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Saratoga Sampler
Former Saratogan finds all the world's a stage
By Mary Ann Cook
BALLERINA: One of the company dancers in the San Jose Cleveland Ballet is a local product. She's Dalia Rawson of Saratoga, and she debuted with the company in 1991. She won a spot in their traineeship program after her graduation from Lynbrook High.
Rawson has been with the company ever since. She lives in Cleveland, where the majority of the company's performances take place. The company stages three or four performances per year in San Jose. The troupe will be back in San Jose from April 6 to 16 to perform Swan Lake, alternating with an Evening of Premieres.
The last tour in San Jose in late February included Carmen, a Balanchine work called The Four Temperaments and a piece by the company's director, Dennis Nahat, titled Mendelssohn Symphony. That combination was a tough program, says Rawson. She danced in all three every night.
"I was the one who ran across the chairs on the stage [in Carmen]. It was really scary because the light was in my eyes and that made it hard to see." At least she didn't have to be on point to leap from one chair to the next. The company will perform the same bill for two weeks in Cleveland.
Rawson danced in the Melancholia movement of The Four Temperaments and in the first movement, Allegro Vivace, in the Mendelssohn piece. Her past roles included Helena in Midsummer Night's Dream and Maria in The Nutcracker.
In the upcoming Swan Lake Rawson will portray one of the four baby swans, and, alternately, the Hungarian and Russian princess. She also will dance in the Karen Gabay-choreographed premiere number. In this company, she says, everyone does everything--from principal or soloist to chorus.
Rawson has studied dance since she was in pre-ballet at Saratoga Dance. Then came three years at the Santa Clara Ballet School, followed by the San Francisco Ballet School from age nine through high school. Gloria Mohr, of the International Ballet School in Campbell, coached her as well. (Mohr danced with the New York City Ballet under Balanchine.)
Rawson is the daughter of Zivile and Eric Rawson. Her brother Cliff is a performer/composer in Boston and will earn his master's degree this spring from Berkeley School of Music.
ON THE TODAY SHOW: Two weeks ago Sean Griffin, son of Norene and Rodger Griffin, and a Saratoga High grad of 15 years ago, was on the Today Show with Katie Couric, thanks to his design of a website called howdydoodytime.com.
It is part of the Virtual Amusement Park listings for Planet FX.com. "Sean was always very creative and has a love of nostalgia," says his mother, in explaining the Howdy Doody phenomenon, a show that was well before his time. Sean's company is called Studio FX, and is in San Jose.
TOP CITATION: Bill DuSel has won the highest awards given nontheologians by the Baptists. He received a Presidential Citation for his community service from the American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) when they held their corporate meeting in Albuquerque last month .
DuSel, a retired teacher and administrator, formerly of Saratoga, now lives at The Terraces in Los Gatos, which is owned by ABHOW. He volunteers as a teacher's aide for a third-grade class at Blossom Hill School. He also raises new breeds of lilies that he generously shares with others, including brides who want them for their wedding bouquets.
DuSel taught English at San Jose State and was vice president of the university for 13 years during the tumultuous '60s. His first teaching assignment was at Los Gatos High School. He and his wife, Pauline, lived in Saratoga for 34 years.
YSI RIDING HIGH: Youth Science Institute (YSI) just received a federal grant for $277,500, bringing its fundraising campaign up to $740,000. The grant means they can really get going on their building plans. They have hired the architectural firm Ahearn and Kwock, and are looking at bids from exhibit designers.
Director Anne Dunham credited San Jose Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren for support in getting the grant and CongressmanTom Campbell, as well.
Their goal is $1.2 million for the entire project, an expansion that will add 5,100 square feet to their facility at Vasona Park, and will mean that 25,000 more children each year will be able to take advantage of YSI programs.
The organization holds open houses to acquaint the public with their programs, and, hopefully, to raise funds. The next open house is a wine tasting on March 18 at the housing unit of the Rinconada Hills Clubhouse from 4 to 7 p.m.
Mary Sanders is hostess. Others responsible for putting together the get-acquainted events are Jennie Magid, Janice Bastiani, Nancy Valby, Carol Sabatino and Milli Wright. The Thrift and Gift Shop on Alum Rock Avenue near White Road supplies the wine glasses for YSI.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
