Newsletter 71: Spring/Summer 2016

MICHIGAN DANCE FESTIVAL — OCTOBER 12 —Folklórico CO-HOST HOPE COLLEGE, HOLLAND Dancers from El Ballet Estudiantil (Flint) perform a huapango veracruzano. See articleMI on p. 6.

From the President’s Desk As we look forward to the Spring, Michigan Dance Council is on the move! National Dance Week is April 22- May 1, 2016. Michigan Youth Arts Festival follows quickly behind, with three days of fabulous classes and performances May 12-14, 2016 at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Thirteen different ensembles will be performing fourteen new works this year, choreographed by students as well as faculty choreographers, with guest teachers Sudha Chandrasekar, Carrie Brueck Morris, Monique Haley, and others. While we’re there, we will honor the 2016 Touchstone Dance Teacher of the Year, Christina Sears Etter. MDC is sponsoring or co-sponsoring numerous events around the state this summer: Look for us this June at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, at Detroit’s Metro Detroit Dance Summit, and other summer festivals and events in Rochester, Flint and Grand Rapids. On a bittersweet note, this will be my last message “from the President’s Desk.” My shoes will soon be filled by the energetic and charismatic Greg Patterson as well as our new Vice Chair, Glenn Del Vecchio of Grand Rapids Ballet, and Liz Kattner-Ulrich as Board Secretary. Thank you for five wonderful years, shepherding MDC into a new era. But you’re not rid of me yet. I am moving into a new position: Chairperson of Regional Representatives. I’m so excited that I’ll have the opportunity to enliven whole new areas of the state and promote Dance and MDC with regional projects throughout the state. So little to do and so much time (NOT!).

SAVE THE DATE: Michigan Dance Festival 2016 at Grand Rapids Ballet October 15, 2016 CLOSE ON THE HORIZON: • • • • • •

Delanghe and Zirulnik Summer Scholarship deadline has passed: March 31. Shape MI Professional Development Day: April 9, 8am -2pm, Oakland University Michigan Youth Arts Festival Dance Showcase: Saturday, May 14 Maggie Allesee Choreography Award application deadline: June 1 Metro Detroit Dance Teacher Summit at University of Michigan Detroit Center: June 17, 10am-5pm National Honor Society of Dance Arts Award deadline has passed: February 22.

In This Issue Message from the President ........................... 1 MDC Alliance Partner Discounts ....................... 1 Congrats MYAF Showcase Participants.............. 2

Respectfully submitted, Robin Wilson, MDC Board President

Spring and Summer 2016 2016 MDC MEMBER PERFORMANCE DISCOUNTS Use Your Member Card and Save! (See Calendar for more info) Music Hall Center for Performing Arts, Detroit: $25 (plus $5 fee) Balcony Seats Code: Michigan Dance Council. (313) 887-8501 www.musichall.org • •

May 1: Russian National Ballet Double Bill Featuring Sleeping Beauty & Don Quixote June 18: Complexions Contemporary Ballet

Bring MDC To Your Community ....................... 2 2016 Touchstone Award Winner ...................... 4 News Around the State ............................... 5-6 Calendar of Events ........................................ 7 Save the Dates: Dance Day & More ................. 7

MDC Executive Board MDC Executive Board President: Robin(President): Wilson Board Chair Gregory Patterson Vice President, Regional Reps: Kellie Lajiness Vice Chair (Vice President): Glenn Del Vecchio Secretary: Gregory Patterson Secretary: Elizabeth Kattner-Ulrich Treasurer: Susanna Michaels (interim) Treasurer: Denise M.Susan Allen Harrigan, Melissa Poli, Julie Board: Matthew Farmer, Powell, Samantha Shelton, Titos Sompas, Michael WoodberryMDC Board-at-Large Means

CONGRATS MICHIGAN YOUTH ARTS FESTIVAL 2016 SHOWCASE PARTICIPANTS!

