Ballroom Magic, the annual showcase performance by the UGA Ballroom Performance Group, will be held Jan. 22-24 in the New Dance Theatre at the UGA dance building. The event will feature choreographed pieces in smooth and Latin ballroom dance styles, with appearances by special guest artists and alumni.
This year’s performance, “Lights, Camera, Magic,” will feature 45 UGA students performing classic ballroom styles such as the waltz, foxtrot, American tango, Argentine tango, quickstep, Viennese waltz, paso, cha cha, salsa, rumba and swing. Co-directors Natalie Grier Cox and Mike Fulford, both UGA and Ballroom Performance Group alumni, helped orchestrate this year’s performance.
“This isn’t your typical dance performance,” Cox said. “Everything is a ‘wow’ factor when it comes to planning and executing this show—from routines to costumes to music, lighting and effects. We expect you to leave thinking magic is the only word to describe it. You will be entertained.”
Performances will be held Jan. 22-24 at 8 p.m., with an additional matinée performance Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults and $10 for children, students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at pac.uga.edu, the Tate Student Center box office and by phone at 706-542-4400. Special discounted rates, $5 off each ticket, are available for groups of eight or more for the Jan. 22 evening and Jan. 24 matinée performances.
Special guests include the CONTACT dance company from Dancefx, professional Atlanta-based ballroom coach Christjohn Batters and his amateur partner, the UGA Tango Club and Swung. There also will be a Romanian folk dance performance.
The show features a unique theater-in-the-round setup that gives some audience members a view just a few feet away from the twirling action.
“This show inspires a lot of people to start dancing,” Cox said. “Many of my students tell me they first attended a performance to support a friend or family member and then realized they wanted to learn too. New people attend this event every year, and they always promise they will never miss another performance. They come back year after year and become part of our larger BPG family.”
More information on the UGA Ballroom Performance Group is at www.ugaballroom.com. Questions about dances, performances or auditions can be sent to ugaballroom@gmail.com.