Central Indiana Dance Ensemble member Ava Juleen’s emotions are mixed as she prepares for her last Mixed Rep show.
“It’s truly surreal that this is my last Mixed Rep production with CIDE,” said Juleen, a Westfield High School senior. “I’ve been with the company for nine years and have performed in Mixed Rep eight times now. It’s crazy to think that I’m finally a senior. I get to dance with such an amazing pre-professional company, and not dancing with these people I call family will be really strange. Next year, I’ll be on the opposite side of the stage watching all these amazing girls.
“I’m so sad it’s my last Mixed Rep, but I’m so excited to come back and see what’s in store.”
Mixed Rep is set for 4 p.m. March 12 at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.
“This year’s Mixed Rep performance features a piece of choreography by Ricardo Moyano, former dancer of Chicago Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Company, called ‘Brandenburg Concerto,’ where the dancers get to wear white wigs and act out of ‘typical’ ballet character,” said Ashley Jacobs, who took over as CIDE co-artistic director in October of 2020 from her mother, founder and Executive Director Suzann DeLay. “It’s a quirky and fun piece that will open the show. Mixed Rep changes every year. We add choreography from a classical ballet. This year is ‘Giselle.’’ Last year was ‘La Bayadere,’ so our dancers are learning the history and choreography from these classics that have been around for over 100 years.”
Carmel High School student Lucy Devenney is another of the seven seniors.
“I love that we get to perform a variety of styles, and I think we have a great range of pieces this year. It is a little bittersweet, though, because it means the season is almost over,” Devenney said.
There are two other CHS seniors, Oriana Gonzalez and Gabriella Linton. The other two seniors are Olivia Doan, Westfield High School, and Taylor Ralston, Herron High School.