Sudha Chandrashekar, Maxine DeBruyn, Lora Frankel, Carol Michael Woodberry-Means Halsted, Andy Poli

MDC wishes to acknowledge and congratulate the following high schools, studios, directors and 103 students selected for the 54th Michigan Youth Arts Festival! The MYAF Dance Showcase Concert will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 14, 2016 in the Shaw Theatre at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

MDC Advisory Council Michigan YouthLora Arts Festival Maxine DeBruyn, Frankel, SusanCoordinator Harrigan,

Schools

Directors

Arts Academy in the Woods Ballet Chelsea Children’s Ballet Theatre Academy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School Detroit School of Arts Education for the Arts Eisenhower Dance Centre Flint Youth Ballet Happendance, Inc. Lewis Cass Technical High School Northeast Academy of Dance Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy X2

Amy Guilmette Wendi DuBois Gregory M. George Denise M. Allen Nicole Burrell Patricia Plasko Christina Tasco/Emily Keifer Karen Mills Jennings Diane Newman Anthony Smith Scott Heinrich/Giuseppe Canale Meagan Bublitz Jodie Randolph/Megan Scheppelman

Sudha Chandrashekar, Kellie Lajiness, Don Mazzola, Melissa Poli, Titos Sompa, Robin Wilson, MDC Advisory Board

Susan Harrigan, [email protected]

Susanna Michaels, Eva Powers

Accounts/Membership Manager Anne Trombley

Regional Representatives ANN ARBOR/WASHTENAW COUNTY • Christina Sears Etter [email protected] • Melissa Poli [email protected] DOWNRIVER • Kellie M. Lajiness [email protected] FLINT/THUMB AREA • Karen Jennings [email protected] GRAND RAPIDS • Carrie Brueck Morris [email protected]

Congratulations to the following Student Choreographers whose submissions were also selected for the Saturday Showcase Concert! Thomas Latten-Hill Javon Jones

Arts Academy in the Woods Lewis Cass Technical High School

Director: Amy Guilmette Director: Anthony Smith

Special Recognition to the following ensembles and directors for having their piece selected for the MYAF Welcoming Concert to be held Thursday evening, May 12th on the Miller Stage at WMU! Ballet Chelsea Lewis Cass Technical High School

Wendi DuBois Anthony Smith

HILLSDALE • Holly Hobbs [email protected]

A Round of Applause to The Flint Institute of Music for being MDC’s hosting site for MYAF 2016 Adjudication day!

HOLLAND • Nicole Flinn [email protected]

THANK YOU 2016 Adjudicators: Elizabeth Kattner, Christina Sears-Etter, Erika Stowall

KALAMAZOO BERRIEN/CASS • Cindy Murray Bosma [email protected]

The success of MYAF 2016 could never be realized without the MYAF Board, MDC Board, MDC’s MYAF Committee, WMU Dance Department chair Megan Slayter, staff and festival liaison, Sharon Garber, WMU’s Shaw and Miller Theatre Technicians and Crews, especially Matt Knewtson!

LANSING AREA • Elzbieta Alabuszew-Kutek [email protected] MIDLAND/SAGINAW • Susie Harrigan [email protected] METRO DETROIT • Don Mazzola [email protected] NORTH/TRAVERSE CITY AREA • Tom Morrell [email protected] UPPER PENINSULA • Dianna George [email protected]

Editor’s Note. To contribute your articles, advertisements, performance reviews, calendar listings, classes, photos, auditions, research, suggestions, or anything else, send to:

Grand Rapids Ballet Nathalie Winans newsletter @ michigandance.org

MYAF 2016 concerts and exhibits are free and open to the public! Please join us for this 3-day, multi-arts event showcasing Michigan’s finest high school talent! Submitted by Kellie Lajiness, MYAF 2016 Dance Division Coordinator

MDC is the ONLY statewide arts organization that serves the entire Michigan dance community. Help us be more relevant! Students: Does your school have a Dance Club, Orchesis or Dance Student Association? Consider becoming the Student Liaison between your school and the MDC!

Looking for experience working in a nonprofit? Consider becoming a volunteer intern in the summer or school year. Many high schools and colleges give credit for field study and community outreach.

