Riddick Dance brings ‘Limericks of Our Souls’ to HHS from Hampton
The Fine Arts Academy partnered with the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) to schedule Riddick Dance from Hampton, VA to perform an original show, “Limericks of Our Souls,” during ELT. Band Director J.R. Snow planned the event with the help of the VCA to show students a different form of art.
“Continue to open your mind to the opportunities that are in front of you,” Snow said. “When you’re watching arts, you have to be able to find your own story or someone else’s story within that story. Whether that be music, dance or theatre, the idea that we’re [trying to convey] is to broaden students horizons and opportunities so they can find the story that’s there that relates to them.”
One of the lead performers on the tour, David Riddick, relayed the true meaning of the show for him.
“The first part of the show shows a love story, and that to me is just my own fantasy. The second part of the show was very prevalent with the speech of [Martin Luther King Jr.], and that always brings me to racism in present day society because I recently lost a nephew to police brutality,” Riddick said.
Director for the Youth Ensemble at Riddick Dance Wanda Christian knew she wanted to dance for the rest of her life the moment she stepped on stage,
“In 1998, I started with a competition dance team, and from there I loved what I was doing and couldn’t picture myself doing anything else with my life,” Christian said. “The first time I ever performed with my dance team, I heard some child say, ‘Oh wow,’ and that made me want to create that moment where everyone can say to themselves: ‘Oh wow.’”
“Limericks of Our Souls” is a two part show. The first part shows a love triangle between three people. For Christian, the love triangle has a deeper meaning developed in the show.
“[The first part of the show] shows a person going through a love triangle. It’s coming to terms with your present and what you want for your future while you’re still struggling with temptations,” Christian said. “It’s about being able to come to terms with all of that mentally and physically while being able to choose what’s best for yourself, which is your future.”
Company Dancer for Riddick Dance and lead performer William Walker started his dancing career in eighth grade,
“In eighth grade, we took a field trip to go see the Nutcracker and [watching the show] was really one of those T.V. moments where I thought, ‘Oh my god this is what I’m meant to do,’” Walker said. “When I went home that day I told my parents that I wanted to dance, particularly ballet, and I was so fortunate that both my parents were supportive of my choice. When I started training, I was naturally talented, so when I graduated high school I was dancing professionally. I am a huge advocate for arts in schools. If it wasn’t for the opportunities my school provided me to become a dancer, I don’t think I’d be where I am today.”
