Dance director and producer Jenna Lombardo, front left, will head her dance troupe during a Christmas show to be held at The Slope Amphitheater on Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. The 30-minute show will feature 11 dancers doing several routines. Hot chocolate and cookies will be sold on site. Admission is $5, with proceeds going to the Shop with a Cop program. The dance troupe is shown performing at Pittston’s La Festa Natale on Dec. 4.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Drexel University’s Jenna Lombardo, shown, will direct, produce and dance in a Christmas show slated for The Slope Amphitheater behind the Pittston Memorial Library on Dec. 18 at 5 p.m.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — A Chance to Dance, a charity dance troupe, will perform the first annual Christmas Show at The Slope Amphitheater on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 5 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, with proceeds going to the city’s Shop with a Cop program.
Jenna Lombardo, a 19 year old student at Drexel University, has been dancing for 15 years, and is the director of A Chance to Dance based in Pittston. She is producing, directing and dancing along with 11 others in the Christmas show.
The dance troupe most recently participated in the City of Pittston’s La Festa Natale on Dec. 4.
The Pittston Area graduate wanted to showcase her dance troupe for a Christmas show outdoors, choosing The Slope for their first annual show.
“I chose the slope because it’s beautiful. It’s so pretty there,” Lombardo said. “The City of Pittston is allowing us to use it and I wanted proceeds to go to the Shop with a Cop, the charity, and what a better place than Pittston.”
Since it’s an outdoor event, Lombardo asked everyone to dress appropriately for the weather. Hot chocolate and cookies will be sold at the site. The evening’s DJ will be JJ Lombardo.
According to Lombardo, if the weather is inclement, the show may move indoors, but the site and time has not yet been decided. She asks everyone to check with the Downtown Pittston Partnership Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DowntownPittstonPartnership) or her personal Facebook page (https://tinyurl.com/yb52ftu2) on the event’s status.
Lombardo said she’s excited to perform the Christmas show, and even though her dance troupe does not have a studio, she is always looking to recruit new dancers to participate in upcoming shows, including her biggest production each June. Dance experience is not necessary to join.
“My motto has always been, no matter the circumstance, everyone deserves a chance to dance,” Lombardo said. “Dance is very competitive around here and I want dancers to have the chance to be the main character or be in front or be in center. That’s what the show is about, it’s not about one main person.”
Anyone interested in contacting Lombardo on dancing, dance productions, the Christmas show, or further information, can reach her by emailing achancetodance22@gmail.com.
The Slope Amphitheater is located behind the Pittston Memorial Library.
