National Dance Day is rapidly approaching, and So You Think You Can Dance’s Hip Hop choreographers, Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo, have created a short Dizzy Feet Foundation dance routine.  Nigel Lythgoe has been encouraging dancers all over the world to learn the dance and pass it on.

So what is National Dance Day?

National Dance Day is an initiative that encourages the nation, young and old, to get their groove on! Individuals, families, organizations and communities from across the US will come together through their creative expression in dance.  Any style of dance is welcome and imagination is recommended in order to get the most out of this celebratory day.

National Dance Day will be held on Saturday July 31st with flash mobs and celebrations all over the country.

National Dance Dance has been developed to continue to generate national awareness for dance, a medium of expression and storytelling which has proven its value in bringing individuals from all walks of life together. Most importantly, the day is intended to promote health and wellness nationwide.

So get learning the moves and join in this July 31st, for America’s first National Dance Day!

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

CBS is set to launch a new dance show - Got to Dance and ex-American Idol Judge Paula Abdul will be joining the series. The show, based on a very popular British series that premiered earlier this year, will feature dancers of all ages and styles. There will be solos, duos and groups competing for viewer votes.
Got to Dance is rumored to premiere early next year.

Based on the success of popular dance television shows such as SYTYCD and Dancing with the Stars, Got to Dance is sure to be entertaining.

Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company will honor the birth of the mother of Modern Dance with a celebration of performances, classes for all ages, lecture demonstrations, and a tour of the Metropolitan Museum from May 27th-29th.

The pre-eminent Isadora Duncan Dance Company will perform dances from the repertoire of Isadora Duncan ranging from her early lyrical solos including Ballspiel (Chopin) to her sensual Bacchanal (Gluck) and Brahm’s waltzes The Many Faces of Love to her triumphant Revolutionary (Scriabin) and her universal Mother (Scriabin). Lori Belilove and Company dancers Beth Disharoon, Faith Kimberling, Danielle Kwozko, Amanda Nord, Suzzanne Gerdes, and Mary Staub will be performing.

The program will include a short introductory talk by Artistic Director Lori Belilove about Isadora, her life, and her dances. After 100 years Duncan’s work, vision, and inspiration still resonates with the human spirit in the 21st century. Young Duncan dancers “The Beliloveables” (established in the tradition of Duncan’s “Isadorables”) and guest dancers training with the Company will also perform.

Celebrating the birth of Isadora Duncan with these activities mark the 30th year anniversary of the establishment of the Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation located in Chelsea.

Although exposed to personal life stories and stereotypical characterizations about Isadora’s dance, most dance students, teachers and dance historians are unaware of Duncan’s technique. It is the mission of the Duncan foundation to awaken the general public and dance enthusiasts worldwide to the importance and beauty of Isadora’s dance legacy.

For more information visit http://www.isadoraduncan.org

Top photo: Rose Eichenbaum

Judith Jamison has announced that her mantle as Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will pass to Robert Battle. Battle is a fast-rising choreographer who has created ballets for the Ailey company and Ailey II since 1999 and has served as an artist-in-residence with The Ailey School. Mr. Battle, 37, will be the third person to head the company since its founding by Alvin Ailey in 1958. He will serve side-by-side with Ms. Jamison as Artistic Director Designate from now until July 2011, when she takes Emerita status and he assumes his full responsibilities.

Judith Jamison stated, “We are enormously fortunate in being able to secure the leadership of Robert Battle. Combining an intimate knowledge of the Ailey company with an independent perspective, he is without question the creative force of the future.”

Accepting his appointment as Artistic Director Designate, Robert Battle stated, “I don’t know whether to call this the proudest moment of my life or the most humbling. With the help of Judith Jamison and the great, great dancers in this company, I hope to be worthy of this tremendous responsibility that I’ve been given, and to honour it in the only way Alvin Ailey would have accepted: by keeping it new, alive and moving forward.”

“In seeking a new artistic leader for the company, it was important to find someone who has his own vision, his own experience,” Judith Jamison explained. “Robert has his own company and is a maverick in his choreography. He’s edgy and forward-thinking, very talented and savvy-a lovely, intelligent person who in many ways reminds me of Alvin. He also has a worldview and is capable of taking this company in new directions, while at the same time understanding our traditions. Choosing Robert Battle is the giant leap I want to take to ensure that this company stays vibrant in the future.”

www.alvinailey.org

Top photo: By Paul Kolnik.

