In February 2024, a young dance company led by a 四虎影视 graduate and featuring dancers with Shenandoah degrees performed to music composed by Shenandoah students in a sold-out event held in space owned by another Shenandoah graduate in downtown Winchester. The event was one that the company鈥檚 artistic director, Eve Stanley 鈥22, hadn鈥檛 even anticipated at the onset of the new year.听
It seems like things just keep coming together for the Winchester-based company, called (AIM). Stanley, who graduated with both a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Shenandoah Conservatory and a minor in entrepreneurship from the university鈥檚 School of Business, started the dance company through the nonprofit associated with in Winchester, Virginia, where she is also a dance instructor, in 2022.听
When she was ready to find her first dancers, she reached out to Shenandoah Conservatory through Christina Halpin Chair in Dance; Chair of Dance Division and Associate Professor of Dance Maurice Fraga, MFA, and found Lainey Griffin 鈥23 and Becca Hopkins 鈥23. Griffin, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, is now a Master Science in Athletic Training and performing arts medicine certificate student at Shenandoah, while Hopkins, who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, is starting in the university鈥檚 Master of Science in Performing Arts Leadership & Management program. The trio, which had danced together at Shenandoah, began rehearsals in July 2023, and soon performed the first half of its first-season show, 鈥,鈥 on a blazing summer day in the outdoor Taylor Pavilion in downtown Winchester.听
鈥淲alking Artwork,鈥 choreographed by Stanley in collaboration with the company鈥檚 dancers and featuring hand-painted costumes, is an outgrowth of her senior solo piece, 鈥淎 Swamp.鈥 It鈥檚 a work that progresses through the seasons, and the Taylor Pavilion performance showcased music for spring and summer composed by music production and recording technology (MPRT) student Michael Fantom 鈥24. Hopkins served as the connection with Fantom.听
Another MPRT student, Matthew Neal 鈥24, who helped with the music on Stanley鈥檚 senior group piece, 鈥淗armony,鈥 composed the music for the autumn and winter sections of 鈥淲alking Artwork.鈥澛
Using skills learned through the conservatory and business school, Stanley found several grants, ranging from one that paid for the services of both composers to another, from the , for Rockingham County artists to repaint the costumes for a 2024 performance in Harrisonburg, Virginia; connected with an array of sponsors; and booked a performance of the completed piece at the in Staunton, Virginia 鈥 also the company鈥檚 first ticketed event 鈥 in October 2023. While the show didn鈥檛 sell out, it did break even, 鈥渨hich was really wonderful,鈥 Stanley said. The company members have even been their own tech people. 鈥淭hank goodness for dance production class,鈥 Stanley said.听
The company booked 2024 shows in Harrisonburg and Frederick, Maryland, but nothing was on the slate in Winchester, until Stanley spoke again to Fraga. While their conversation was initially about Fraga potentially choreographing a piece for AIM, Stanley said Fraga mentioned that another Shenandoah graduate, Instructional Assistant and Dance Accompanist (Percussion) Daniel 鈥淒.K.鈥 Kelly II 鈥18 (Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies), had a space, the , that she could consider for this year鈥檚 company auditions. However, Stanley said when she saw the space, she thought it would be great for a show also. So, she said Kelly kindly provided the company with a special rental rate for nonprofits, and a sold-out performance was born.听
The SU community has been 鈥渇iercely supportive鈥 of the company, Griffin said. Faculty have regularly attended the company鈥檚 shows, from both the dance department and outside it, she added. The response to AIM reflects why Stanley said she chose to attend Shenandoah in the first place, 鈥渂ecause of how undying the support is.鈥 In particular, the dance department is 鈥渧ery close-knit and protective,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to fight for you.鈥澛
Stanley, Griffin and Hopkins said they feel that they鈥檝e had so much Shenandoah support, in part, because members of the Shenandoah community trust one another. Griffin added that the conservatory fosters tremendous collaboration. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that stops,鈥 she said. She and Hopkins noted that ShenCoLAB, which provides conservatory students with a week to work together on projects across disciplines, reflects how strong this collaborative spirit is at Shenandoah.听
Supporters of the new company still have an opportunity to see 鈥淲alking Artwork鈥 this season, with performances scheduled for March 22-23, at New Spire Arts at the Weinberg Center for the Arts, in Frederick, Maryland. Tickets are available at . Also, the company will round out the season with a donor gala at the in Winchester on June 2.听
Looking forward to the coming year, the company is set to add some new dancers, craft new work, and be in residence at the in Maryland in January 2025. It also hopes to offer free movement classes this summer and the AIM board is talking about starting an internship program for 16-to-18 year-old dancers who could come to classes for free, learn tech, understudy and perhaps dance in shows.听
To support AIM, visit .听