Music in Motion has been an integral part of the St. Croix community for 42 years. This year, the dance students will be back on the big stage at Island Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday at 7 p.m. with their presentation of “A Christmas Spectacular.”
The evening performance is produced and directed by Charlita Schuster. Tickets are available at the door and through parents of Music in Motion students: adults, $20 and children, 12 and under, $10.
Schuster started dancing at the age of five in New York. She danced on St. Croix with Atti Bermudez of Theater Dance at seven years old and went back to New York to learn the Russian method of the Vaganova ballet syllabus and continued from there with her professional career.
Artistic Director Schuster founded Music in Motion Dance Academy in 1983 on St. Croix.
When Schuster noticed that several dance academies had sprung up on St. Croix, she decided to use the Vaganova ballet syllabus to train her St. Croix students. With the eight levels of training that she studied most of her life and was certified with, Schuster decided to change the name to Music in Motion School of Higher Dance Education.
“I didn’t want us to appear as part of a club. We have the authenticity of the syllabus where our students are learning the techniques of ballet, and it also takes them to a much higher level. The students and their parents are educated in learning the syllabus and where it can help them to advance as they grow into their teenage years. They will know the techniques and the style that will move them forward to audition for a dance company and give them the background they will need for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree currently offered at the University of the Virgin Islands.”
Schuster helped direct the UVI dance program, and she also implemented the Vaganova ballet syllabus as a part of the program. One of Schuster’s former students, Markeymah Cargile, the first of Music in Motion at UVI, is in her sophomore year in the degree program. She is also 2024-2025 Miss St. Croix.
If Schuster’s excitement and bubbliness in speaking with The Source is any indication of the beauty and wonder of “A Christmas Spectacular,” patrons are in for a treat. Her joy for her art was clearly visible.
Schuster drifted out of the bubble into her thoughts of the loss of young people in the territory … and older people, as well. “We want to feel great — we want to feel happy — we’ve been grieving a lot,” she said.
Schuster shared her need to present something that will gather this community together. “Let’s just have a spectacular day. If there’s not another great day, folks will have it through our ‘Christmas Spectacular.’”
As her excitement and her bubbliness returned … Schuster said she could tell that the music would make people love again and it would bring back the joy of Christmas.
“We can be hugging and sharing emotions, which we haven’t done in a long, long time … especially when COVID came and pushed us away from each other … we lost a lot of that,..” It’s time for us to regroup and share kindness and affection, Schuster said.
This is a community production, she said. “I reached out to different performers to be a part of the Christmas Spectacular. They all came through.”
“The contributions that the community has donated to the production are immense,” Schuster said. “We have artists, singers, dancers, many other performers, and a wonderful opera singer,” she added.
Schuster gave kudos to her volunteer parents. “That’s what makes this show spectacular. It took a lot of hard work from them. These people are my rock and my soul. I could never have done this production without the help and commitment of my volunteers. This is not a ‘one-man band’ that is making this happen. It’s the community effort with all the love and affection I am getting from everyone.”
“A Christmas Spectacular” changed its venue from the St. Croix Educational Complex to Island Center for the Performing Arts. It was a last-minute decision that was necessary, Schuster said.
“It was God’s way of telling me we could make it on that big, beautiful stage again. It’s been decades since we danced there. We are looking forward to a wonderful performance. It is definitely God’s will.”
Performers:
Alayah Phipps – vocalist
JG Management USVI Models
St. Croix Heritage Dancers
Alonzo Lee Moore IV – dancer
All Star Moko Jumbies
Noah Ramnarine-Cebedo – vocalist
And other special appearances
Board Members:
Quianie Schuster
Afrilasia Joseph-Phipps
Emmanuela Perez-Cassius
Wendielyn Mathurin
Elca Anthony
Parents of Music in Motion:
Charnele Philip – Costume Coordinator
Cynthia Challenger – Backstage Volunteer
Schuster Thanks All the Volunteers.
Music in Motion School Of Higher Dance and Education Classes:
Orange Grove Shopping Center – behind KFC, on the left and up the ramp
Mondays through Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with the Vaganova Syllabus:
Level One: 5, 6, and 7 years of age
Level Two: 6, 7, and 8 years of age
Level Three: 8, 9, and 10 years of age
Classes go up to Level Five
Thanks to the Sponsors:
Virgin Islands Council on the Arts
Oceanpoint Terminals
Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Crucian Gold
University of the Virgin Islands
175th Emancipation Celebration Committee
Starlights
Rodgers Farm
Bates Trucking
Lee Rohn
For more information:
Charlita Schuster, Founder and Artistic Director
340-277-4977
musicinmotionusvi@gmail.com
