April 23, 2026
Story and photo by Joe Vinduska
Barton’s Dance Department will host a celebration of rhythm, passion, and artistic dance in the region with its “Moving in the Heartland†Dance Festival at 7 p.m. April 30 and May 1 in the Fine Arts Auditorium.
Each show will host different dance guest artists from Central Kansas.Ìý Thursday’s concert will spotlight homegrown talent from local dance studios, Aly’s Dance Studio and Be Dance Studio. Friday’s show will feature the Metropolitan Ballet of Wichita, who will perform “A Ragtime Ballet" to live accompaniment by pianist Aubrey Watson. She will play music composed by Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb. Also performing is Â鶹¹ÙÍø Dance alumni and Street Dancer, CJ Orozco. Both nights will include dances from Â鶹¹ÙÍø Dance Theatre, Â鶹¹ÙÍø’s Dance classes, and solos from Â鶹¹ÙÍø students.
Graduating Â鶹¹ÙÍø Dance student Nineth Pereyra Zuany says this year’s concert is especially meaningful to her.
Ìý“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to play a bigger role in this concert, as it is my last one with Â鶹¹ÙÍø,†she said. “As a soloist and choreographer of a dance, I’m very eager for the audience to experience all the different emotions within these unique dance pieces. One of my favorite dances that I will be performing is ‘I Rise’, which entails a deeper meaning of how my path has led me to where I am. My time at Â鶹¹ÙÍø has given me so many opportunities to grow as a dancer and as a person. Â鶹¹ÙÍø has prepared me for my next steps.
Festival tickets are five dollars at the door. Children 5 years and under and Â鶹¹ÙÍø students get in for free. All proceeds go to support Â鶹¹ÙÍø Dance Program activities and next fall’s Nutcracker performance. For more information, go to or contact Bielek at (620) 792-9253 or bielekd@bartonccc.edu.