by Mary-Kate Roan
Staff Writer
When Florida Ballet was created 30 years ago by Laurie Picinich-Byrd and her husband, Jacksonville native Michael Byrd, they had a specific vision.
Today, the company is still a vision in progress.
“We’ve had our ups and downs,” said Picinich-Byrd, of the Florida Ballet’s popularity over its lifetime. “But we’re making a resurgence.”
In the 1980s the Florida Ballet was a popular event and went on tour in the Southeastern states.
But then the bubble burst.
Michael lost his battle with cancer and Picinich-Byrd turned her passion into his legacy.
But for her, there are three goals she wants the organization to complete.
“We want people to see us out in the community more,” said Picinich-Byrd. “We want a bigger audience, and we want to be back on tour to show people what’s really exciting and entertaining in Jacksonville.”
Picinich-Byrd was a dancer in the New York and New Jersey area before suffering a back injury that forced early retirement. That was when she turned her attention to choreography. While at the Metropolitan Opera House, Picinich-Byrd met her husband, Michael, a dancer.
The two conceived a business idea to start their own professional dance company in Michael’s hometown of Jacksonville.
Remembering her favorite performance, Picinich-Byrd recalled a moment that took place in the studio – not the theater – involving at-risk drug and dropout students.
“When they first came in, they were kind of on their guard,” said Picinich-Byrd. “But when we finished, people were in tears.”
The studio received countless phone calls from counselors, saying the performance broke down the walls.
But Picinich-Byrd wasn’t surprised by the reaction.
“We use dance as a way to communicate,” said Picinich-Byrd. “That’s why our saying is to ‘watch the body talk.’”
But that’s exactly what the company was made to do.
“In bigger cities, it’s hard for an artist to make a connection with the audience and city,” said Picinich-Byrd. “We can do that here.”
Though typical holiday favorites such as “The Nutcracker” – which Picinich-Byrd says “the holidays would not be complete without “ – the fall and spring performances are more popular with adults because content ranges from romance to comedy and deals with more sophisticated issues.
The company even boasts its own training program for those with professional dancing ambitions.
“You get the same classes as in big cities,” said Picinich-Byrd. “And we have a 100 percent acceptance rate for students trying out for universities.”
Like its big city counterparts, the Florida Ballet utilizes corporate sponsorships to support the five members.
Winn-Dixie is sponsoring this year’s edition of “The Nutcracker” and the Jacksonville Port Authority is sponsoring a new creation choreographed by Picinich-Byrd called “4 Sea Interludes.”
The Florida Ballet performances are at Florida Theatre.
For ticket information, call the Florida Theatre at 355-2787. For information on the Florida Ballet, go to www.floridaballet.org.
356-2466