Korean Cultural Service, NY
January 30 2013

By Leigh Schanfein.

Only four months after assuming the role of Consul General of the Republic of Korea in New York, Se-joo Son welcomed a small but interested and intrigued crowd to the first Open Stage performance of 2013 at the Korean Cultural Service NY. We were about to see a “modern and multi-disciplinary” take on Korean dance that would be very different from the other performances produced this year by the Service, which are more traditional by the standards of Korean culture.

The performance this evening was with Yoo and Dancers, a small modern dance company led by Artistic Director and choreographer Hee Ra Yoo, who hails from South Korea. Yoo made her way to the US via Russia and Australia where she performed with companies as recognizable as The Kirov Ballet and Canberra Dance Theatre.

Though she has danced with major ballet companies, Yoo’s company has focused on exploring the modern genre with which she became engrossed though an MFA at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Since 2009, Yoo and Dancers has presented modern dance in and around NYC, but it seems Yoo is branching out, or rather reaching back into her ballet arsenal.  For this performance, we see a somewhat multi-disciplinary take, not just in this presentation’s departure from Korean influence but also in Yoo’s crossover back into the realm of ballet.

This evening’s program includes three new works in two parts under the title of Glass Ceiling.  The opening work, Without a Net is a fairly literal expression of the title as well as Yoo’s description of Glass Ceiling – that it twists the audience’s perspective as to what is up, what is down and in what direction gravity is pulling.

Without a Net begins with two dancers traversing the stage on their sides with a string under their feet, sliding along the floor as if they are walking a tightrope, immediately establishing a new vertical. As jaunty and spry tunes tickle our ears, delightfully played live by pianist Jonathan Howard Katz, the dancers continue to use the string as a surface, walk on the wall, climb up the floor, “fall” to the wall, and nicely portray a silly story about trying to progress in this world with odd orientation, all the while gesturing liberally to let us know they are flustered but they will work together.

If the piece were to end with the duet, it would be a delightful, playful snippet successful in making the audience grin in seeing something different though not innovative. However, it continues with more dancers joining the duo on stage by “falling” from a doorway to the wall, and all using the walls as their floor to alter the definitions of up and down. Problems in execution begin to arise out of the dancers’ inequivalent strengths, which is quite apparent in this piece where the dancing is stripped of vocabulary and converted into theater with comedic gestures, mimicry and acts of physical strength. The variability in acting ability is acceptable in this small venue where we can accept the less expressive personalities because we can still make out their dull features as well as those of the dancers who exaggerate as if for a larger theater.

Yoo and Dancers

The leggy Lauren Camp emerges as a leader in the group with her clear depiction of clownish emotions that ranges from exasperation to elation within only a few moments. She also maintains throughout the kind of physical connectivity and clarity required in a floor-based work when the audience can mostly only see the dancer from above.

A highlight of Without a Net is a short break in the gesturing and crawling wherein Camp and her partner Yuki Ishiguro break into a ridiculous ground-bound pas de deux with all the bravura of the ballet spectacle, with lifts and leaps that are really splats and layouts on the floor. An almost-duel breaks out when a second couple, made by Lindsey Mandolini and Sean Hatch, counter the classical couple’s pompous process with a wall-based tango. Hip swivels and twisting legs are well seen from above as the couple battles for dominance at a 90-degree angle.

If the piece were to end there it would be a fun piece that lets the audience forget the usual overwrought dramatics of the theater and a more basic degree of dance with elementary gestures and a fun repositioning of perspective. It continues, however, with what now sums up to too much gesturing, too much crawling, and too much silly without substance. I enjoy the frivolity and theatricality of the piece but at the length it reaches, the wit turns to mush, and it goes from being a sweet treat to leaving a slightly saccharine taste in my mouth.

The second half of the program consists of two parts together titled The Unwritten. These two parts are completely different and I can’t imagine why they are coupled. Nonetheless, The Unwritten offers an alternative view of the creative starting point of choreographer Hee Ra Yoo – one that is more mature, creative and developed than the first. It is also her foray into ballet.

