Marshall University’s School of Theatre and Dance will host its annual Marshall University Dance Gala at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14, in the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse.
The theme of this year’s gala is “Dancing for a Lifetime,” featuring a tribute to Marshall’s guest of honor, Huntington’s own 87-year-old ballerina, Ella Hay, who has been teaching dance for 47 years at the Art Center in Westmoreland. Hay will dance in the finale of the gala. For the event, Marshall’s dancers and several other dance groups will perform, and Mayor Steve Williams will be on hand to proclaim March 14, 2020, as “Ella Hay Day” in the City of Huntington.
Marshall’s dancers will be joined by the Charleston Ballet, the Beckley Dance Theatre, Arts in Action from Hurricane, Huntington Dance Theatre and The Art Center. Brian Murphy from Cleveland, Ohio, will perform as a guest artist, and there will be performances by the winners of last year’s Appalachian Ballet Competition.
Highlighting how dancing can indeed last a lifetime, the gala will feature dancers from 8 to 87 years old, performing a broad range of dance styles — from classical ballet to modern to tap dancing.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under, and will be available at the door, or by calling the Marshall Theatre Box Office at 304-696-2787. Marshall students are admitted free with a valid MU ID.