MDC Proudly Announces MYAF 2016 Dance Division Touchstone Award Recipient : Christina SearsSears-Etter MDC is proud to announce the winner of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival 2016 Dance Division Touchstone Award, Christina Sears-Etter. Christina is an educator, performer, choreographer, and writer. She relishes somatic connections through dance and movement and has a passion for improvisation, musicality and innovation in the art of dance. She is Artistic Director of People Dancing since 2000, and teaches in the community and in higher education. Currently she is on the Faculty of Eastern Michigan University School of Music and Dance, and at Arts in Motion Dance Studio. Christina earned a BA from University of Michigan. She worked professionally in London, New York City, and Baltimore, Maryland, prior to moving to Michigan. She holds an MFA degree from State University of New York College at Brockport. Her recent choreography has been presented in the Caribbean, Europe, and the USA. Christina has recently been a guest artist with Sameer Reddy and DLEctricity Festival (@MOCAD Detroit,) Eastern Michigan University, Kristi Faulkner Dance, Lisa LaMarre and Dancers, and Shawn Bible of STB Dance NY. She is a Somatic Yoga teacher and has taught somatics for many programs, including ACDFA, EastWest Somatics and University of West Indies, Campus at Cave Hill. Congratulations, Christina!

Dancers at Midwest RAD Fest. Photo by John Lacko.

WELLSPRING CELEBRATES 35TH YEAR, PRESENTS 7TH ANNUAL RAD FEST

2012 Brighton Dance Festival Pro Program students in Student Showcase at Brighton Center for Performing Arts. Photo: Jennifer Norman.

BRIGHTON DANCE FESTIVAL ADDS STUDENT HOUSING

KALAMAZOO: On April 21-24, Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers presented "Wellspring’s 35th Anniversary Celebration,” featuring an array of favorite works from the company's varied repertory.

BRIGHTON: Brighton Dance Festival has announced the addition of student housing at its seventh annual festival, which takes place August 7-13, 2016. BDF has partnered with Cleary University in Livingston County to provide housing to all BDF Professional Program and Dance Educator's Program attendees at an affordable cost. Internship positions are also available at the festival to help cover some costs. Brighton Dance Festival is a week-long contemporary dance festival located in Brighton. The annual event kicks off with an Opening Night Concert on Sunday evening featuring a professional dance concert. All registered students receive a free ticket to this performance. The week continues with a wide range of classes taught by professional local dance educators and company directors. Classes run Monday through Friday, 9am to 5:30pm daily. Training programs are available to dancers ages nine and older. The festival culminates with our BDF Student Showcase on Saturday. All full-time participating students perform in this showcase, along with a few guests. Student housing is available to Professional Program and Dance Educator's Program attendees. Festival sponsors include Cleary University, Brighton Center for the Performing Arts, and Michelle's Academy of Dance & Performing Arts Center. For more info and to register, visit www.brightondancefestival.com

www.michigandance.org

Wellspring’s body of work spans four decades and exhibits a wide variety of movement and mood. Artistic Director Cori Terry has choreographed over 75 works for Wellspring, and in this concert, her choreography showcased her creative evolution. The concert also highlighted the intimate relationship the Wellspring dancers have with the company; some of them have been dancing with Wellspring for almost 20 years. The dancers have chosen works that are meaningful to them, both emotionally compelling and technically unique. On March 18-20, Wellspring presented the seventh annual Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest). This edition of RAD Fest featured over 60 choreographers and 260 performers in five live performances, six master classes, a screendance film series, discussion panels, and networking events. “This year, we received over 150 choreographic submissions from all over the world, which means the jury panel had to cut an overwhelming majority of entries. This festival is quickly becoming one of the top dance festivals in the country,” said Festival Coordinator Rachel Miller. The festival presented 42 live performance works with over 260 dance artists in five different concerts. Each concert featured seven to 14 original works by choreographers and improvisers from the Ivory Coast, China, Mexico, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Madison, Cleveland, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and other places in the country.

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BALLET FOLKLÓRICO BRINGS MEXICAN DANCE GROUP TO MICH. MICH. FLINT: El Ballet Folklórico Estudiantil (E.B.F.E.) is a Michigan-based nonprofit that works to increase self-confidence and leadership for diverse youth through education, practice of cultural heritage, values, arts and performance of Mexican traditions. This year, E.B.F.E. received a grant from the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture to organize a cultural exchange with the dance group from México, Ixtac Chichimeca Pam. The purpose of the exchange is to share the art of Huapango music and dance from the Huasteca region of Mexico. There are six styles of huapango dances corresponding to the six states that comprise the Huasteca region: hidalguense, potosino, veracruzano, tamaulipeco, poblano and queretano. The group from Mexico will visit Michigan in May, and then E.B.F.E. will travel to San Juan del Río, Querétaro to attend a workshop with them in July. A master class with the Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández is also included in the trip itinerary thanks to the assistance of BFM’s artistic director, Viviana Basanta. For information regarding summer or fall classes with E.B.F.E. to learn the huapango dances or music, please email [email protected] or phone 810/736-3700. E.B.F.E. also posts regular updates on upcoming classes and performances on its social media.

