“DANCEFEST” RETURNS IN JANUARY TO THE PALACE THEATRE

Annual Festival of Professional Master Classes for Young Dancers Culminates with Public Performance on Sunday, January 18

Each year in winter, The Palace Theatre showcases some of Fairfield and Westchester Counties’ most committed and promising young dancers on its stage. DanceFest 2015, a Student Festival Performance of original choreography, will take place on Sunday, January 18th at 6 p.m. Leading up to this special night, DanceFest takes over The Palace for two weekends, from January 10 through January 18, for a series of master classes taught by world-renowned professionals. Tickets for DanceFest 2015 are now on sale now.

Now celebrating its 13th anniversary, The Palace’s annual performing arts festival is designed for intermediate and advanced dance students ages 10 through 18 who regularly train at several dance schools in the area. They participate in master classes taught by outstanding professionals in the dance world in six disciplines: ballet, tap, modern, hip hop/jazz/funk, contemporary and musical theater. School directors, teachers and parents are invited to observe the classes at no charge.

Master Class teachers this year include: Guillermo Asca, Kristin Sudeikis, Jermaine Browne, Daniel Ulbricht, Luis Salgado, and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards. (Bios are below.)

Participating schools in DanceFest 2015 include*:

Fairfield County, CT: Ballet School of Stamford; Bonafide Dance Company (Norwalk); Center Stage Dance Studio (Stamford); Darien Arts Center-Dance; Finelines Theatre Arts Studio (New Milford); Greenwich Dance Studio; Locust Performing Arts Center (Stamford); Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County (Bridgeport); Performing Arts Center of Connecticut (Trumbull); and Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance;

Westchester County, NY: City Center Dance (White Plains); Coleman School of Dance (New Rochelle); Dance Nyaad (Bedford Hills); East Pointe Dance (Rye Brook); Magical Movements School of Dance (Harrison); Monroe Dance Academy; New York Dance (Harrison); The Pulse Performing Arts Studio (Bedford Hills).

You can read about DanceFest 2014 (last year) in The Stamford Advocate here. 

*Media is welcome to attend master classes and performance.

MASTER CLASS SCHEDULE (weekend of January 10):

Saturday, Jan 10:
Modern: 9:30-11:00am (10-13yrs.); 11:15-12:45pm (Int./Adv., ages 14-18yrs.)
Musical Theatre: 1:00-2:00pm (ages 10-11yrs.); 2:15-3:45pm (Int., ages 12-15yrs.); 4:00-5:30pm (Adv., ages 14-18yrs.)
Tap: 5:45-7:15pm (ages 10-13yrs.); 7:30-9:00pm (Int./Adv., ages 14-18yrs.)

Sunday, Jan 11:
Ballet: 9:30-10:30am (ages 10-11yrs); 10:45-12:15pm (Int., ages 12-15yrs.); 12:30-2:00pm (Adv., ages 14-18yrs.)
Contemporary: 2:15-3:45pm (ages 10-13yrs.); 4:00-5:30pm (Int/Adv., ages 14-18yrs.)
Hip-Hop/Jazz/Funk: 5:45-7:15pm (ages 10-13yrs.); 7:30-9:00pm (Int/Adv., ages 14-18yrs.)

MASTER CLASS TEACHERS:

Modern: Guillermo Asca
Performer, Alvin Ailey American Dance Company, Ailey ll, Director, Ailey/Fordham Student Dancers & Ailey Student Performance Group/Ailey Certificate Program Advisor/Faculty Ailey School

Contemporary: Kristin Sudeikis
Choreographer/Artistic Director & Dancer for TV, Film and Stage/Choreographer for NBC’s hit “30 Rock”, featured dancer for Mariah Carey, guest appearances on “The View”, “Good Morning America” & “The Today Show”

Hip-Hop/Jazz/Funk: Jermaine Browne
Performer/Teacher/Model/Video Choreographer for Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and J.Lo. EuropeanFashion Shows/ Victoria Secret/MTV Music Awards

Ballet: Daniel Ulbricht
Principal dancer, NYCB, Artistic Advisor of Manhattan Youth Ballet and Associate Artistic Director of New York State Summer School for the Arts in Saratoga Springs, Founder and Director of “Daniel Ulbricht and Friends”, a touring group focusing on high art, education and outreach.

Musical Theatre: Luis Salgado
Dancer/Actor/Teacher/Director/Choreographer, Latin Assistant Choreographer “In The Heights”, B’dwy shows include The Mambo Kings, Fame on 42nd Street, Aida, Rocky and American Dance Machine

Tap: Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards
Performer, Choreographer, Instructor) is known for setting high standards in the world of Tap Dance. Tap coach to the king of pop Michael Jackson over the course of 11 years, she received a Bessie Award for her featured performance in Jason Samuels Smith & Company at the Joyce, and an Astaire Award for Best Female Performer for her featured performance in Broadway’s After Midnight.

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION TEAM:

Producer and Director – Carol Bryan

Production Director – Randy Thomas

Production Stage Manager – Lori Rosecrans Wekselblatt

Stage Manager – Dan Stahl

Lighting Designer – Scott Borowka

For more information, please contact Carol Bryan at 203-517-3431 or cbryan@scalive.org