New Choreography and Music Festival

New York City Ballet’s 2010 Spring Season will begin on Thursday, April 29, with a one-time-only gala evening celebrating Architecture of Dance – New Choreography and Music Festival, NYCB’s spring season celebration of new work, featuring seven world premiere ballets and four commissioned scores.  Santiago Calatrava, one of the world’s most acclaimed architects, will be creating scenic designs for five of the season’s world premieres, marking the first time that he has created theatrical designs.  

The Architecture of Dance festival, which has been designed to honour the 50th anniversary of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, will feature seven world premiere ballets by an international array of choreographers:  Melissa Barak, Mauro Bigonzetti, Peter Martins, Wayne McGregor, Benjamin Millepied, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon.  Renowned for its commitment to new work, NYCB has premiered more than 300 original works since relocating to Lincoln Center in 1964.

Four scores have also been commissioned for the festival, from Bruno Moretti, who will work with Bigonzetti, his long-time collaborator; French composer Thierry Escaich, who will work with Millepied; young American composer Jay Greenberg, who will create the score for the Barak ballet; and Esa-Pekka Salonen, who composed a violin concerto for Martins’ world premiere. 

For more information visit www.nycballet.com

Top photo: Alexei Ratmansky rehearsing dancers for his upcoming ballet. Photo Paul Kolnik

Peridance Center, in partnership with Capezio/Ballet Makers Inc. is proud to announce it’s new location in the historic Beaux Arts-style building at 126 East 13th Street, near 4th Avenue at the beautiful Union Square area, New York City.  The Centre, officially known as Peridance Capezio Center has opened its doors.

This beautiful 3-story dance facility marks a new era for Peridance with an exciting new profile.

The Center houses six large, climate controlled, State-of-the-Art studios with professional sound systems and sprung floors, an in house Studio Theater, café 126 and a Capezio dance clothing boutique. All studios are completely column free, a unique characteristic in the New York urban landscape.

Peridance’s faculty is expanding and Australia’s own Jack Chambers of SYTYCD is now an esteemed instructor at the facility! Over 30 new, exciting and distinguished teachers are joining the world renowned roster of instructors, offering over 250 open weekly classes for all levels in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Theater, Jazz, Hip-Hop, House, Tap, Salsa, Flamenco, African, Pilates, Stretch, GYROKENESIS®, Taichi and much more.

Peridance Capezio Center proudly offers all major, traditional Modern disciplines including Graham, Limon, Horton and Taylor-Based.

The new in house Studio Theater, will provide a venue for established and up-and-coming artists to perform, and will serve as a home for the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company.

 “We were fortunate to be able to stay in the neighborhood,” says Artistic Director Igal Perry. “…though our dancers and students come from around the globe, it’s vital for us to maintain our roots at Union Square and stay close to the local and vibrant dance community.”

The building was originally constructed as the Van Tassall & Kearney Horse Auction Mart at the turn of the 20th century, and was the studio of painter, printmaker and sculptor Frank Stella from 1978 to 2005.

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

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater kicks off its U.S. tour in Washington, DC, this week, followed by Charlotte, Atlanta, and 17 more cities across the country. See new work added to the repertory this season and, at most performances, the beloved classic, Revelations. Join the ongoing celebration of Judith Jamison’s 20 years as artistic director when Ailey comes to a city near you. For the tour dates and details click here

AAADT has performed for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa. The company has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed international ambassadors of American culture, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance.

For further information visit www.alvinailey.org

With a sparkling score of beloved standards and a whimsical story that dances between romance, satire and fairy tale, Finian’s Rainbow is a musical theater treasure.

Visit www.finiansonbroadway.com

Jurgita Dronina of Lithuania, Senior Female Silver at the 2006 USA IBC. Photo Richard Finkelstein

The Houston Ballet celebrates 40 years
In celebration of its 40th season, Houston Ballet will stage a brand new production of the historic classic, La Bayadère. This world premiere by Stanton Welch is an exotic story of the temple dancer, Nikiya, her lover, Solor, and the vengeance that keeps them apart. Set in northern India, La Bayadère will dazzle audiences with lavish scenery and costumes. It will thrill novices and balletomanes alike with its strong classical performances including the famous Shades scene, staged for the entire corps de ballet. La Bayadère will run from Thursday February 25th to Sunday March 7^th at Brown Theater, Wortham Theater Center. The 09-10 Season will also see the introduction of five additional works into the repertoire, including masterpieces by George Balanchine, Jiří Kylián, Jerome Robbins and Twyla Tharp. 