WMU ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY DANCE ADVOCACY AWARD WINNER: WINNER: CATHLEEN CATHLEEN HULING KALAMAZOO: Western Michigan University’s Department of Dance and Partners in Dance have announced the recipient of this year’s Community Dance Advocacy Award, Cathleen Huling. Ms. Huling has an outstanding record of service to the art of dance and has devoted decades of time, energy, vision, and support to promote dance throughout West Michigan. She is known for creating outstanding community dance performances, providing high quality dance training, and promoting the art of dance, especially ballet, in the greater Kalamazoo Community. Partners in Dance created the Community Dance Advocacy Award to highlight and recognize dance activity, advocacy, and leadership in the Greater Kalamazoo Area. Conferred annually, this award honors a leader or volunteer who has demonstrated significant accomplishments in the advancement of dance in the community. Nominations are accepted year-round, and review of nominations occurs each fall. For more information about the award and nomination process, visit www.wmich.edu/dance/partners/advocacy.

Dancers from Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Complexions performs on June 18 at Music Hall Center for Performing Arts, and MDC members are eligible for discount tickets. For more information, see Page 1.

WSU THEATRE/DANCE DEPT UNVEILS TEACHING ARTISTRY MA PROGRAM DETROIT: Wayne State University’s Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance has announced a new Master of Arts in Teaching Artistry. The program will welcome its first class of students in the fall of 2016, offering either a fully online or hybrid format. With an emphasis on meeting the needs of urban populations, the MA program draws on the particular strengths of Detroit as a learning environment, making use of Wayne State University’s many existing programs of curricular engagement, outreach and revitalization with the community. Bringing together the most current theories and practices of arts engagement, students will be trained in an environment that fosters cultural sensitivity, problem-solving skills, and ensemble-based thinking and creativity. With this degree, students may continue or commence careers in teaching artistry, teaching (K-12 and Higher Education) and a variety of performing arts educational positions in professional and community-based settings. All required courses are delivered online. Students who elect the fully online format can be complete the program entirely through online courses and telecommuting with their major professors. Students who select the “hybrid” format will complete the program by combining online required courses with face-to-face elective classes. Students in both tracks have the option of completing their degree either with an essay or a thesis project. Applications are currently available. All applications must be submitted by June 1, 2016 for consideration. For more information, visit theatre.wayne.edu/graduate.php.

NDEO DANCE RESEARCH PRIZE NAMED FOR WSU PROFESSOR; CALL FOR PAPERS ANNOUNCED SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND: The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) has announced the establishment of its Doug Risner Prize for Emerging Dance Researchers, named for Wayne State University Professor of Dance, Dr. Doug Risner. The prize honors Dr. Risner’s long service as editor of Journal of Dance Education, his commitment to research and research education, and his support of NDEO. The Doug Risner Prize for Emerging Dance Researchers recognizes excellence in dance research and emerging scholars who conduct outstanding dance inquiry. Unpublished scholars submitting original empirical research study manuscripts to NDEO’s Journal of Dance Education are eligible. Recipients of the prize will see their article published in the journal and receive an honorarium that may be used for NDEO membership, conference costs and other professional services. There will be one awardee annually, beginning with 2016. The inaugural call for papers for the prize can be accessed at http://www.ndeo.org/docs.ashx?id=236018. The submission deadline is June 1, 2016, with the awardee to be notified August 1.

www.michigandance.org

Mark your calendars for the 2016 Michigan Dance Festival on October 15 at Grand Rapids Ballet! Pictured is last year’s Guest Artist, DDCdances. Photo by John Sobczak.

