NEWS
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
A9
An early entry into the fi ne arts
Academy
teaches modern
dance, ballet
Bill Bradshaw
hey just fi nished one
semester at the Wal-
lowa County Dance
Academy but teacher Ashly
Hanson Braden is already
preparing for a new one to
start in January.
On Sunday, Dec. 15, the
academy’s students per-
formed their season-fi nale
recital dancing to excerpts
from Tchaikovsky’s “The
Nutcracker.” The perfor-
mance was held at the
OK Theatre in downtown
Enterprise.
Braden, who has a bach-
elor’s of fi ne arts degree in
dance, has been running the
academy for about a year
and a half. Having studied a
semester at the Limón Insti-
tute in New York City, she
doesn’t just instruct — she
demonstrates, showing her
charges how to do the var-
ious modern dance and bal-
let steps, jumps and moves.
“Now, girls, I want to
see you jump like this,” she
said as she leaped off the
fl oor.
When the new semes-
ter starts, some of Braden’s
older students will begin
their en pointe training in
which the girls dance fully
on the tips of their toes.
“It takes about two to
three years of training to
build up the strength,” she
said.
Braden grew up in Los-
tine and after college and a
dozen years in La Grande,
she and husband Larry Bra-
den moved back to Wal-
lowa County with their four
children, aged 4 to 16 years
old.
But she also has about 55
kids part time as her dance
students. She said the tally
actually fl uctuates between
50 and 70, “depending on
who’s playing what sports.”
Braden teaches kids
aged 2 to 14 years old. Fri-
day mornings are for the
younger kids and the older
students train after school
Monday through Thurs-
day. At present, all the stu-
dents are girls, though she
has had boys – and one of
her sons even takes part
occasionally.
Braden said she’s been
dancing since she was
about 3 years old.
“I was really lucky to
have a gal move here from
Portland,” she said and
hopes to pass it on. “I was
very lucky to have it when
I was a kid,” she said. “I
hope to give kids here the
same opportunity.”
Braden said anyone
interested in the semester
than begins in January can
call her at 541-786-3847
or check out the academy’s
Facebook page. She prefers
new students sign up by the
end of December, but takes
students throughout the
semester.
T
BIZ BUZZ
Photos by Bill Bradshaw
Ashly Braden leads her students at the Friday-morning session of her Wallowa County Dance Academy during a practice for
Sunday’s season fi nale recital.
Ashly Braden demonstrates a move for some of her older
students during practice at the Wallowa County Dance
Academy on Friday, Dec. 13. Braden and the girls were
rehearsing for Sunday’s season fi nale recital.
Ashly Braden talks to some of her younger students during
practice at the Wallowa County Dance Academy on Friday,
Dec. 13. Braden and the girls were rehearsing for Sunday’s
season fi nale recital.
Chief Joseph Days board hints
at 75th anniversary 2020 events
By Ellen Morris Bishop
Wallowa County Chieftain
519 W. North Street, Enterprise
541.426.3413
Mon-Thurs 9 to Noon/1-5pm; Fri. 9-1
Trace Evans
the week honor goes
This week’s athlete of restler. The EHS junior
w
to Trace Evans, an EHS ht tournament title this
won his second straig Evans, who has wrestled
.
season at 138 pounds ol, has won every match
ho
each year of high sc he’s wrestled this year.
Ellen Morris Bishop
Terry Jones (center) and the Chief Joseph Days Board of
Directors honored Debbie Surface and Brad Peterson for their
support. The couple purchased chaps (shown) at the 2018 and
2019 Thursday night CJD arena auction that provided $12,500
to support mammograms at the Wallowa Memorial Hospital.
udly
Pro onsore d b y
p
S
Give the
gift of
confidence!
Don’t use just anyone, use the
name you know, like and trust!
Steven E. Ozeran, MD
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Bringing beauty to life.
1630 23rd Ave Suite 901A • Lewiston, ID
208-746-4479
115 W Main St.
Enterprise, OR 97828
541-426-6210
Time
again for the
Lollipop
Drawing
OF
THE
The Chief Joseph Days
Board of Directors hosted
their annual potluck Christ-
mas gathering Sunday eve-
ning. Some of the best things
dished up were hints of the
2020 events.
The 2020 CJD Rodeo
will mark the 75th anniver-
sary of Chief Joseph Days.
“There have to be some spe-
cial events to mark this very
special occasion,” said direc-
tor Terry Jones. And every-
thing’s still in the planning
stages. Here’s what Jones and
the board have in mind.
“We’d like to honor
all the rodeo courts of the
past,” Jones said. “So Sat-
urday night, we’d like every
past court member who can
be there to walk out into the
arena for the opening of that
night’s rodeo.” Jones envi-
sioned between 100 and 200
women to be honored there.
“What has got us through
the past 75 years,” he said,
“is the community.” That
includes the multiple genera-
tions of women. Today, there
are grandmothers, mothers,
and daughters in the same
family who have become
Chief Joseph Days court
members, Jones noted.
Other CJD contributors
who will likely receive spe-
cial 75th anniversary recog-
nition include past directors.
Long-term sponsors may be
recognized, too.
The Christmas gather-
ing also recognized Brad
Peterson and Debbie Sur-
face. They purchased the cus-
tom chaps auctioned off in
the 2018 and 2019 “Are you
brave enough to wear pink?”
Thursday Chief Joseph Days
Rodeo. “Their dedication
and support has let us donate
$12,500 to Wallowa Memo-
rial Hospital to help women
get mammograms,” Jones
said.
The 2020 specialty act was
perhaps the most anticipated
announcement. For the 75th
anniversary, Jones said, there
will be not one, but two spe-
cialty acts. Trick rider Mad-
ison McDowell, who per-
formed in 2018, will return.
And trick rope specialist
Lute Rollins, of Texas, will
be here too. “I understand he
does something with fl aming
ropes,” Jones teased. What-
ever Rollins does, we will all
fi nd out in the last weekend in
July. Stay tuned!
WALLOWA COUNTY
Wea
ther is Changing!
On e
stop shopping for
W
paja ARM
m
& C O ZY
glo as, robes
s,
, sl
ves, s
ter
carves, ippers, swea re!
boots and mo