2009 Next Wave Festival
The Brooklyn Academy of Music Next Wave Festival has returned for its 27th season with an unparalleled line-up of contemporary performance, artist talks, literature, film, and visual art. Dedicated to presenting emerging artists at the forefront of their disciplines alongside modern masters who continue to innovate, this year’s Next Wave is packed with adventurous art for adventurous audiences. Great works being presented include Decreation choreographed by William Forsythe, Itutu by Armitage Gone! Dance, Really Real by Wally Cardona and Company, and Mortal Engine by Australia’s Chunky Move, to name a few. Get your tickets. Visit http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=1096

Laban Workshops and Auditions!
Laban, Europe’s leading conservatoire of contemporary dance training is coming to the US!
Laban, direct from the UK will be running dance workshops and auditions in New York and San Francisco.  The New York workshop and audition will run from November 14^th-15^th, held at The Ailey Studios. The San Francisco workshop and audition will run from November 21^st-22^nd, at San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. Places are limited. For more information and to register for the workshops and/or audition contact Clara Bezanilla at usa.audition@laban.ac.uk
http://www.laban.org/dance_programmes/

SAB To Hold Auditions in Tokyo
The School of American Ballet’s first-ever auditions in Japan will be held in Tokyo on October 11th-12th, coinciding with New York City Ballet’s performances at Tokyo’s Bunkamura Orchard Hall (October 8-12). The auditions will be for intermediate and advanced ballet students between the ages of 12 and 18 who are interested in attending SAB’s 2010 Summer Course. The Summer Course is a five-week program in which 200 serious ballet students from around the world live in the School’s on-site residence at Lincoln Center and take ballet, pointe, variations and partnering classes with SAB’s world-renowned faculty. Most advanced students enrolled in the School’s year-round program first attended one or more Summer Course sessions before being invited for full-time training in the Winter Term. The 2010 Summer Course will take place from June 28th to July 30th. The Tokyo auditions will be conducted by New York City Ballet dancers and artistic staff who are also current faculty members at SAB.  Students interested in auditioning must pre-register for the audition by sending an e-mail with their name, birth date and mailing address to sab@kyodotokyo.com.

Broadway Cabaret Festival
The fifth annual Broadway Cabaret Festival will be held at the NYC Town Hall from Oct 16^th-18^th. The festival celebrates Broadway’s established and up-and-coming talent, with a star studded cast of performers.  Make sure you get to the Town Hall, Broadway’s landmark concert venue, to join in the fun! The Town Hall can be found at 123 West 43rd Street. Tickets start at $50. For tickets and information visit www.the-townhall-nyc.org.

The Pulse On Tour
The Pulse On Tour 2009-10 kicks off in Orlando Florida on November 7^th-8^th at the World Center Marriott. With esteemed choreographer Gil Duldulao now part of the star studded faculty, including Tyce Diorio, Mia Michaels, Shane Sparks and Wade Robson, this Pulse Tour is set to rock. The Pulse will visit only 11 US cities, plus Toronto Canada, so make sure you reserve your spot. For more information, dates and to register visit www.thepulseontour.com

2010 USA International Ballet Competition
One of the world’s most prestigious dance events, the USA IBC, is a two-week Olympic style competition where tomorrow’s ballet stars compete for gold, silver and bronze medals,  cash awards and scholarships. Designated as the official USA Competition by a Joint Resolution of Congress, the USA IBC is held every four years, in the tradition of sister competitions in Bulgaria (Varna), Russia (Moscow), and Japan (Tokyo). The USA IBC in Jackson, Mississippi remains one of the oldest and most respected dance competitions in the world with up to $75,000 in cash awards, plus company contracts. The ninth USA IBC will return to Jackson from June 12^th – June 27^th, 2010. The written application deadline is October 30^th.  http://www.usaibc.com/

New York City Dance Alliance
The NYCDA tour starts again this October, with the convention’s first stop in Mobile, Alabama on October 24^th. The convention will tour to 23 cities before its 16^th National Season Finale in New York City in July, followed by a Summer Dance Intensive.
For more information, dates and to register visit www.nycdance.com 

International Association for Dance Medicine and Science – 19^th Annual Meeting
The 19th Annual Meeting of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) will be held on October 29th-31st in The Hague, The Netherlands.  The 19th Annual Meeting will be followed by Special Interest Groups Day on Sunday, November 1st. The venue will be the renowned Koninklijke Schouwburg (Royal Theatre). The three-day conference is directed to those involved with the health-care, education, administration and supervision of dancers, including physicians, allied health professionals, alternative healthcare practitioners, psychologists, arts administrators, artistic directors, choreographers, educators, scientists, movement specialists, and dancers. For more information visit http://www.iadms.org

Very top photo: Chunky Move present Mortal Engine