The first part is a group piece with five women en pointe in black ballet-gritty costumes with ribbon wrapping their legs, which mimics the red and orange-hued ribbons that adorn the walls in basic geometric shapes.

The choreography retains some of the literalism so exaggerated in Without a Net to define and bend boundaries established by the ribbons pulled from the walls and across the stage by the dancers to create a web of containment. The dancers interact with the ribbon as a barrier, a boundary they’d set for themselves. Pressing, stretching, twisting and plucking the ribbon, the dancers act both in defiance and with reluctant acceptance of their confinement. The piece develops into an exciting display of calculated movements that are precise and demanding, interlaced with frustrated flinging release embodied by thrown limbs. It becomes a thrilling combination.

The ballet would benefit greatly from a slightly different cast, one in which all members are equally and well adept at pointe work and the technical aesthetic of ballet. Mary-Elizabeth Fenn and Rebecca Walden stand out as strong, proficient dancers who convey a power and prowess over the movement and the gallery. They seem not as disturbed by the ribbon, the strength of their bodies en pointe matched by strength of character. Walden blends balletic and contemporary movement to powerful effect in a short, precise, well-structured and well-acted solo.

I am not sure at first why this segment of The Unwritten is en pointe. Why would a modern dance company create contemporary ballet? It is easy to see why Hee Ra Yoo could go in that direction with her background as a ballerina with exemplary companies around the world, but her own company has a focus on the modern genre. It leads me to take her for her word that Yoo and Dancers is without borders. After seeing a well-made contemporary ballet like this, it’s exciting to know that as a modern choreographer Yoo has successfully transferred her sensibility of movement to the pointe-clad dancer.

The second part of The Unwritten is the highlight of the evening for much of the audience: a very nicely constructed, delightful and moving duet between a curious girl and a living statue (Mary-Elizabeth Fenn and Sean Hatch). Off to the side a girl sits at the piano, turning pages but not commanding the keys. She listens to music that stirs in her a daydream that begins with a man, solitary and frozen, seemingly in the midst of movement. In her fantasy, she approaches. What does he depict? What would his movement be? Could it be a dance with her? Hee Ra Yoo’s characteristic gesturing with stylized hands and serpentine head lead the girl through her analysis of the statue that provokes him to life.

The piece itself takes on tremendous life along with the statue as he and the girl begin moving together, shifting with ease between rollicking phrases and playful partnering, describing a newfound camaraderie as if on a playground with a new friend. Things change abruptly though, and the newly-awakened statue is suddenly stopped and shunned by the girl who, without explanation, changes her mind about her playmate. We are left at a loss as to why she changes her mood or has become too mature for her playmate’s naive enthusiasm. Yoo should take more time to tell the story here. Quietly, the girl puts the statue back as he was, his wakeful consciousness rebelling and not understanding as she who awakened him returns him to his frozen state. She, regaining her staid complexion, returns to the piano bench and exits the dream.

While I would like to see this piece from a greater distance so that I cannot see the little things about the statue that are too lifelike, such as eyes that address his partner too early before he has awakened, and so that the piano could be on stage with the dancers, I enjoy this dance with my eyes and my heart and am pleased that it does not give into the cliché of its premise.

Overall, Yoo and Dancers gives its appreciative audience a diverse program with expansive dancing that speaks well for the versatility of Hee Ra Yoo in exercising both ballet and modern forms on the stage. I would like to think that Consul General Se-joo Son and the Korean Cultural Service NY find inspiration and insight in what Yoo presents using the breadth of her knowledge and background even though it avoids the trappings of Korean culture. With some talented new ballerinas along with the modern dancers in her hand, Yoo has the skill to take her company in many intriguing directions.

Find out more about Yoo and Dancers and Hee Ra Yoo as well as upcoming performances at yooanddancers.com. For more information on the Korean Cultural Service NY and Open Stage, visit koreanculture.org.

