HUNTINGDON (January 18) — Performing in front of a packed house, members of The Martin Dance Company joined the professional Ballet Memphis dancers during their production of “The Wizard of Oz” held at The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center Friday night.

Under the direction of Michael & Cornelia Link, The Martin Dance students attend class weekly at The Dixie on Wednesday evenings. Preparing for their role since August, the group of students—who performed as “The Munchkins” —practiced their dance during weekly classes. They rehearsed with members of Ballet Memphis this past Thursday evening and had a dress rehearsal Friday afternoon before the show. Members of the Ballet Memphis staff were very impressed with “The Munchkins” and how they mastered the difficult choreography. Performing the roles of “The Munchkins” were Amber Eason, Molly Sturgis, Kelsey Hand, Ashleigh Coleman, Amber Staten, Alexis Bennett, Hailey Dvorak, Krista Hernandez, Katie Holt, and Adora Carty.

The ballet, “The Wizard of Oz” is a Ballet Memphis original production based on the movie version of the L. Frank Baum tale. Ballet Memphis is a creative resource to the nation as a maker and interpreter of the South’s cultural legacy through dance, production, and training. Artistic Director Dorothy Gunther Pugh founded the company in 1986 as Memphis Concert Ballet with two professional dancers and a budget of $75,000. Today, Ballet Memphis employs 16 professional dancers and has a $3.2 million budget. The company performs at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Memphis, as well as at nontraditional venues throughout the city. Ballet Memphis has performed in Paris, New York, Houston, and Quebec. The Ballet Memphis School trains more than 600 students annually.