Vashon Dance Academy performs Mary Poppins at VHS Theatre

Every year, Dance!Vashon brings a familiar tale to life through the beautiful art of dance. These productions feature original choreography and music and are performed by students of Vashon Dance Academy.

This year, June 26, 27, and 28th, Dance!Vashon presents Mary Poppins. The ballet will be performed by over 100 student dancers ages 3 and up. It is an inspirational experience for performers and audiences of all ages!

When one recalls the dance numbers from “Mary Poppins” it usually begins with the penguins and ends with the chimney sweeps. This weekend you have the chance to see all of the characters step in time to this Mary Poppins ballet. Mary Poppins is a story about a super-nanny who flies in on her umbrella in response to the request of the unhappy Banks children and proceeds to put things right with the aid of her rather extraordinary magical powers and her sidekick Bert. It is based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the Walt Disney film.

The show’s producers, Gretchen Spranger, Mariette Spence, and Jenny Snowden, alongside hundreds of volunteers have worked nonstop at the many details of producing one of the best performances of Dance!Vashon.

The ballet will feature three graduating seniors this year, Lily Herrington, Charlotte Schoen, and Sarah Raymond. For each, dance has been a huge part of their life. According to Raymond, “Dance has meant the world to me. I could never be the same without it. My dancers are my best friends and my family, the studio is my home, and a day without class makes me agitated and gloomy. I can honestly say Mary Poppins is going to be one of the most incredible shows Vashon has seen in a long time. Everyone should come out to see it!”

Herrington adds, “Dance allows me to express myself and take whatever I’m feeling, even if it’s negative, to something positive and beautiful. It’s been there for me since I was little and I’ve used it in and seen it in more ways than just an art form. It’s been a crutch for me, a passion, and a discipline that’s taught me a lot about dance itself and myself as well.”

The performance will run Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday matinee at 1:30pm at Vashon High School Theatre. Tickets are at Brown Paper Ticket  www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1625094 and at the Vashon Bookshop and are $15 for adults; $11 for students. Ticket sales support financial need scholarships for dancers.