Joyce Theater, New York
February 8-12, 2012

By Laura Di Orio.

During its New York debut, Cloud Gate 2, a Taiwanese modern dance company, presented at The Joyce an evening of five works by four choreographers and provided a glimpse into the emotional and physical range for which this company has the capacity.

The group, despite being called “number 2”, is not second to Cloud Gate Dance Theatre; rather, it is its own entity, one that prides itself on creating substantial works by a number of young Taiwanese choreographers. Both Cloud Gate and Cloud Gate 2 are directed by Lin Hwai-min, and while Cloud Gate performs mainly his works, Cloud Gate 2 is a springboard for newer creative voices, but is definitely just as strong.

During their four-performance run at The Joyce this February, the troupe seemed to fuse dance theater and pure dance phrases, along with interesting musical choices and standout lighting. Cloud Gate 2 seems to not be a company of hierarchy. Each dancer had his/her own individual voice, and the group as a whole was nothing less than connected.

The mixed program began with “Wicked Fish”, choreographed by Huang Yi, who also danced in the piece. It opened with a string of dancers across the stage, with overhead lights casting down on the dancers, dressed in blues and grays, and shrill music that at first seemed obtrusive. Within just a few moments it was apparent that these dancers were extremely well-rehearsed – their movements so in sync and their bodies moving in a most aesthetically-pleasing wave.

Cloud Gate 2 in Huang Yi's "Ta-Ta For Now". Photo: Liu Chen-hsiang

At one moment, only knobby body parts like elbows and knees could be seen under the lights. At the next, the group moved in canon and in slow motion, and then they’d quickly rewind. A series of duets – boy and girl, boy and boy, girl and girl – graced the stage. The couples’ bodies seemed to never depart contact through the slides and around-the-body lifts. The dancers were so athletic, so committed, but the best part of “Wicked Fish” was that the movement was so beautiful and fluid that we almost forgot about how piercing the music was overhead.

Next was Wu Kuo-chu’s “Tantalus”, which opened with six dancers in pedestrian clothes standing hunched over, eyes out to the audience under a square of light. They remained still for a long, long moment. Then one dancer stirred, out of discomfort, and then the whole group was awoken. One by one, an individual’s movement became contagious through the group, which was only brought back to neutral with long, loud breath patterns.

After several minutes of only sounds of claps, breaths, sighs and foot stomps, we welcomed the music of Meredith Monk, a storyteller herself. The piece became funny and human in that we recognized that we, as people, exhaust ourselves, constantly running and not getting far enough or even fighting with the air.

“Passage”, choreographed by Bulareyaung Pagarlava, pinnacled the evening in showcasing Cloud Gate 2 as a group with a strong dance theater element. A pretty girl was unwillingly clothed in different dresses and fabrics by four characters who seemed to be her caregivers. The girl was distracted, seemingly possessed, longing for something beyond her room. Meanwhile, a strong presence – a figure covered from head to toe in white – slowly strode around the scene, as he carried a large umbrella and wheeled a black suitcase beside him.

One by one, each character stripped off their black coat and danced in a powerful fit, as if they, too, had become possessed. Towards the end, clouds of white powder were thrown to the sky, creating a most strikingly beautiful image, and the dancers lay under a white sheet, where the girl had preceded them.

In Huang Yi’s second piece on the program, the quirky “Ta-Ta For Now”, was like a day at the office without the boss. The dancers, wearing office clothes, spun on, climbed over and stacked desk chairs. They interacted with each other, passing along imaginary objects, making finger people and even throwing their shoes. Despite its apparent light feel, the piece involved such incredible precision. There were times of amazing body response to the music as the tale was told via the violin in Aram Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto in D minor.

Cheng Tsung-lung’s “The Wall” closed the program. The dancers, all in black, began by walking the perimeter of the stage, creating some kind of wall, encasing themselves in a world of their own. Again, one by one, the dancers broke the mold, stripped their black and burst into their dance, nearly naked but so sure of their decision.

