A! Magazine for the Arts Archive

The Virginia Highlands Festival celebrates dance

The Virginia Highlands Festival is doing something a little different this year with its signature artist.

In This Issue

• Contra dancers gather in Jonesborough for fun David Wiley, president of the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society, got hooked on contra dancing at Merle Fest in 2005.
• Bristol Ballet celebates 70 years of dance Seventy years of dancing, 70 years of performances, 70 years of bringing the joy (the pain, the sadness, the romance, the beauty) of ballet to Bristol — Bristol Ballet is celebrating its 70th anniversary season. The celebration continues through June 2018
• Community Center offers contra dancing The Community Center of Abingdon added a new signature program this year: Contra Dance.
• Arts for Youth Spotlight: Noah Cook Noah Cook's dance experience began with a bribe.
• Niswonger Performing Arts Center announces season Now entering its 13th season, the Niswonger Performing Arts Center invites new and returning guests to "Experience the Arts" with another lineup of entertainment featuring 32 performances for the 2017-2018 Season.
• August brings top tellers to International Storytelling Center Storytelling Live!, the International Storytelling Center's celebrated teller-in-residence series, continues its season.
• Symphony performs Aug. 27 King University invites the community to attend a free concert by the Symphony of the Mountains, as they perform on the Oval Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m. on King's campus in Bristol, Tenn.
• Theatre Bristol stages "Tom Sawyer" Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer takes us on an adventure at the Theatre Bristol ARTspace weekends, Aug. 25 through Sept. 10 in a live performance of the classic tale.
• Porter publishes book Jan-Carol Publishing, of Johnson City, Tennessee, announces the release of "Alyster the Lonely Bull," written by Bristol, Tennessee, author Rebeca Porter.
• William King Museum receives grant The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation has awarded $5,000 to William King Museum of Art, Abingdon, Virginia, for the development of the Heritage Express program, which will bring Southwest Virginia fourth graders to the museum to learn about state and
• Washington County Public Library receives Big Read grant The Washington County Public Library, Abingdon, Virginia, received a $15,000 grant to host The Big Read in Washington County.
• Fun Fest art show winners announced Over 80 paintings were submitted for the competitive Kingsport Art Guild's Fun Fest Show 2017.
• Lance Halverson: Dare2Dance Lance Halverson of Dare2Dance began to dance in 2001.
• Louise Dickenson: "Benefits of dance are priceless" Louise Dickenson has been dancing since she was 4.

A! Extra

• Appalachian Fair returns Aug. 21–26 for 91st year of attractions GRAY, Tenn. — Stomping back into action like a bronco bull, the Appalachian Fair returns this week for six big days of fun, education, contests and music at the fairgrounds in Gray, Tennessee.
• Funny tales, scary tales make up 'Mountain Mysteries' Growing up in Wise County, Virginia, James W. Dean heard all kinds of tales. Funny ones. Scary ones.
• Danny Gokey weaves his compelling stories through song Stories can take on multitudes of forms. They can hail from books, including the Bible. Likewise, various forms of spoken word can serve to give us stories in droves. The contemporary gospel singer will headline the Christian Storytelling Festival at Prov
• Paper Moon Studio offering sewing classes Got a sewing machine but don't have a clue how to use it? Paper Moon Studio in Abingdon is offering a six-week series of sewing classes for both adults and youth.
• Smyth's teacher of the year loves teaching math, science, writing and more with music Chilhowie native Chrystle Gates had thought about a career in speech pathology. Twenty-two years later she is enjoying her work as a music teacher for Smyth County elementary schools and has been named Smyth County Teacher of the Year for 2017-18.
• King University to host free Symphony of the Mountains Concert On Aug. 27, King University invites the entire regional community to attend a free concert by the Symphony of the Mountains.
• Glade Spring fashion designer sews up wardrobe for docudrama GLADE SPRING, Va. — A Glade Spring businessman was a member of the costume crew for "Born in Bristol," a docudrama that tells the story of the Bristol Sessions.
• Bella Raye: "I'm not afraid to open up ... and tell people who I am." Into an ever-unfolding sky of stars go the dreams of Bella Bane.
• The art of Bill Deel ABINGDON, Va. — Bill Deel paints with both oil and watercolors.
• A local dancer with a national reputation "The first song that spoke to me was 'Man in the Mirror' by Michael Jackson. I knew Michael Jackson, his songs were the first ones I was dancing to, but that song had a message. I may not have fully known it at the time it came out, I was young, but I kne
• Leanza Cornett, Miss America 1993, appears in "Trail of the Lonesome Pine' outdoor drama BIG STONE GAP, Va. — "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine," the official outdoor drama of the Commonwealth of Virginia and member of The Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail, is celebrating a 54th consecutive season during the summer of 2017 with several special
• Handmade Dog Fashion in the Mountain Region ABINGDON, Va. — Kim Goward picked up purse-making as a craft about five years ago.
• New book offers pictorial history of the CCC MARION, Va. — It was a projection for Smyth County in the 1930s with a name called "Southwest Virginia State Park."