The Statesboro Youth Ballet will present its first Spring Showcase at the Emma Kelly Theater on Saturday.
    Audience members are sure to be impressed by  the polished dance numbers from the 50 students, ages 3 through 15.
    “Our dances are the product of classical masterpieces choreographed by fundamentalists of classical ballet such as Marius Petipa and Michel Fokine,” Artistic Director Jurijs Safonovs said. “We will also present many new, original dance numbers choreographed by our extremely talented staff including Kaye Miller, Mathyn Miller, Emily Winn and myself.”
    Safonovs began his role as the artistic director of the Statesboro Youth Ballet last summer after participating in the international ballet seminar at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. The preservation and development of classical dance methodology served as the seminar’s major focus.
    “Our classical repertoire is set on Vaganova Russian ballet technique, which is designed to involve the whole body in every movement, with equal attention paid to the upper body, legs and feet of the dancer,” he said. “Ms. Vaganova believed that this approach increases consciousness of the body, thus creating a harmony of movement and greater expressive range.”
    The showcase will feature these sophisticated techniques along with other styles of dance, including modern, jazz, tap, character and pointe.
    Sisters Emma and Anne Lummus will perform a trio with another dancer at the Spring Showcase.
    Robert and Cindy Lummus recently enrolled their daughters in the Statesboro Youth Ballet program and immediately noticed improvements in their daughters’ dance abilities.
    While Emma and Anne are developing their dance techniques, they are also enjoying their time spent in the studio.
    “They can’t wait to come,” Robert Lummus said.
    Cindy Lummus added: “(Safonovs) has every girl motivated to do her best. Before their recent performance at the Arts Festival, the girls were practicing on their own without having to be told because they just love it.”
    A dress rehearsal will be held Friday evening in the Emma Kelly Theater.
    “Anyone interested can step in, free of charge, and see the preoperational progress in live action,” Safonovs said.
    The final performance of the Statesboro Youth Ballet’s Spring Showcase will take place in the Emma Kelly Theater at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5 each and may be purchased by calling the Averitt Center box office at (912) 212-2787 or by visiting averittcenterforthearts.org.