“The Wall” displayed the company as incredible movers, and some of Tsung-lung’s phrases appeared to have the feel of hip hop’s body isolations. At the end, one figure, who remained in black, walked into the field of what may have been mistaken as “chaos” but was surely just the temptation of the freedom of dance. Will he, too, be tempted?

During much of the evening, it was sometimes hard to tell the dancers apart. Aside from the choreographed moments of staring out into the house, their dancing was so internal as a whole, as if they were one body, each dancer just a different limb and one expression of a larger voice. And their bows were so gracious, their eyes almost in awestruck of what sat before them.

Cloud Gate 2’s engagement at The Joyce was one of such interesting, engaging work. It wasn’t dance for the sake of dance; rather, it was movement for the sake of saying something, and each of these young artists seems to have something profound to say.

Top photo: Cloud Gate 2 in Bulareyaung Pagarlava’s “Passage”. Photo by Liu Chen-hsiang

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & events.

Nationwide Casting Call

Do you dream of being a world-class dancer in the entertainment industry? Here’s Your Chance!
Superstar Choreographer and Creative Director Laurieann Gibson and the executive producers of Making The Band are casting Female Dancers Only for her new dance competition show on BET.

Laurieann Gibson is famous for her work with Lady Gaga, Making the Band, SYTYCD, The Pulse On Tour and more.
Read Dance Informa’s interview with Laurieann here.

Ms. ‘Boom Kack’ herself, Laurieann Gibson will share her hard-won expertise on how to succeed in the competitive world of dance with a hand-selected group of dancers. The winner of the competition will be awarded a $50,000 cash prize.

Get to one of the auditions! Go to www.BET.com/laurieanncasting  for details and updates.

Auditions are being held in three of the biggest markets in the country – Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles.
Atlanta – February 26
New York – March 2
Los Angeles – March 5

Rules & Guidelines:
The line for auditions opens at 6am
Auditions are 9am – 12pm
Audition spaces are limited and not everyone is guaranteed to be seen
Auditioners must be at least 18 years old

By Chris Bamford.

Erica Sobol is the founder and artistic director of LA based collidEdance, an ever-evolving professional dance company dedicated to blurring the line between dance and theatre. Erica has spent her life studying performing arts in both New York and Los Angeles. She has earned a BA in dance theater from Barnard College at Columbia University and created, worked, taught and trained with the industry’s best choreographers and dancers.

Tell us all about your teaching style.
“My teaching style is very unorthodox. It’s a little strange and off the wall. It’s been developed over the seven years I’ve been teaching. I used to ‘suck’ at it. I tried to model myself after the way my teachers taught me, but because I started dancing so late so much of what my teachers gave me was not natural to me, like trying to do a technical warm up. I tried so hard to incorporate it into my classes but it was so inorganic to me. But slowly I became more and more comfortable with myself and started realising the specialised things I bring to the dance world. I was able to let go and really start to explore. My teaching style is really about what come naturally to me. My style can be heavily infected by what’s happening around me, who turns up for class or if it’s sunny or wet outside. It all plays a role in what I teach and how I teach.”

Tell us about your dance company collidEdance?
“The foetus of collidEdance started in New York with Chris Hale, a really good friend of mine at the time. He is a contemporary choreographer based in New York. We had a really great first performance with sold out houses. It was very well received and the reviews were amazing. It was the first time for both of us to produce and create a company production and a great learning curve for us, but in the end Chris felt that the dance company side of things was not for him, whereas I couldn’t wait to tackle the next project. I knew for sure that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, so we decided to part ways on a professional level. Our dancers started to scatter everywhere and I was moving from LA to New York, so I put it to rest for a few years. Then I moved back to LA and after a couple of years of teaching and  developing  a community that I was familiar with and inspired by, I woke up one day and thought ‘I think I have the right group of  dancers around me now’. It started in LA with ten men and five women and slowly built over time. I have now worked with 60 -65 dancers in LA. All of my dancers are strong individual dancers, but they’re part of a family as well. 

