SPRINGFIELD – Last Wednesday, under peeks of sunshine through thick overcast clouds, the Fountain Plaza transformed into a theater as #instaballet set the stage to nurture creativity through dance.
As part of the third of nine summer reading program events presented by the Springfield Public Library and History Museum, children lent a hand in creating a unique dance with #instaballet performers.
Mindy Linder, community engagement specialist, introduced the dance facilitator, co-founder, and artistic director, Antonio Anacan. He helped translate the crowd’s ideas into movement for the performers to show in a dance.
#instaballet, formed in 2013 and based in Eugene, has been bridging audiences and artists by taking ballet beyond the theater and into our communities. Audience members are invited to share their ideas, which professional dancers transform into graceful movements.
Anacan explained that the three dancers had a routine that was about 20% complete and needed the crowd’s help creating the remaining moves. The theme for the dance was whimsy, so he asked the crowd what kind of dance moves could be added to the sequence.
“It’s imaginative, lighthearted, that’s our theme for today,” Anacan said. “I’m going to show you what we have so far, and then that’s when I’m gonna start taking your ideas, and we’re gonna start choreographing my new friends.”
The vocabulary of chassé and plié had yet to be introduced to many of the littles who had requested that the dancers do leaps and turns. Kiddos asked that the performers “fly like a dragonfly,” “melt like ice,” and “act like a fairy.”
Instaballet dance company performs for a large crowd at the courtyard of the Springfield Public Library July 1, 2026. 
Instaballet dance company performs for a large crowd at the courtyard of the Springfield Public Library July 1, 2026. 
Instaballet dance company performs for a large crowd at the courtyard of the Springfield Public Library July 1, 2026. 
Instaballet dance company performs for a large crowd at the courtyard of the Springfield Public Library July 1, 2026.
There was not a single request the performers did not fulfill – well, except for a back handspring, and even that was improvised and included in some form. The crowd’s idea of whimsical dance moves included reaching for the stars, waving arms like the ocean, acting like a reindeer, cartwheeling, growing like a pumpkin or a flower, making a triangle, doing the splits, and a lot of jumping and twirling.
“We’ve been slugs before,” Anacan said. “We’ve dragged our bodies across the floor before.”
Another odd dance move request Anacan said he received was to dance like a “hype orca whale.”
The end result was a whimsical dance that combined the crowd’s ideas with the crew’s prepared moves.
Folks can catch the next #instaballet performance at the Wow Hall on Aug. 7, at 5:30 p.m.
Makola Performing Arts with Okaidja Afroso is sharing modern African music at the plaza next week at 10:30 a.m.
