Wesson school celebrates 47 years of dance

Published 4:00 pm Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Nena Smith’s School of Dance in Wesson is celebrating nearly five decades of dance with its 47th annual recital.

The recital will be Saturday, May 21, and Monday, May 23, at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Show A begins at 5 p.m. each night, with Show B at 8 p.m. each night.

A $5 admission fee will be collected as a donation to the BankPlus Relay For Life Team.

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“This show’s theme is everything fun and crazy,” owner and director Nena Smith said. “We’ve all had a few long COVID years here, so this year’s show is dedicated to the joys of life and the chance to just laugh. It is titled ‘Still Crazy After All These Years.’”

Dancers ages 3 through adult will present routines in tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, ballet, musical theater and novelty routines, vocal arrangements and some surprises.

Some of the recital performers will be: Ramsey Brown, Kayla Oberschmidt, Studio Teacher in Training Reagan Newman, Hannah Meredith, Studio Assistant Teacher Kelly Grace Raiford, Vivian McRee, Senior Class Captain Amber Westbrook, Taylor Papizan, Anna Rai Cline, Callie Brooke Barlow and Lexie Freeman.

Also performing is “an outstanding” First and Second Grade Tri-County group, Smith said. The group includes Avery Ann Whittington, Kinley Hutchinson, Maggie Miller, Addi Grace Buffington, Ella Kate Lambert, Charleigh Rawls, Ad Sale Princess Elly Hutcherson, Alaina Floyd, Kinley Lofton, Morgan Smith, Avery Spencer, Madison Smith, Anna Spencer, Sadie Smith and Sadie Nations.

On Mondays, “The Fellowship of Christian Dancers” high school dancers gather to participate in a mentoring/devotional time and Christian interpretive movement class. The group is led by Nena Smith and Class Captain Haley McCullough. McCullough is the daughter of Stacie and Brian McCullough of Loyd Star. For the upcoming recital, the FCD team will be performing to “Look What You’ve Done” by Taasha Layton.