It’s a love project at the moment – nobody is getting paid for their time or their work. I’m really lucky to have a whole lot of people who really believe in what I do who are willing to donate their time, energy and love to make something really wonderful. Hopefully in the future we’ll have more sponsors. We have this revolving door thing happening as people get work and can’t perform with us, but they then come back with these rich amazing experiences and training which is exciting for everyone.” 

You have worked with some amazing people, who have been your favorites?
“Kevin Maher, who is an LA choreographer, is my mentor and my everything. He has been the most influential in my dance life. He is, as far as I’m concerned, the best teacher in the business. He is the person that when I first started my training made me want to do this with my life. I have also worked really closely with Matt Cady, Tucker Barkley and Rhapsody James. Most of my great influences have been in hip hop. A new friend who blows the lid off my head whenever I see anything he does is Ian Eastwood.  He is only 17 years old and he is a genius. All of my company members blow the lid off my head. I am inspired all the time by so many incredible people.” 

You have worked, trained and taught in both New York and LA.  In your opinion what is the difference in the dance scenes?
“There is more work in LA and more talent there in the choreography front in general, if you’re talking about commercial dance.  And even with the new wave experimental modern stuff, LA is where it’s at. I think if you want to do musical theatre or company work and dance with one of the large dance companies  like ABT and Alvin Ailey you need to be in New York, but all the music videos, the movies and all the real commercial work is mostly in LA.  LA’s become a mecca for really talented dancers to have a lucrative working experience. The lifestyle is a lot more relaxed and the people are a lot more supportive of each other. Maybe that’s because I have been living there for five years and I feel really at home in LA.”

So what’s in the future for Erica Sobol?
“I suppose the natural progression for me is to work in commercial work with artists and musicians. I’m dying to work with Florence and the Machine and Lady Gaga. I really want to work with the experimental artists who are putting their work out there, but I’m genuinely trying not to think too far ahead. I’m so happy doing what I do. I get to travel the world and meet the most incredible people. And I get to look at the difference I am making. I know people who make a huge difference and leave a huge footprint, especially in the dance community, but they don’t get to every day look at a child’s face and know that they changed his or her mind on something or left an indent on their heart. That’s really special to me.  For now I’m happy to have that and make a good living by doing it. I can’t imagine that it gets any better than this, so whatever the future brings, I’m sure it’s going to bright, beautiful and fantastic.”

See Erica’s work in action on youTube:

Top photo: Mark Barwald (Ookina Creative)

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
205 West 46th Street, NYC
Nov 2010

By Jessica Innes

Trick or treat? The Addams Family is a bewitching Broadway musical and an indulgent treat for anyone wanting a heart-warming experience full of madness and mayhem. This hysterical feast for the senses proves to be much more than just a comical farce, as it explores the universal themes of love, family, acceptance and growing up. Based on the original works of American cartoonist Charles Addams, the story hones in on Wednesday Addams newfound love Lucas and how their opposing families collide over an explosive dinner party.

With the spotlight focused on Wednesday Addams played by the bright eyed and incredibly talented Krysta Rodriguez, we were able to witness the young star’s piercing vibrato which was beautifully showcased in the number Pulled. However, it was the dynamic duo of Gomez and Morticia Addams, played by the side-splittingly funny Nathan Lane and the smouldering Bebe Neuwirth, that stole the show.  They commanded the stage with the nonchalant flair of true Broadway stars. The comic timing of Lane was impeccable as he reduced the audience to peels of laughter with just a single wink. Oozing sex appeal, Neuwirth was the envy of every woman in the audience with her svelte figure clad in a dress ‘cut to Venezuela’.

The music and lyrics of Andrew Lippa created a culturally diverse musical score with Spanish, Operatic, Big band and even Hawaiian influences. This added a little insight into the characters’ heritage and hidden talents… Who knew Uncle Fester could play the ukulele? Each musical number was the perfect accompaniment to Serjio Trujillo’s picturesque choreography, which ignited the imagination of the audience. 

