The Ocean City Arts Center will bring classical music and ballroom dance together for “Where Classical Music Moves: Strings & Piano Meet the Art of Dance” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Ocean City High School.
The free program will feature live performances by violinist Dr. May Strange, pianist Jean Kibler and the Music Studio String Quartet. Ballroom instructor Edward Fischer and several area dancers will join the musicians for a selection of performances demonstrating the connection between music and movement.
Strange, Kibler and Fischer are teaching artists at the Ocean City Arts Center.
The Music Studio String Quartet consists of Strange and Alex Mazak on violin, Yoon Yon on viola and Dr. Kevin Hunter on cello. Bassist Scott Sheppard will join the ensemble for selections requiring bass.
The program will include classical and international works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, Johannes Brahms, Astor Piazzolla and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Featured selections will include “Clair de Lune,” “Hungarian Dance No. 5,” “Oblivion” and “Waltz of the Flowers” from “The Nutcracker.”
Following intermission, live music and ballroom dance will share the stage. The dance portion of the program will feature the foxtrot, waltz, East Coast swing, hustle, cha-cha, rumba, slow rock and tango.
Musical selections will include “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Kansas City (Here I Come),” “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and the classic tango “Por una Cabeza.”
The featured ballroom dancers will be Fischer and Carol Miller, Bernie McMonagle and Jenny Fischer, and Andy and Susan Nebl.
Organizers said the program was designed to showcase classical music beyond the traditional concert format by illustrating how rhythm, melody and emotion can be expressed through movement. The combination of live musicians and dancers will offer audiences a different way to experience familiar classical works and popular songs.
The performance is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested. Ocean City High School is located at 501 Atlantic Ave. in Ocean City.
Reservations may be made by calling the Ocean City Arts Center at 609-399-7628 or visiting oceancityartscenter.org/events.
