Ballet dancers perform at Plains

“They missed an absolute treat,” said Debbi Kirschbaum about those who didn’t attend the performance of the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre at Plains Sunday afternoon.

Twenty members of the Missoula-based ballet troupe and a handful of Native Americans entertained a crowd of more than 50 people to raise money for a trip to China next month. Rocky Mountain Ballet had previously asked the Sanders County Arts Council for a donation, said Jean Morrison, a member of the arts council. Instead, the council and Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort in Paradise sponsored the benefit that raised more than $1,300 for the group’s trip.

Rocky Mountain Ballet kicked off at 2 p.m. in the Plains High School gymnasium with a piece called the “Bonanza Medley,” which contained theme songs from old western television series. The dancers, which included two boys and 18 girls ages 12 to 21, demonstrated a variety of ballet and tap dancing techniques, and included rope tricks by Bozeman’s Wade Black. The group danced to 10 pieces that included cowboy, rock ‘n roll, and Asian themes from numbers called “Montana Wild Turkeys” to “Soul Man” to the “Bamboo Hat Dance.”

The ballet troupe went for nearly two hours before three Native Americans entertained spectators with Indian dances. Vennessa Pete of Spokane and a member of the Colville Tribe, gave a rendition of the jingle dance. Leo Charlie, originally from Tennessee, but now a resident of British Columbia, Canada, did a grass dance. Louie Plant, a Thompson and Salish Indian from Arlee, performed the fancy dance. The inter-tribal powwow also included Native American songs by Charlie and Shonto Pete, who also manned the ceremonial drums during the dances. The Native American performance went for just over an hour. All four attend numerous powwows throughout the year.

“I don’t like ballet, but I’d give them a 10,” said Bob Wilks, a substitute janitor at the school, who added that he was surprised at the quality of the performance.

“I know the Chinese are going to love it,” said Judy Stephens, one of the coordinators of the event. Stephens said she was impressed with how in sync the dancers were.

Morrison was disappointed with the turn out of people at the event, but said, “It was their loss.”

In addition to the gate fee, the fundraiser also included silent and live auctions of 21 donated items. During intermission, Nick Lawyer served as the auctioneer, raising $785. “We get to help be cultural ambassadors to China,” said Lawyer, who’s been an auctioneer only once before Sunday. Plains artist Ray Morgan donated five prints to the two auctions, including a limited edition proof print that fetched $65 in the live auction.

Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort donated three items for the auction. The resort’s owner, Andre Melief, also won the bid on three items in the live auction, including one of Morgan’s prints.

The silent auction took in just over $200, said Lores Porter, a member of the arts council. They also raffled a sailboat trip to the San Juan Islands in Washington, donated by Lorne Riddle, a Trout Creek resident. Heidi McNulty of Missoula won the trip.

The group will be representing Montana in several Chinese cities, said Charlene Campbell, director of the ballet troupe, but it’s not the first time Rocky Mountain Ballet has performed overseas. They’ve also been to Italy and Austria, as well as countless places around the United States. Campbell, originally from Chicago, is also the artistic director of the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre School, which was established in 1998 and located in Missoula.