The Tango de Amor was an essential moment of passion between Gomez and Morticia, however it also revealed the technical abilities of the company, whose staccato footwork was executed with attack and vigour. The Moon and Me was a dazzling display of lights, illusion and humour as Uncle Fester appeared to fly up to the moon, which he toyed with like a basketball all star. With an entirely blacked out set, the beautiful simplicity of this number showed that the sheer brilliance of the content is what drives the success behind this musical.  Nevertheless, the rest of the show was a true mega musical spectacular with huge sets boasting intricate details right down to photo frames and cobwebs on the mantelpiece.       

I felt like one of the family as the characters continuously broke the ‘fourth wall’ and spoke directly to the audience. Set in New York City, the show seemed to be custom made for a Broadway audience and the personal jokes further strengthened the actor/audience bond. The script was bursting with inter-textuality as the writers Elice and Brickman drew from many references including The Sound of Music and children’s nursery rhymes, which were morbidly mutilated to become moments of sheer brilliance.

The mood intensified in Act Two through an array of duets which showed the vulnerability of even the most robust characters. Nathan Lane showed touching tenderness in the ballad Happy/Sad which dealt with Gomez’s paternal reluctance to let Wednesday grow up. Writers Elice and Bickman noted the importance of the word ‘family’ in the musical’s title which they claimed was it’s “point of origin, and the guiding principle.”

The show continued to deliver hit after hit and the finale was a knockout with the triumphant number Move Toward the Darkness. The Addams family brought light to the darker side of life with a truly stellar array of musical numbers and a star-studded cast. They’ll make you laugh, they’ll make you cry and they’ll definitely make you blush. The Addams Family was a frightfully fun night not to be missed!

For tickets and information visit www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com

Photos: Joan Marcus

The Shubert Theater, New York
July 2010

By Rebecca Martin.

Amidst the plethora of tourists, bright lights, shows, and bustle of Broadway in New York, The Shubert Theater on 44^th Street played host to Memphis , winner of the 2010 Tony Award for best musical. With summer heat rising from the pavement outside, the cool interior of the theatre was a welcome relief for the excited audience who filled every seat in the house to see the “biggest hit on Broadway”.  With advertising slogans such as “The story is American, the thrill is universal”, my expectations were high and I was not disappointed.

As soon as the curtain opened, the dancers burst on stage and the musical began with sharp, fierce and lively dancing from the chorus.  The women were sexy, the men were sultry, and their voices made my hair stand on end.  The first scene, set in an African-American rock ‘n roll underground bar in Memphis ,Tennessee, during the 1950’s,  made me long for that era of music and dance. 

Memphis tells the story of Huey (Chad Kimball), a white man who cannot hold down a job but loves soul music, and Felicia (Montego Glover) a young African-American singer. Felicia is trying to make a name for herself in racist Tennessee where the “black music” she makes is banned everywhere except underground clubs, such as the one her brother Delray owns. 

Through a combination of timing, charm, and skill, Huey secures a gig as a radio DJ, gets Felicia played on the radio, becomes the most popular radio presenter in Tennessee, and wins over Felicia.  Unfortunately, in 1950’s Tennessee, inter-racial relationships were frowned upon and Felicia is badly beaten.  With Huey reluctant to leave Memphis, Felicia travels alone to the more liberal New York to pursue her singing career and escape the prejudice of Tennessee.  Sadly there is no ‘happy ever after’ for Huey and Felicia, which is possibly the only disappointment of an otherwise brilliant production. The ending was slightly anticlimactic and the absence of a fairy tale ending was a bit of a letdown.

Kimball was born for the role of Huey and was nothing short of brilliant.  He was endearing as the potentially annoying Huey, and portrayed him as a cool and nuanced character.  Kimball’s presence on the stage was mesmerising.  Glover also brought the house down with her portrayal of Felicia.  Her voice and commanding performance elicited rapturous applause from the audience.  The two performers carried the show with ease and confidence, with a sense of genuineness and without any forced showiness that often pervades Broadway musicals. 