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Calendar of Events

SAVE THE DATES DATES! Michigan Dance Festival 2016 At Grand Rapids Ballet October 15, 2016

CLOSE ON THE HORIZON: Maggie Allesee Choreography Award Application Deadline: June 1, 2016 Metro Detroit Dance Teacher Summit at Wayne State University: June 17, 2016

Jun 8-Jul 1: Complexions Detroit Summer Intensive at Wayne State University and Music Hall. Info: www.dance.wayne.edu. Jun 16: Creative Dance workshop for Children at Ann Arbor Summer Festival, sponsored by Michigan Dance Council.

ARTLAB J dancers. Photo by Scott Lipie.

Jun 17: Metro Detroit Dance Teacher Summit at Wayne State University. Info & tickets: theofficialmrw.com/mddts.

May May 1: Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts presents Russian National Ballet Double Bill Featuring Sleeping Beauty & Don Quixote. Info: musichall.org/events/Russian-National-Ballet-Sleeping-Beauty, musichall.org/events/Russian-National-Ballet-Don-Quixote. $25 balcony tickets for MDC members: Say "Michigan Dance Council" when purchasing at 313-887-8500.

Jun 18: Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts presents Complexions Contemporary Ballet. 8pm. Info: musichall.org/events/Complexions-Contemporary-Ballet. $25 balcony tickets for MDC members: Say "Michigan Dance Council" when purchasing at 313-887-8500.

May 6-8: Children’s Ballet Theatre of Lansing presents Cinderella Ballet. 5/6-5/7 7pm, 5/8 2pm, Holt High School. Info: cbtdance.org,

July Jul 17-30: MPulse Dance Institute, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Campus. Positions still available.

This May and June, Ann Arbor Dance Works offers the following classes at UM for non-UM students:

Jul 18-22: Kristi Faulkner Dance holds its Summer Intensive for intermediate/advanced movers ages 13+. Jam Handy, 2900 E. Grand Blvd, Detroit. For early bird rate ($250), register by May 15. Info & registration: www.KristiFaulknerDance.com. Jul 25-31: ARTLAB J holds its Summer Intensive. ARTLAB J, 2120 Russell St, Detroit. Info: artlabj.com.

May 3-June 16: Chinese Folkloric Dance class, University of Michigan, May 3-June 16, Tu-Th, 4-6pm. Jin Ni, a visiting Hughes Fellow from Taiwan, will be teaching the Chinese dance technique. Info: http://annarbordanceworks.com/chinese-dancetechnique.html

August Aug 7-13: BRIGHTON DANCE FESTIVAL, Brighton. Info: See article on Page 6 or visit brightondancefestival.com.

May 4-Jun 10: Contemporary Dance Technique, MW 4-6pm. With instructors Bill DeYoung, Sarah Konner, Austin Selden, Sean Hoskins and Jillian Hopper. Info: http://annarbordanceworks.com/modern-dancetechnique.html For more information on NON-UM student options, contact Sean Hoskins at [email protected].

May 6-7: Harge Dance Stories presents (her)stor(ies): an examination of black womanhood and motherhood in contemporary times. 8:30pm, Virgil H. Carr Center, 311 E. Gd River, Detroit. Info: [email protected]. May 13-14: Livonia Public Schools CAPA Dance presents its Annual Concert of Dance. Carli Auditorium, Churchill HS, 8900 Newburgh Rd, Livonia. Tickets at door. Info: [email protected]. May 28: ARTLAB J presents 4th Annual ARTLAB J Gala, Detroit Film Theater, 7:30pm. Info: artlabj.com. Nick & Laura Schultz of Grand Rapids Ballet. Photo: Grand Rapids Ballet.

June Jun 1: Deadline for Maggie Allesee Choreography Award. For info and to apply, visit www.michigandance.org/maggie-allesee-award.html.

Aug 8-12: HIS Dance Academy holds its Summer Intensive with Nick and Laura Schultz of Grand Rapids Ballet. 2715 29th Street, Grand Rapids. Info & registration: hisdance.org.

Jun 1: Deadline for Papers: NDEO Doug Risner Prize for Emerging Dance Researchers. Info: www.ndeo.org/docs.ashx?id=236018.

Aug 25-27: ARTLAB J presents Detroit Dance City Festival. Info: detroitdancecityfestival.com.

www.michigandance.org

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P.O. Box 2934 Farmington Hills, MI 48333-2934