Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras spoke July 8 at Henry L. Marsh III Elementary School about the return of the RVA East End Festival.
Turning hotter early next week
A few years ago as a new student at Armstrong High School, Zyiear Martin felt isolated. But after signing up for dance class Martin broke out of his comfort zone and felt free.
The program felt “warm and welcoming” to Martin, now a senior at Armstrong.
Thanks to the RVA East End Festival not only does Martin, 18, take dance classes during the school day but dances in an actual in-house studio at Armstrong.
After receiving funding from the RVA East End Festival, Armstrong High School’s dance studio was completed during the 2019-2020 academic year.
“Without the East End Festival, we wouldn’t have this beautiful dance studio,” said Deedra Hite, who not only teaches dance at Armstrong but created the division-wide dance program. Hite writes all of the dance program’s curriculum.
After a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic, the RVA East End Festival, which benefits music and arts programs for Richmond Public Schools, is back Sept. 24.
The East End Festival kicks off at noon on Saturday, Sept. 24 at Henry L. Marsh Elementary in Church Hill. The festival, which wraps up at 9 p.m., features musical and dance performances.
“We invite the entire Richmond region to join us on Sept. 24 for an exciting and inspirational event to support our amazing students in the East End,” the Rev. Marilyn Heckstall, festival co-chair, said in a statement.
Since its inception in 2016, the festival has raised over $400,000 to support music, performing arts and visual arts programs at eight East End Richmond schools.
The goal of this year’s festival is to raise $100,000 for the following schools: Armstrong High, Bellevue Elementary, Chimborazo Elementary, Marsh Elementary, Fairfield Court Elementary, Franklin Military Academy, Martin Luther King Middle, Overby-Sheppard Elementary and Woodville Elementary.
Hite wants to continue transforming the Armstrong studio into a safe and welcoming space for her students. She wants to paint the concrete floor, paint a mural on the walls and build a dressing room and storage closet.
“I want the students to be able to come into their studio, their home,” Hite said. “They find peace, joy and relief in here.”
The space transformed from an old woodworking area filled with equipment, into a dance studio. As RPS moved the equipment to the Richmond Technical Center, a spring dance floor, movable ballet bars and mirrors on wheels were placed in the newly formed studio space.
“We wanted to give them a high-quality dance floor,” said Christie-Jo Adams, coordinator of K-12 arts education for RPS.
Any student can participate in the RPS dance program. At the middle school level, students are able to participate in dance instead of physical education.
The program provides an outlet for students whose families may not be able to pay for costly out-of-school dance programs and exposes to students that fine arts degrees such as dance and music are possible in college, Adams said.
In Hite’s class students not only receive dance lessons but they learn about the history and culture of specific dances and receive science lessons.
Hite is currently teaching her students about back muscles so they can have more body awareness and transform anatomy lessons into dance choreography.
During a recent Wednesday morning class, as Hite’s students danced across the floor, part of the movement was her choreography and students created the other half. For a recent assignment, the students had to make a 16-count dance based on the actions of back muscles.
RPS students benefit from the festival and some participate.
The students are able to showcase themselves and their talents, Adams said.
Participating in the festival opens a door for RPS students that says "the community is here to support you even if a wrong note or a misstep [happens], we are here to support you," Adams said.
People can make online donations ahead of the Sept. 24 festival at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/eastendfestival. Festival volunteers will accept donations at the event.
Richmond Public Schools All City Marching Band
RPS schools Woodville, Fairfield, Redd, and Overby-Sheppard combined bands
Musicians from the Richmond Symphony
Artistry in Motion/Performing Arts Center
Artists from Richmond and points beyond take it to the streets, returning to where the festival all started 10 years ago — the Power Plant along Haxall Canal — to paint over existing murals with fresh, new art. Come celebrate and sample all flavors of street art alongside food trucks, beer trucks and live music. 3-7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. 1201 Haxall Point. Free entry; pay as you go. rvastreetart.com/2022-festival
If Joshua Michael Tillman joined the Christian ministry as once planned, albums from Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Kid Cudi and others would have been missing a little something. And the man now known as Father John Misty probably wouldn’t be headlining Brown’s Island this weekend. But the songwriter for hire and Grammy-winning rocker indie chose to light up the stage, not the altar, and his flock couldn’t be happier. With Suki Waterhouse. Presented by WNRN. 7 p.m. (gates open at 6 p.m.) 500 Tredegar St. $47.99. (804) 353-1888 or thebroadberry.com/events/
Give prost-est with the most-est! Revelers gather at St. Benedict Catholic Church to clank massive steins, chow down on humongous Bavarian-style pretzels and get funky doing the Chicken Dance. Also includes a children’s area and Christkindlmarkt (street market). 4-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday. 300 N. Sheppard St. Free entry; pay as you go. (804) 254-8810 or stbenedict oktoberfest.com
It’s the ultimate market for vegans and veg heads. The family-friendly festival celebrates 19 years of vendors, cooking demos, educational presentations, music and more. Noon-6 p.m. Byrd Park. 600 S. Arthur Ashe Blvd. Free entry; pay as you go. (804) 756-0536 or veggiefest.org
Black cinema matters — maybe now more than ever. And with live performances, happy hours, meet-and-greets, workshops, and movies from 23-plus countries, Afrikana aims to ensure that the past is revered and the future is bright for the Black filmmaking community. Highlights include a 25th-anniversary screening of “Eve’s Bayou” and a writer’s workshop led by Walter Mosley, the crime-fiction novelist whose work includes “Devil in a Blue Dress” (book and movie) and the TV series “Snowfall.” Various times at various Richmond locations. $7 per film block; multi-day pass $60-$90. Afrikanafilmfestival.org
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Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras spoke July 8 at Henry L. Marsh III Elementary School about the return of the RVA East End Festival.
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