Winter Dance Showcase Dec. 4-5 at Valéncia
WINONA, Minn. — Dance Repertory Company II performers and young choreographers will present Winter Dance Showcase 2009, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5.
Audiences can enjoy performances at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in the Valéncia Arts Center Academy Theatre, located at 1164 West 10th St.
Dance Repertory Company II is the junior performing troupe of Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA). Students ages 5 to 12 will perform classical ballet, jazz and modern dance. These young students auditioned last September for the showcase and have been participating in weekly technique classes and rehearsals.
“The Winter Dance Showcase is a great performance opportunity for our younger dancers,” said Christine Martin, MCA managing director. “The children really enjoy performing contemporary dance forms, as well as being part of our full-length ballets like The Nutcracker and Cinderella.”
The performance will also include original works by the MCA and Saint Mary’s University young choreographers. These high school and college students participated in choreography and dance composition courses throughout the semester.
“The Winter Showcase offers the students a culminating project requiring them to utilize all of the choreographic tools that they have learned this semester,” said Tammy Schmidt, SMU assistant professor of dance and MCA director of dance. “Additionally, the process of directing their pieces gives these young choreographers real world experience in dance performance production.”
Young choreographers presenting works include: Dot Armstrong, Abby Ayotte, Fallon Devine, Lydia Feuerhelm, Joanna Mills, Sarah Mills, Bryan Moore and Adelle Vietor. DRC II cast members include: Colin Cada, Lauren Callahan, Walker Crum, Gwendolyn Gray-Burlingame, Cooper Hancock, Phoebe Kropuenske, Megan Lynch, Alec Meinke, Hayden Meinke, Justine Meinke, Laura Schleich, Natalie Schleich, Olivia Schlesser, Maren Stewart, Emily Strom, Anna Velikanova, Calli Jo Wagner and Emmalena Williamson.
Tickets are $10 for adults. Admission for children and students ages 2-21 is free. To reserve tickets, call (507) 453-5500. Seating is limited. For more information about MCA performances, classes and programs, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org. For more information about the SMU dance minor program, visit www.smumn.edu/danceminor.
The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University.