Memphis had it all: laughs, surprises, outstanding dancing, fantastic sets, stunning voices, entertaining songs, interesting choreography and a message that stays with you long after the curtain has come down.  It showed that music has the ability to inspire change in people and it exposed the ugly impact of prejudice and racism.  Memphis put a spring in my step and a smile on my face, and after the show I could be heard uttering the words “musical of the year!”

Broadway Dance Center, in the heart of New York City’s theater district, has just announced an exciting new program for aspiring professional dancers - Professional Semester at BDC.

Since 1984 Broadway Dance Center has earned a reputation in the global dance community as a studio of excellence, offering a diverse array of dance classes from industry leading teachers and choreographers.

Open to dancers from 18 to 27 years, the Professional Semester at BDC is designed to transform dancers from
dance students to dance professionals.

The four-month course is a great option for well-trained dancers looking to launch their professional careers. Whether a graduate of a university dance program, a current student looking to spend a semester dancing in the field, a recent high school graduate hoping to broach the dance industry, or a currently working professional looking for an intensive course to hone your skills, The Professional Semester offers the pragmatic coursework that dancers need to establish themselves as working professionals.

“I’ve designed this program essentially to offer the training, practical information, and networking opportunities I wish I’d had when I was starting out as a young dancer”, says BDC’s Director of Educational Programming Bonnie Erickson.

BDC choreographer Maria Torres leads a group of students through their mock audition class

BDC has sought the input of countless industry professionals in crafting the program. The comprehensive syllabus includes multi-disciplinary technique classes, practical seminars to educate dancers about the industry, mock auditions to provide real-world experience, and numerous networking and performance opportunities. The program concludes with a showcase finale at a local Manhattan theater for an audience including NYC dance industry professionals.

Starting in Fall 2010, there will be Fall and Spring terms. Applications for Fall 2010 are now open. The program will start on August 22. All applications must be submitted by July 23.

For further information visit www.broadwaydancecenter.com or email ProSemester@bwydance.com

Peridance Capezio Center is proud to announce its move to a brand new space with state-of-the-art facilities in New York City.  Since 1983 The Center has continued to attract world-renowned faculty, constantly expanding its class offerings, with over 250 classes a week.

The International Student Program at Peridance Capezio Center offers students from all over the world the opportunity to obtain an F-1 Visa Status, to study dance in New York City for periods of 3 months to 3 years! International students can come to New York City and experience its vibrant and diverse culture, while studying dance of the highest caliber from world renowned teachers and choreographers.

Students attend classes, participate in a wide variety of workshops and master classes, improve their English skills, and receive discounts at local partner businesses,  and at dance and theater performances around the city.

For over 25 years, Peridance has been making it possible for students of all levels to live and study in the United States. An F-1 Visa allows students who complete the program to apply for Post Completion Optional Practical Training. The Center offers valuable knowledge and experience, making the transition into the professional dance world as smooth and successful as possible. Peridance also helps students to change their status from other types of Visa (some cases require travel abroad). Students come to study at Peridance Capezio Center from countries including Brazil, Israel, Germany, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, Chili, Korea, Switzerland, China, Spain, Norway, Finland, and Australia, among many others. 

Peridance presents several programs including an Open Program, Limon Program, GYROTONIC® Teacher Training Program and a new Certificate Program. Don’t miss your chance to register for the new Certificate Program, starting September, 2010, offering an intensive training program for aspiring pre-professional dancers.

For more information visit www.peridance.com
www.capeziodance.com

Enjoy at taste of Peridance over Summer!
Summer Intensive, July 5th-30^th for ages 14-18
Peridance Capezio Center has announced its Summer Workshops for 2010, with an inspiring line-up of major choreographers, master teachers, and directors. Starting now, dancers can pre-register for workshops and fully experience the work and methods of world–renowned instructors. Space is limited for these unique offerings, so dancers are strongly encouraged to reserve their space in advance.  www.peridance.com/teenintensive10.htm