becomes determined to learn magic from Jonathan and their next door neighbor, a once powerful witch named Florence Zimmerman.

Points must be awarded to the set and costume designers who clearly had the time of their lives crafting the house and wardrobe. There are so many eccentric details in the creepy vintage items and gothic architecture.

There’s also a clear love and passion on the part of director Eli Roth, who strays from his normal gory horror affairs to make a fun family film that adores the bizarre and weird. It’s difficult not to see “The House” as a file Roth made for his younger self as the narrative obsesses over hexes, spells, ancient texts and old rituals.

The adult actors also have a blast on camera. Jack Black as Jonathan does his normal man-child routine but adds a bit of flair to keep it from being obnoxious. Cate Blanchett as Florence is exquisite, able to express so much in a simple look or elicit a laugh from a line delivery.

The only actor who drops the ball is Owen Vaccaro as Lewis. Despite being responsible for holding the film together, Vaccaro has poor comedic delivery and is only slightly better in the dramatic moments. While not horrible, his below-average acting distracts the viewer at times.

Similarly falling flat are the film’s bizarre attempts at childish humor. Whenever “The House” stops its fun and engaging plot of magic discovery to show a hedge

Ricans migrating to the U.S after World War II. The company will then travel to Mexico in November to perform “Mujeres” to impoverished and underserved communities. “Mujeres” is a production that pays tribute to three Mexican women who significantly influenced Spanish and Latin American culture.

“When we understand our people, when we understand where we come from — when we understand the struggles and hardships that we’ve been through,” Whitaker said, “everybody gets to know a little bit about themselves.”

LBV’s next local performance will be for Hispanic Heritage Day at the Children’s Museum of Richmond Sept. 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Upcoming Events

WED. 9/26

Sherlock Holmes

Catch the 2009 mystery film “Sherlock Holmes” starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams at the Byrd. $5; can be purchased online or at the door.

9:30 pm, The Byrd (2908 W. Cary St.)

FRI. 9/28 – 9/29

Lewis Ginter Fall PlantFest

Grab a wagon and join dozens of vendors and gardeners in purchasing plants for the fall. Plants will range from wellknown classics to rare, exotic plants. There is no fee for PlantFest, but the admission fee for the garden is $13 for adults; free for children.

9 a.m.-5 p.m., Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (1800 Lakeside Ave.)

SUN. 9/30

Love Your Body: Yoga for Women

This therapeutic yoga class serves as a safe space for women to “explore and heal the body and mind.” The class includes meditation, breathing techniques and posture work. No experience required. No pre-registration necessary. Arrive 10-15 minutes early.

12:30-1:30 p.m., Project Yoga Richmond (6517 Dickens Pl.)

THURS. 9/27

Study Abroad Fall Fair

Join the Global Education Office for their annual fall fair to explore the various study abroad opportunities available through VCU. Representatives, students, program providers and Education Abroad staff will be available to answer questions and share information.

10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Commons Plaza sculpture explosively poop mulch, it feels forced and just does not work. The same can be said for the side plot where Lewis tries to fit in at school — a plotline audience members outside the target demographic have seen countless times before.

The film is at its best when it simply reveals its love for the creepy, the weird and the dark. In fact, “The House” is not afraid to touch on darker subjects, like divorce or coping with trauma. The main theme tackles how ignoring trauma is harmful, and channeling those emotions into what you love will ultimately be for the best. While not handled as well as in more dramatic films, it’s still nice to see these issues touched upon in children’s media.

In general, I was hoping the movie would play out more like “Coraline” or “Monster House,” where the movie actually becomes scary. This film never goes too dark or intense — a few creepy dolls provide the most thrills. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing because the movie provides a safe and inviting place to experience the joys of fear that horror media is beloved for.

“The House with a Clock in its Walls” is a great primer for the Halloween season, for adults and children alike. Its quirky oddness and obsession with magic is endearing and entertaining. The intended audience will have a blast with this film, but adults are sure to see the story beats and twists from a mile away.

TUE. 10/2

Learn to Fix a Flat 2

Come learn from bicycle experts about the common causes of flat tires, how to prevent them and how to fix them. There will be bikes available to experiment with, but feel free to bring your own bike. Free admission, just make sure to register online. Eight spots left. Registration closes when workshop begins.

6-8 p.m., VCU Outdoor Adventure Program (130 S. Linden St.)

WED. 9/26

For the Love of Art: Michael Taylor and the “Fountain” of Change

Join the ICA’s Faculty-in-Residence Chioke l’Anson and VMFA Chief Curator Michael Taylor for a discussion about artist Marcel Duchamp’s innovative work.

Free admission!

6-7:30 p.m., Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU (601 W. Broad St.)

WED. 10/2

Meet VCU’s Authors: Incoronata (Nadia) Inserra

Assistant professor in the department of Focused Inquiry, Dr. Inserra describes how tourism, translation and world music have transformed the tarantella tradition. n her book, “Global Tarantella: Reinventing Southern Italian Folk Music and Dances,” she examines the reassessment of gender relations in the Italian South.

4-5 p.m., Cabell Library room 250